Our Reading Programs

What We Offer

Learner Orientation

We have two programs that help English-fluent adults who read below a 9th-grade level.

Testing and Placement: We use the Slosson Oral Reading Test (SORT). This test tells us if someone needs to build Foundational reading skills of sounds and phonics, or if they need our Challenger Curriculum to build fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

Curriculum Kits: Volunteer reading tutors get either a Foundational Kit or Challenger Kit to use with their assigned learner. Our curriculum kits start with the first skill books from the Laubach Way to Reading or Challenger series from New Readers Press. Session tracking sheets, assignment cards and other supplies like flashcards, journals and pens are included in the kit.

Program Overview:

  1. “24 Hours to Success” – Foundational Curriculum Kit (Lauback Way to Reading)
    • Focuses on foundational sounds, decoding simple words, and reading basic paragraphs.
    • Tailored for those reading below a 4.0 on the Slosson Oral Reading Test.
    • 4-level structured, phonics-based series.
    • Step-by-step approach for those with little or no reading skills.
    • Covers letter-sound relationships and a controlled vocabulary of 132 words.
  2. “The Next Chapter” – Challenger Curriculum Kit (Challenger Reading & Writing)
    • Helps build fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and reading confidence.
    • Designed for those reading between a 4.0 and 8.9 on the Slosson Oral Reading Test.
    • 8-level series builds reading, comprehension, and writing skills.
    • Emphasizes decoding, vocabulary, and writing skills in books 1–4.
    • Shifts to reading to learn with higher-level readings and vocabulary in books 5–8.

How it Works: Our pairs commit to 24 sessions at one of our Study Centers. These one-hour weekly sessions take place at one of over two dozen locations across Richland, Lexington and Aiken counties.