Dyslexia Teaching Level Certificate Program
SMU’s Learning Therapy Program offers a Dyslexia Teaching Level Certificate that is designed to meet the needs of dyslexia teachers who work with small remedial classes. Students are admitted to the Program each summer at SMU’s campus in Plano, Texas. Arrangements may also be made to deliver the program on-site in schools or educational service centers throughout the year.
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. Nine
years of research and field testing corroborate the success and effectiveness of
the teaching level curriculum, and current research supports its content and
methodologies. The Dyslexia Teaching Level Certificate Program at SMU meets all
of the Texas Education Association (TEA)
descriptors for dyslexia programs and is accredited by the International
Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC). Upon completion of
the program, an individual is eligible to take the Alliance National
Registration Exam at the teaching level. Passage of the exam qualifies the
individual for membership in the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) as an
Associate Academic Language Teacher (AALT). AALTs provide services to clients
that are educational and emphasize reading (decoding, fluency, and
comprehension), spelling, handwriting, and written expression. Members of ALTA
must acquire continuing education units to maintain their membership. For
additional information on current ALTA requirements, please visit
ALTA's website at
http://www.altaread.org/.
Click here to view current CEU courses offered at SMU.
Program participants must complete the core curriculum of 120 classroom hours in three consecutive semesters* as outlined below. A minimum of 90 clinical teaching hours is required to complete the certificate.
Program Outline
The first course includes lectures, practicum, demonstration lessons, and practical experiences that prepare participants to begin teaching the first level of the DTL curriculum to their students. Beginning the second semester, each participant is assigned a personal advisor who provides personal support, including feedback for two demonstration lessons in the second semester and two demonstration lessons during the third semester.
Course 1: Introduction to DTL curriculum level 1; 8 days of classroom
instruction, 48 contact hours.
Demonstration Lesson 1 completed during this semester.
Course 2: DTL curriculum levels 2 & 3; 5 days of classroom instruction;
40 contact hours.
Demonstration Lessons 2 & 3 are completed during this semester.
Course 3: DTL curriculum levels 3 (continued) & 4; 4 days of classroom instruction;
32 contact hours.
Demonstration Lessons 4 & 5 are completed during this semester.
*Students must complete the program over a minimum of nine months. With approval from the Dyslexia Teaching Level Regulations Board, students may extend coursework beyond nine months. However, all courses and requirements must be completed within a maximum of 26 months. Students who extend coursework beyond nine months may be subject to additional fees and will be required to complete additional practicum lessons.
Program Cost
The program cost is $3,500.00 and includes:
• 120 classroom contact hours (first course 8 days, second course 5 days, third course 4 days)
• 90 practicum teaching hours
• all materials required for the three classes
• classroom instruction
• observation of 5 demonstration lessons
Application process
Application form completed by district and supporting information supplied by applicant.