Learning Therapy Center
Learning Therapy may not be
the difference between life and death, but it is often the difference between
success and failure. For some individuals, learning to read comes easily; for
others, it heralds a downward spiral of educational defeat, poor self esteem,
anxiety, self doubt, and embarrassment. Many of the individuals who live this
reading nightmare have average to above-average intelligence yet are unable to
succeed in school because they can’t read. Written language is, arguably, the
most important tool in traditional education, and without the ability to
interpret the written word, all traditional education grinds to a halt. Any of
a number of learning disabilities can play a role in reading problems, but the
most common is dyslexia.
According to the International Dyslexia Association (2002), dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is 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. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and a reluctance to read. Dyslexia is not due to a vision problem, seeing “backwards,” lack of intelligence, lack of effort, lack of education, disease, attention issues, or emotional problems. It is a real problem that requires effective interventions.
The Learning Therapy Center of SMU’s Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development is dedicated to the improvement of reading instruction for individuals who have dyslexia and related written-language disorders. Located on SMU’s Legacy Campus in Plano, the Center administers a diagnostic facility for written-language disorders and two graduate programs that prepare specialists to work with dyslexic children and adults—one prepares specialists at the teaching level, while the other more-advanced program develops specialists at the therapist level. Both graduate programs are accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council and subscribe to the Academic Language Therapy Association’s guidelines, standards of professional conduct, and code of ethics.
Learning Therapist Certificate Program
The
Learning Therapist Certificate Program teaches individuals how to remediate
dyslexia and related written-language disorders through professional educational
therapy. Therapists are trained in the structure of the written language, basic
and advanced theory, multisensory teaching methods, curriculum, and sequential
procedures for teaching written-language skills and learning strategies. The
Therapist Program requires 22 hours of graduate credit taken over a two-year
course of study and 700 hours of clinical teaching experience in direct service
to clients.
Dyslexia Teaching-Level Certificate Program
The
Dyslexia Teaching-Level Certificate Program is designed specifically
for dyslexia teachers who work with small remedial classes in school settings.
Participants receive thorough instruction in guided discovery, multisensory
teaching techniques, lesson planning, and documentation of student progress. The
curriculum is a multisensory, sequential, integrated language-arts program that
includes alphabet and dictionary skills training, reading, decoding and
comprehension, spelling, cursive handwriting, and written composition. Current
research supports the content and methodologies incorporated into the
curriculum, which meets all of the TEA descriptors for dyslexia programs. The
Teaching-Level Program requires nine months of graduate study, including 90
clinical teaching hours.
The Diagnostic Center for Dyslexia and Related Disorders
The Learning Therapy Center established the Diagnostic Center for Dyslexia and Related Disorders in response to a community need for services that evaluate individuals for learning disorders related to reading acquisition and comprehension. Dyslexia is involved in most disorders of this type, which include developmental spelling disability, developmental auditory imperception, dysgraphia, and receptive and expressive language disorders. The Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive evaluative services and appropriate medical, psychological, and educational referrals and recommendations to children, adolescents, and adults who are at risk for dyslexia. Please visit the Diagnostic Center's website to learn more about its services.
Contributions to the Community
In 1993, the Texas Instruments Foundation (TIF) approached the SMU Learning
Therapy Center with a proposal to develop a phonics-based, prereading program
for the Margaret Cone Center in Dallas. Over the next few years, a team
of educators from the Learning Therapy Center developed the
Language Enrichment Activities Program (LEAP). This unique, multisensory,
enriched language program provides lessons to be used throughout the day. It
includes teacher training, model teaching by volunteers, parent workshops, and
expandable lesson plans. More details about the LEAP curriculum can be
found on SMU's PreSchool Teacher Education website.
For More Information
SMU Learning Therapy Center
SMU-in-Legacy
5236 Tennyson Pkwy, Bldg. 4, Suite 108
Plano, TX 75024
Phone: 214-768-7323
Fax: 972-473-3442
learning@smu.edu