UA CALP PRACTITIONER is a pathway for certification as a Dyslexia Practitioner, officially known as Certified Academic Language Practitioner (CALP). This is an advanced certification for teachers, speech and language therapists and others who hold a bachelor’s degree and a strong interest in continued professional development in teaching children with dyslexia, characteristics of dyslexia, and other persistent reading difficulties. Successful completion of the 1 year of program work, 5 lesson observations, and 60 practicum hours (teaching individuals or small groups of children with dyslexia or characteristics of dyslexia) allows participants to sit for the ALTA exam and be certified as a Certified Academic Language Practitioner. More about the ALTA exam for the PRACTIONER can be found here: The Academic Language Therapy Association – CALP Application (altaread.org)
As a professional development program, the work and time commitment for CALP is intense, but does not require a master’s degree and can be completed in one year of coursework. Read the information carefully to be sure you understand the commitment and send additional questions to Dr. Carol Donovan at cdonovan@ua.edu
UA CALT THERAPIST is a pathway for certification as a Dyslexia Therapist, officially known as Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT). This is an advanced certification for teachers, speech and language therapists and others who already hold a master’s degree and a strong interest in advanced education in teaching children with dyslexia, characteristics of dyslexia, and other persistent reading difficulties. Successful completion of the 2 years of program work and 700 practicum hours (practicum hours must be completed before the exam may be taken; the exam must be taken within 5 years of starting the coursework) allows participants to sit for the ALTA exam and be certified as a Certified Academic Language Therapist. More about the ALTA exam for THERAPIST can be found here: The Academic Language Therapy Association – CALT Application (altaread.org)
As an advanced program, the work and time commitment are intense. Read the information carefully to be sure you understand the commitment and send additional questions to Dr. Carol Donovan at cdonovan@ua.edu
Overview
Expertise is Needed
According to the International Dyslexia Association (https://dyslexiaida.org/), 1 in 5 children are dyslexic. An additional 20% of children or more in different school settings show characteristics of dyslexia that require intensive intervention to curb long-lasting effects on lifetime reading achievement. Children with dyslexia and persistent reading difficulties require intensive small group instruction from expert teachers with specialized training, such as CALP or CALT certification, or support from CALT-certified teachers in order to ensure appropriate expert intervention.
Dyslexia is a specific learning challenge that is neurological in origin and characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. (https://alsrlcenter.org/dyslexia-in-alabama/15-alabama-dyslexia-law)
Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the program requirements and practicum hours of this Dyslexia Therapist pathway, candidates will be able to:
- take the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) exam to hold the credential of Certified Academic Language Practitioner (CALP) or Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) more about ALTA https://altaread.org
- provide Academic Language Therapy to those students identified with characteristics of dyslexia.
- demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of Multisensory Structured Language Education and Orton Gillingham-based teaching practices.
- in school settings *
- implement Tier II and Tier III interventions for dyslexic students within their school or district.
- provide school-wide professional development as it pertains to the identification and referral process of students in the school and district with characteristics of dyslexia.
- provide school-wide professional development on best practices for teaching students with dyslexia in the classroom setting.
- in other settings
- implement Tier II and Tier III interventions for students with dyslexia outside of school.
- provide information about best practices for teaching students with dyslexia to parents.
*Upon completion of CALP and CALT certification, many opportunities are open to you. Work in school settings, however, may require teacher certification. Be sure to check with the state department of education (i.e., ALSDE if in Alabama) about credentials and certifications required in addition to CALT certification if you desire a position in a school setting.