World Literacy SummitThe World Literacy Summit 2014, which “aims to build awareness of the global literacy crisis and provide opportunities for participants to develop strategic plans, exchange information, find solutions and build partnerships to improve literacy standards worldwide,” has just opened in Oxford. This year, the theme is “Literacies: the Power to Change,” which allows for exploration of “the role of both new and traditional literacy tools and techniques in the worldwide fight to eradicate illiteracy.”

The Summit is organized by the Aboriginal Literacy Foundation from Australia, which seeks to “transform the lives of Indigenous children by focusing on literacy and numeracy education,” but its mandate has broadened to cover worldwide literacy. New technology and literacy is a major theme for this year’s conference, with studies both on bridging the digital divide to promote digital literacy, and using digital technologies to support broad literacy and reading skills. Presentations include sessions with themes like: “Innovative Publishing for Transforming Illiteracy,” or “Writing for Children in a Multi-Platform, Connected World to Increase Literacy and Accelerate Learning.”

David Perrin, chief executive officer of the World Literacy Summit, said of the Summit: “It is everyone’s fundamental right to be able to read and write to a life-enhancing standard. We want to explore how we can give more people access to that human right and what we can do long term to tackle the barriers to literacy.”

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