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What We Offer
Our Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs help adults who read below a 9th-grade level.
Testing and Curriculum: We test learners using the Slosson Oral Reading Test (SORT) and place them in one of two pathways: the Foundational Kit or the Challenger Kit.
Structured Curriculum Kits: Volunteer reading tutors receive a complimentary Curriculum Kit for their sessions. Our kits start with the first books from the Laubach or Challenger series, along with essential supplies like flashcards, journals and pens.
Program Overview:
- “24 Hours to Success” – Foundational Curriculum Kit (Lauback Way to Reading)
- Focuses on foundational phonics, simple words, and basic paragraphs.
- Tailored for learners reading at or below a 4th-grade level.
- “The Next Chapter” – Challenger Curriculum Kit (Challenger Reading & Writing)
- Targets fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and reading confidence.
- Designed for learners reading between a 4th and 8th-grade level.
Program Execution: Our Tutor+Learner pairs commit to 24 hours of formal instruction at our Study Centers. These one-hour weekly sessions take place at one of the 23 library locations across Richland and Lexington counties.
Structured Curriculum: Our core curriculum employs two suites tailored to different levels: Laubach Way to Reading for beginners or Challenger for intermediate learners.
Laubach Way to Reading (Basic):
- 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.
Challenger (Intermediate):
- 8-level series building 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.
We are committed to tailored learning, volunteer engagement, and community outreach through structured curricula at the core of adult literacy development.