📰 Adult Literacy News Summary
More than 6,500 London school children have attended story telling events to inspire reading
26-Aug-2025 - UK
More than 6,500 children from across the capital have taken part in storytelling sessions designed to inspire a love of reading. The year’s initiative comes at a crucial time, as new research from the National Literacy Trust reveals only one in three (32.7%) children and young adults aged 8–18 read for pleasure.
Read moreFlorida's Adult Literacy Ranks Among Nation's Lowest: 1 in 5 Adults Lack Basic Reading Skills
23-Aug-2025 - USA
Despite decades of reform and billions in education spending, nearly one in five Florida adults lacks basic reading skills. Can targeted investment and community engagement turn the page?
Read moreThe death of reading is a civilisational catastrophe
21-Aug-2025 - UK
Researchers at the University of Florida and University College London have found that, in America, reading for leisure has collapsed by 40 per cent in just two decades. In Britain, according to the National Literacy Trust, the percentage of children who say they enjoy reading has plummeted by more than a third, while the number aged between eight and 18 who read daily has been cut in half. The verdict is in: books have lost to phones.
Read moreNigeria’s Literacy Journey: Tracing Adult Education Growth from 1991 to 2025
21-Aug-2025 - Nigeria
Nigeria’s adult literacy rate over the past three decades has been marked by a mixture of progress, sharp setbacks, and gradual recovery. Data from UNESCO, the World Bank, and other global agencies reveal a fluctuating trajectory that mirrors the broader challenges of the country’s education sector. From 1991 through 2025, the literacy trend demonstrates how political instability, socio-economic disparities, and inconsistent policies have shaped Nigeria’s progress toward universal education.
Read moreMost students with literacy difficulties benefit from reasonable adjustments
21-Aug-2025 - UK
Reasonable adjustments for students with specific learning difficulties are generally beneficial but inequalities persist and students need training to use them effectively, finds the first comprehensive review of exam access arrangements in England, led by UCL researchers.
Read moreAdult Learning Wales can support you in achieving your aspirations
21-Aug-2025 - UK
Adult Learning Wales is passionate about helping learners improve their lives through learning. That's why the organisation delivers the most appropriate and sought-after adult learning courses across Wales, and its part-time community and workplace courses offer flexible learning both online and in a classroom in your local community.
Read more‘Romantasy’ is on the rise, but reading for pleasure has fallen drastically over the past 20 years
21-Aug-2025 - USA
Sarah J. Maas, Freida McFadden and Emily Henry –– can these popular authors join forces and save the day against a dangerous decline in reading for enjoyment? Daily reading for pleasure has plummeted 40% over the past 20 years, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal iScience.
Read moreNew early literacy programme launched in Basingstoke
17-Aug-2025 - UK
Hundreds of children in Basingstoke are set to benefit from a new early literacy programme. The scheme, called Hop into Reading, will support infant school pupils in Basingstoke with free in-school reading sessions delivered by trained, DBS-checked nursery practitioners. Launched in August 2025, the initiative is the result of a partnership between Cornerstone Nurseries, Brevity Marketing, and Basingstoke Business for Good.
Read moreDigital Learning And The Fight Against Illiteracy In Pakistan
16-Aug-2025 - Pakistan
The education landscape in Pakistan paints a grim picture, even when compared to other countries within South Asia. While SAARC countries such as the Maldives and Sri Lanka boast literacy rates above 90%, even India and Bangladesh have literacy rates higher than 80%. Pakistan has a national literacy rate of 59%, which is behind Nepal’s 69% and only above Afghanistan’s 37%. When compared to the global average, Pakistan is in the bottom 20 countries of the world in terms of adult literacy.
Read morePHX Training secures contract extension to support Cumbrians
15-Aug-2025 - UK
A vocational training provider has secured a contract extension to continue supporting Cumbrian adults into next year. PHX Training has announced the extension of its Multiply programme, which helps adults in Cumbria improve their numeracy and literacy through the Multiply for Maths and Engage for English schemes. The new contract, funded by devolved local authority spending, will run until March 2026 and aims to support up to 100 adults aged 18 and over who do not already hold a Level 2 qualification in maths or English.
Read more