Literacy
Learning poverty: 70% of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple text.
Literacy is fundamental in helping children and young people learn, thrive, and fully participate in society.
The Commonwealth Education Trust (CET) champions reading, writing, and storytelling through strengthening teacher practice.
Learning poverty: 70% of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple text.
Literacy is fundamental in helping children and young people learn, thrive, and fully participate in society.
The Commonwealth Education Trust (CET) champions reading, writing, and storytelling through strengthening teacher practice.
Our literacy iniatives
Literacy is the gateway for communication and a powerful driver for increased opportunities. When children read for pleasure, explore stories that reflect their lives and write to express their views, learning outcomes improve and so does confidence and wellbeing.
We connect literacy and storytelling with teacher development and practical classroom practice. Through our programmes and partnerships, we help create the learning environment to promote literacy: teachers who are supported, classrooms that are engaging, and communities that value reading and learning.
Literacy is the gateway for communication and a powerful driver for increased opportunities. When children read for pleasure, explore stories that reflect their lives and write to express their views, learning outcomes improve and so does confidence and wellbeing.
We connect literacy and storytelling with teacher development and practical classroom practice. Through our programmes and partnerships, we help create the learning environment to promote literacy: teachers who are supported, classrooms that are engaging, and communities that value reading and learning.
Writing for Young Readers - Online course
Our Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest course on Coursera helps learners understand audience, genre, and structure for children’s and young adult writing. Through practical exercises, peer feedback, and guidance from experienced instructors and guest authors, participants build confidence and develop their unique voice while fostering a strong reading and storytelling culture in the classroom.
Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition 2026
We are proud to support the 2026 competition, delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society. This year’s theme, “Common Ground: Better Together”, invites young writers to explore the connections that unite us across the Commonwealth.
Partnering to Promote Literacy
We collaborate with organisations across the Commonwealth to advance literacy in engaging and practical ways by inspiring young people through reading and writing initiatives, celebrating diverse voices through storytelling and cultural exchange, and strengthening teaching through literacy-focused professional development.
A River of Stories
Published in 2016, the four-volume collection A River of Stories: Tales and Poems from Across the Commonwealth celebrates the richness of cultures across the Commonwealth. Each volume contains a story or poem from each of the then fifty-three countries in the Commonwealth themed around water, earth, air and fire.
Give the Ball to the Poet
With an emphasis on the music of Caribbean poetry as it is spoken, and designed primarily for 11- to 16-year-olds, the book aims to help improve the teaching and learning of poetry in schools.
