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The following Frequently Asked Questions and answers are provided for your convenience:

Q:  I want to work with a child who has reading difficulties, what materials do I need?
            Answer:  Each situation is different.  However, in most instances a tutor needs only two books: The Christian Literacy Series: The Light Is Coming textbook and the Review, Reinforce, Respond, Read workbook.  Students dealing with educational obstacles such as ADHD, dyslexia, and others will most likely want to use the red print on yellow paper version of the textbook.  We have many other supplementary materials available to make learning fun as well.  If you would like to discuss your specific situation, feel free to e-mail us by clicking ASK DR. LITERACY or call us during normal business hours.

Q: I will be working with a child who hasn’t learned to read yet, what materials do I need?
           Answer: The ABC Look At Me Reading! Learning Packet is our latest publication geared specifically toward individuals just learning how to read.  This packet will allow tutors to teach the English alphabet, 40 most common English words, and simple sentence structure in a smooth, sequential, and systematic process.  Upon completion of this packet, the student will be able to read forty stories in the Bible Stories for New Readers books.   You may then use The Christian Literacy Series: The Light Is Coming and the Review, Reinforce, Respond, Read workbook  to continue the student’s progress.

Q:  What is a “Christian Literacy Program?”
            Answer:  A Christian Literacy Program teaches students to read so that they can read God’s Word and everything else in print. Such a program makes use of our Bible-content materials throughout and provides the tutor with a built-in opportunity to witness to the student every step of the way. Christian Literacy Associates has been offering such programs to the churches since 1975. 

Q:  What materials does Christian Literacy offer?
            Answer: The Christian Literacy Series: The Light Is Coming takes students (if necessary) from “absolute zero”, never having seen a letter, up to a sixth grade reading level. The Review, Reinforce, Respond, Read activities book has a full page of additional work for each lesson in The Christian Literacy Series.  Other publications include the Reading Is Fun Gamebook, Comprehension Activity Book, My Reading and Writing Journal, and Bible Stories For New Readers.  The newly published ABC Look At Me Reading! Learning Packet teaches the alphabet and the forty most common English words, while helping the student build fifteen Bible stories.  To view or order materials click the following link. View or Order Materials

Q:  Is The Christian Literacy Series for adults or children?  Most literacy programs I have seen only work with adults and, outside of the schools, very little of a concrete nature is done for children without a very high cost attached. 
            Answer: The Christian Literacy Series will work with almost anyone who needs to learn to read or improve reading skills up to a sixth grade level.  This includes adults and children of average intelligence, special needs students, the mentally challenged, adults in prison, those in drug rehab centers, and individuals seeking to learn English.

Q:  How can The Christian Literacy Series be used with both adults and children?
            Answer:  Dr. William E. Kofmehl, Jr., the author of The Christian Literacy Series, originally developed the text in 1975 for use with adults who could not read.  It has proven highly successful for that purpose.  Thirty years ago, Dr. Kofmehl’s wife, Linda, made use of the Series to teach their three-year-old daughter (Jennie) to read.  Jennie is hearing impaired and her parents prayed that opening up the world of print would help compensate for the partial closing of the world of sound.  Jennie Kofmehl, now Jennie Ebner, is today a certified English teacher who has written many of the Christian Literacy materials designed for children.  She is also a full-time mom with two children who have also benefited from The Christian Literacy Series.  The reason The Christian Literacy Series works with children is that it starts at “zero” and makes use of a limited vocabulary as it builds up a student’s skill.  Children are very interested in the “mysterious adult world” that exists around them.   Reading stories that talk about events in that world are definitely not boring to them.  Adults, on the other hand, usually dislike using materials obviously designed for young children. In recent years, Christian Literacy has added special supplementary materials (and programs) specifically aimed at our growing child audience and their parent “tutors”. 

Q:   I want to help a friend learn to read, but I am not a teacher. What are the requirements to be a Christian Literacy tutor?
             Answer:  The key to a Christian Literacy Program is The Christian Literacy Series in the hands of a dedicated volunteer tutor.  Such a tutor does not have to be a trained educator, or even a high school graduate.  A tutor must, however,  be a good reader, have patience, want to teach someone to read, be willing to make use of Bible-content materials, and participate in a short (four-hour) training program.  Some of our most successful tutors have not graduated from High School.  Their patience and love for their students allowed them to open God’s Word to those who could not read it.

Q:  I am a retired elementary school teacher.  I am very concerned for the children I see in our Sunday School  classes who have reading problems.  Some are in danger of failing a grade.  Is there something that I can do for them using your Christian Literacy materials?
            Answer:   Many of our tutors are educators.  Their prior experience and training has made it easier for them to start Christian Literacy Programs in their congregations, work with some of the “difficult cases”, and serve as the first level of help for a volunteer tutor in their “literacy center”.  The Summer Reading Camps and L.E.A.P (Literacy Empowers After-school Programs) projects depend on such dedicated individuals to handle the small group component and administrative duties and classroom style activities involved.   It is important to emphasize, however, that it is not necessary to be a teacher to effectively use any Christian Literacy materials as they are professionally designed for use by non-professionals.