Challenger Adult Reading Series

Challenger Adult Reading Series

Sandra Sullivan Learning for Life Programof the West Side Catholic Center

Presented by Jacquelyn A. Comeaux of The L.E.A.D. Institute, LLCLeadership, Education and Business Development Training and Consulting

April 19, 2010


Agenda Welcome and Introductions

Introduction to the Challenger Series

An Integrated Approach

Sequenced Skill Building

Review

Using the Challenger Series- Hands on Exercise


Welcome!

This training is provided FREE by The L.E.A.D. Institute, LLC in cooperation with Farrell Ink, LLC and thanks to the Sandra Sullivan Learning for Life Program of the West Side Catholic Center in Cleveland, Ohio.


Welcome!

The L.E.A.D. Institute, LLC is a network of Educators and Consultants providing: Professional & Personal Development

Training Literacy Education Training Leadership Training and Individual and Emerging Business

Development Consulting


Welcome!

The Sandra Sullivan Learning for Life Program supports non-profits and faith communities to provide cost effective, volunteer-based adult education tutoring.

You may duplicate, present, or print this training FREE for non-commercial purposes and can customize it as long as you attribute the training to the Sandra Sullivan Learning for Life Program.



Designed to develop reading, writing and reasoning skills

Components of the Series 8 student books with answer keys in the back 2 teacher’s manuals 8 writing workbooks Online Challenger Placement Tool Online puzzles correlated to student book lessons



Books 1-4 emphasize learning to read Developing basic decoding Vocabulary Comprehension Writing skills

Books 5-8 emphasize reading to learn Developing higher – level comprehension Advanced reasoning skills Expansion of student’s knowledge base



Each book contains 20 lessons, plus reviews Each lesson includes

A word study chart A reading selection A wide variety of skill building exercises and

activities Each lesson builds on the previous lesson There are reviews after every four or five

lessons except in Books 1 and 3 Each book has a final review and answer key



The Teachers Manuals explain: The underlying concepts of the series

Scope and Sequence – the identifying of benchmarks, essential learnings, and new vocabulary words that are developmentally appropriate for each grade level



Each Teacher’s Manual contains a Scope and Sequence chart Phonics Word Analysis Vocabulary Comprehension Literary Understanding Writing And study skills



Each Teacher’s Manual also offers practical suggestions about procedures and techniques for working with students Preparing to Teach Teaching the Lessons Writing Reinforcement activities Using lesson notes, etc.


Your Turn!

Question and Answer Time


An Integrated Approach

Challenger integrates reading, writing, speaking and listening skills

Reading comprehension is developed through oral discussion of inferential (What is written between the lines?) and applied-level questions (What is in the reader’s mind?)

Discussions help students to develop speaking and listening skills

Students build writing skills through follow-up writing activities

Critical thinking and reasoning skills are developed as students discuss the readings, the exercises, and their writing activities.



Lessons build on the skills developed and the content introduced in previous lessons

Each lesson increases in length and difficulty

As reading selections become longer, content, vocabulary and sentence structure become more complex

Exercises and writing assignments build on and expand students’ knowledge



Books 1,3,5,7 begin with a word chart that introduces new words according to specific phonics principles

Reading selections in these books are mostly fiction Books 1 and 3 are original stories about a group

of adults in a variety of situations Books 5 and 7 are adapted well-known works of

fiction



Books 2,4,6,8 contain informational readings

Books 2 and 4 have topics similar to those in magazines

Reading selections in Books 6 and 8 are adapted non-fiction works



Comprehension exercises based on the reading selections focus on the development of literal, inferential and applied comprehension skills.

Books 5-8 develop literary understanding, interpretation, and critical reading skills

Other exercises are designed to increase vocabulary and develop reading/reasoning skills



Students are encouraged to write beginning at the first session/lesson

Early lessons focus on writing at the sentence level Designed to improve spelling, sentence structure,

and student self expression

In Books 5-8, students write brief paragraphs


Your Turn!



Let’s Review

Challenger series is designed to develop only reading and writing skills T or F

There are __student books Extra Credit: Where are the answer keys?

Each lesson includes 3 primary elements. What are they?


Let’s Review

Which 2 books don’t have reviews?

What is scope and sequence?

Name two of the practical suggestions sections of the Teacher’s Manual?


Let’s Review

Finish this sentence: Critical thinking and reasoning skills are developed as students_______________________

Reading selections found in the odd number books are based on ____________

Comprehension exercises using reading selections focus on what 3 types of questioning and discussion?


Let’s Review

Early lessons focus on writing at the sentence level and are designed to: Improve spelling Sentence structure Improve self expression All of the above


Using the Challenger Series-Hands On Exercise

Preparing a Lesson Plan

Using the Challenger Series you have been given complete the following exercise: Select a content topic and prepare a lesson plan Incorporate the following 3 components into your

lesson plan: word study a reading selection writing activity

Decide on any reinforcement activities you may want to use

Decide on the method of instruction you will use


Your Turn!



The Mustard Seed Prayer

GOD, thank you for the mustard seed although it is so small

GOD, thank you for the plant that grows up largest of them all

GOD, thank you for the birds that sing in branches that reach wide

GOD, thank you for the words you teach while walking by my side

GOD, give us love and strength to meet each other’s human need

God, bury me to rise again just like the mustard seed.AMEN

Documents

Challenger Adult Reading Series