Future of Literacy
What is the future of literacy?
In a digital-first world, the ways in which children and young people engage with language are evolving rapidly. Our Future of Literacy project explores how the digital landscape is reshaping literacy and the skills children and young people need to thrive both today and in the future.
The series aims to offer a hopeful vision where literacy is not a barrier, but instead a bridge to opportunity, equity and lifelong learning.
We have drawn on over 30 years of experience as a charity and convened the expertise and unique insights of children and young people, families, educators and businesses to provide an opportunity for the sector to come together in shaping the future of literacy.
Download new papers which explore the topic
Over the coming months, we will publish a series of papers exploring themes of multimodal reading, literacy for the workplace and media literacy.
Paper one: Multimodal reading
The first paper in our Future of Literacy series explores how we must redefine what it means to be a reader in the digital, audio and visual age.
As we approach the National Year of Reading 2026, this is a vital opportunity to shift societal perspectives on reading and demonstrate the power of personal, meaningful reading.
Discover dedicated chapters on digital reading (supported by Oxford University Press), audiobooks (supported by Audible) and comics (with gift-in-kind contributions from The Beano).
NEW | Paper two: The human advantage
The second paper in our Future of literacy series is supported by KPMG UK and presents UK business and education sector insights on the essential literacy skills young people will need to succeed in modern and future digital-first workplaces.
Discover which advanced literacy skills business leaders from across many sectors have identified as the most pertinent to develop in young people in order for them to thrive beyond education and in the workplace.
Blogs in our Future of Literacy series and further reading
-
But what does this look like in reality and how do we begin to define what it means?Learn more about The Future of Literacy: What does it mean to be 'literate' in today's world?.
-
Dr Ellie Bristow shares insights from a review of the past decade of digital and critical literacy policy and highlights how evidence-based policy could help to shape the future of...Learn more about Ten years of policy: a review.
-
Is there a way that children and young people can access vital literacy skills through gaming? Our Director of Education reflects on his own experiences of engaging with video games...Learn more about Andrew Ettinger has thanked the bus driver: Can video games support literacy skills?.
-
Corrine Harms from KPMG discusses her role in our Future of Literacy project and what her initial findings are in regards to how we equip young people with the literacy skills they...Learn more about Literacy for work: how do we equip young people for the workplace in a digital-first world?.
-
In this article, our Head of Secondary School Improvement discusses our latest research into how young people and teachers are using generative AI and considers how teachers can use...Learn more about How can AI be used in education to support literacy?.
-
Literacy is the ability to read, write, speak and listen in a way that lets us communicate effectively and make sense of the world.Learn more about What is literacy?.
Further support for educators
Discover classroom resources, expert-led CPD and training for all phases, events and related research that will support you to explore topics that arise from our Future of Literacy series and papers.
-
We are on a mission to grow the next generation of confident communicators.Learn more
-
Explore how a multimodal approach to teaching literacy can support students’ learning in secondary schools.Download our FREE resource
-
Harness the engaging power of graphic novels in your primary classroom.Download FREE KS2 resources
-
Understand the latest findings on audio habits in children and young people aged 8 to 18, and discover fun ways to incorporate listening and audio into the classroom.Download our PREMIUM resource
-
Join us for our exclusive National Year of Reading events in March to explore how we can find routes into reading and validate teenage reading experiences.Learn more
-
A proven literacy programme from CLPE that boosts reading and writing attainment, and supports primary teachers to deliver a high-quality English curriculum using outstanding children’s literature. Online and in-person options available.Book CLPE's CPD
-
Expert guidance and tools on how to lead oracy.Book oracy training
-
Find out how you can take part in the National Year of Reading 2026 with your school and setting.Schools: Get involved
-
This one-day workshop examines oracy as a key element of primary literacy and provides strategies for improving speaking and listening in the classroom.Learn more
