đź“° Adult Literacy News Summary
Reverse adult education cuts now, protesters tell MPs
23-Nov-2025 - UK
Around 400 adult learners and college lecturers descended on Parliament this week to demand their MPs seek a reversal of adult education funding cuts. As part of its Save Adult Education campaign, organisers at the University and College Union (UCU) arranged a mass lobby for lecturers and learners to speak to MPs about the impact of the government’s ongoing reductions to adult skills funding. They also urged MPs to protect courses and jobs at institutes for adult learning and provide the right to free English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses as part of a “social integration plan”.
Read moreShropshire community groups receive funding boost from Co-op’s Local Community Fund
21-Nov-2025 - UK
Shropshire community groups are this week celebrating sharing a funding boost from Co-op’s Local Community Fund. Thirteen Shropshire causes share almost £25,000, including: Read Easy Shropshire Hills: £1,922 to help adults who struggle with reading by providing free, confidential, one-to-one coaching either face-to-face or online.
Read moreMore than half of UK novelists believe AI will replace their work
20-Nov-2025 - UK
A new study by the University of Cambridge found many authors’ work has already been used – without their permission – to train large language models. More than half of published novelists in the UK believe artificial intelligence could eventually replace their work entirely, according to a new report from the University of Cambridge. The study, conducted for the university’s Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy, suggests widespread unease about the speed and scale of AI’s advance into the literary world.
Read moreWriter in Wellies launches first Cumbria reading scheme
19-Nov-2025 - UK
A children's author from Cumbria has brought a nationally recognised reading mentorship initiative to the county for the first time. Helen Haraldsen, known as The Writer in Wellies, has been delivering The Children’s Literacy Charity’s Reader Leader programme in primary and secondary schools across Cumbria.
Read moreJessie Kelly-Baxter of NECC on North East's potential
18-Nov-2025 - UK
Jessie Kelly-Baxter, policy manager, North East Chamber of Commerce writes about unlocking potential. It is easy to talk about work experience in abstract terms: “skills development”, “employability” or “talent pipelines”. Research and engagement across the region highlight why this is so vital. Many young people face barriers to opportunity, whether due to family circumstances, geographic location or systemic disadvantage. Adult literacy and communication skills are particularly critical: at the Chamber, we conducted research through our Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) work to understand literacy beyond basic reading and writing, looking at competence in the workplace.
Read moreHow literacy can change a life
18-Nov-2025 - UK
Learning to read empowers people, reduces poverty and increases their job chances. Yet more than 700 miliion adults are illiterate, the majority of them women. We look at innovations to help adults learn how to read from flatpack classrooms in flood-prone regions of Bangladesh, to an app teaching tens of thousands in Somaliland. Plus how adults in the UK are improving their reading skills thanks to an army of volunteer teachers using a method developed in prison.
Read moreWelsh sporting heroes helping children with dyslexia to read
16-Nov-2025 - UK
The careers of Welsh sporting heroes such as Jess Fishlock, Alun Wyn Jones and Gareth Bale are being used to help children with dyslexia to read. Because of Covid, pressure on parents and distractions such as electronic devices, author James Stafford was concerned less youngsters were reading, so wanted to bring the stars of Welsh sport to life to encourage them. His book Wonderful Welsh Sporting Heroes, and Welsh language version Arwyr Chwaraeon Cymru, does that with colourful illustrations, interesting facts and career highlights.
Read moreMeasuring Learning Outcomes in Literacy and Basic Skills - RAMAED
14-Nov-2025 - Africa
Initiated by UIL at the request of French-speaking African countries, the RAMAED (literacy component) aims to support participating countries in setting up a system for monitoring and evaluating the quality of literacy provision. Specifically, the aim is to use standardised instruments, translated and adapted into the national languages selected by the participating countries, to assess the performance of the beneficiaries of literacy programmes - young people and adults aged 15 and over - in the areas of literacy, numeracy and life skills.
Read moreThousands of Staffordshire adults supported with Community Learning
12-Nov-2025 - UK
More than 6,000 Staffordshire residents have benefited from adult education and skills programmes over the past year. Staffordshire County Council’s Community Learning service, which helps adults who face barriers to accessing mainstream education, has enabled residents to build their confidence, improve wellbeing and progress towards employment and further learning.
Read moreTeacher's worst fears confirmed when struggling students suddenly started submitting A-grade papers
11-Nov-2025 - USA
A Los Angeles high school English teacher's routine grading session took a shocking turn when his lowest-performing students began turning in flawless A-grade essays - all at once. The culprit wasn't an underground website or a secret group chat but Google Lens, a tool embedded directly into every student's school-issued Chromebook. Students simply hover over a test or essay question and instantly receive AI-generated answers - all without switching tabs or typing a single word.
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