Dyslexia Therapist Training Program
in Collaboration with ESC Region 13

The 2025 application—apply today


information sessions

Please join one of our virtual Information Sessions to learn more about our Dyslexia Therapist Training Program. We will discuss the program requirements in greater detail and answer questions. Click the link to join the Information Session via Zoom.


What You Will Learn

The Dyslexia Therapist Training Program is a two-year multimodal, structured language training curriculum for individuals interested in being Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALT) and Texas Licensed Dyslexia Therapists (LDT). All training sessions are in person.

This comprehensive program uses Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia (Take Flight), a curriculum written by the staff of Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders at Scottish Rite Children. Take Flight addresses the five components of effective reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel’s research and is a comprehensive Tier III intervention for students with dyslexia ages seven (7) and up.

Dyslexia Center of Austin adheres to the high professional and ethical standards established by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC). Therapist certification conferred by the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA).

Dyslexia Center of Austin, Dyslexia Therapist Training logos for International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) and Academic Language Therapy Assoc. (ALTA).

The Dyslexia Therapist Training Program is accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC), meets the requirements for Texas licensure, and meets the criteria for membership in the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA).


degree requirement

Completion of a 4-year Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university is required to start the training program. A Master’s degree from an accredited university is required before eligibility to sit for the ALTA Competency Exam at the Therapy Level in order to be conferred as a Certified Academic Language Therapist.


Certification and Licensing

Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT)

Graduates of the Dyslexia Therapist Training Program with a Master’s degree from an accredited university are eligible to sit for the ALTA Competency Exam at the Therapy Level to become Certified Academic Language Therapists. Graduates have up to five (5) years upon completion of Dyslexia Therapist Training to take the ALTA Competency Exam at the Therapy Level.

Certified Academic Language Therapist—Candidate

Graduates of the Dyslexia Therapist Training Program with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university are eligible to sit for the ALTA Competency Exam at the Therapy Level to become a Certified Academic Language Therapist—Candidate. Certified Academic Language Therapist—Candidates have up to five (5) years upon completion of Dyslexia Therapist Training to obtain a Master’s degree from an accredited university. If a Master’s degree is not obtained within the allotted time, individuals will become Certified Academic Language Practitioners (CALP).

Texas Licensed Dyslexia Therapist (LDT)

Certified Academic Language Therapists in good standing may be eligible to apply to become Licensed Dyslexia Therapists, as defined by Texas HB 461. For more information, visit the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation.

 
Graduate-Level Credit

Graduates may receive up to fifteen (15) hours of graduate-level credit toward a Master of Education degree in Special Education with a Dyslexia Emphasis, with an optional Educational Diagnostician Certification through MSU Texas (online program). Click here to learn more about the M.Ed. program details.

For more information, please contact April Crutcher, Special Education Program Coordinator.

Graduate-Level Clinical Training and Supervised Instruction in:

  • Oral and written language development

  • Knowledge of structural linguistics, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, alphabetic principle, syllabification, orthography, etc.

  • Knowledge of dyslexia and related disorders

  • Diagnostic, prescriptive, multimodal, structured language education approach to teach reading, fluency, comprehension, spelling, and written expression

  • Knowledge of psychoeducational tests and interpretation of report data

  • Administration of informal assessment tools

  • Federal and state laws guiding professional conduct and advocacy for students

  • Ethical standards of the profession

  • Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia, a multimodal, structured approach to teaching developed by Scottish Rite for Children

  • Classroom strategies and techniques used for students with dyslexia

  • Effective communication strategies with students, parents, colleagues, etc.

  • How to conduct parent and teacher information seminars



TRAINING REQUIREMENTS and COST

  • 1st Year—Introductory Training Course—$3,200
    Cost includes professional development and an introductory materials kit.

    • Introductory Summer Course—Three (3) weeks

    • Four (4) Introductory Seminars throughout the school year

    • Attend one (1) approved dyslexia-related conference

    • Submit five (5) recorded introductory demonstration lessons

    • Teach three (3) groups using the Take Flight curriculum

  • 2nd Year—Advanced Training Course—$2,000
    Cost includes professional development and an advanced materials kit.

    • Advanced Summer Course—One (1) week

    • Four (4) Advanced Seminars throughout the school year

    • Attend one (1) approved dyslexia-related conference

    • Submit five (5) recorded advanced demonstration lessons

    • Continue teaching three (3) groups using the Take Flight curriculum


Additional Dyslexia Training Courses


Build: A k-1 Early reading intervention

Training for interventionists, special education teachers, dyslexia therapists, CALTs/Trainees, etc.

Friday—January 10, 2025
8:30 AM—3:30 PM CST
Virtual via Zoom

$150 for Professional Development—Dyslexia Center of Austin
$750 for Build Materials Kit & Downloadable Materials—Scottish Rite for Children

To meet the needs of the K-1 students identified as at-risk for dyslexia or identified with dyslexia, the Scottish Rite for Children developed a 100-lesson, small group early reading intervention that addresses all five components of effective reading intervention: alphabet, letter/sound knowledge, phonological awareness, vocabulary, and comprehension. Each component is taught developmentally using a direct, systematic, cumulative, multimodal method of introduction and practice to meet the specific needs of K-1 students struggling with reading.

The curriculum is designed to be taught by interventionists, special education teachers, dyslexia therapists, CALTs/trainees, etc. Training is required.

6 ALTA CE/Educator CPE Hours
Minimum Class Size: 10

Click here for the January 10, 2025 registration form.

For more information on the BUILD curriculum, download a white paper or handout from the Scottish Rite for Children.

Please email Kelly O’Mullan with any questions.

jet: a fast-paced reading intervention
Therapist Level

Training for Dyslexia Therapists using Take Flight

TBD
Virtual via Zoom

$100 for Professional Development—Dyslexia Center of Austin
$485 for Jet Materials Kit—Scottish Rite for Children

Jet is a one-year, evidence-based dyslexia intervention written by the Scottish Rite for Children staff. It is designed for individuals 14 years and older who are newly identified with dyslexia. A Take Flight-trained Dyslexia Therapist or Certified Academic Language Therapist delivers 124 direct instruction lessons in a one-on-one or small group setting (no more than six students). The curriculum is designed to be taught four days a week for 60 minutes per day or five days a week for 45 minutes per day.

3 ALTA CE Hours
Minimum Class Size: 10

Click here to download a Jet flier.

Please email Kelly O’Mullan with any questions.

turbo start: a dyslexia curriculum for newly identified Students

Training for Dyslexia Therapists using Take Flight

TBD

Virtual via Zoom

$100 for Professional Development—Dyslexia Center of Austin
$200 for Turbo Start Materials Kit—Scottish Rite for Children

Turbo Start is a program written by the Scottish Rite for Children. It is a 9-week, evidenced-based dyslexia program designed to serve as an entry-level companion course for newly identified students preparing to embark on a direct, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and multisensory dyslexia program. A Take Flight-trained Dyslexia Therapist or Certified Academic Language Therapist delivers 36 lessons of small group instruction (one to six students) for a minimum of 45 minutes per session. The unique feature of Turbo Start is the flexible drop-in, drop-out design, giving educators a flexible starting point to give newly identified students with dyslexia. Therefore, a student doesn’t need to complete all 36 Turbo Start lessons before transitioning to the beginning of a direct, systematic, sequential, and cumulative dyslexia program.

3 ALTA CE Hours
Minimum Class Size: 10

3 ALTA CE Hours
Minimum Class Size: 10

For more information on the Turbo Start curriculum, click here to download the flier from the Scottish Rite for Children.

Please email Kelly O’Mullan with any questions.