The Dyslexia Interventionist Certificate Program is a 10-credit online program that prepares candidates to earn a Wilson® Reading Level I Certification. Candidates enrolled in this program acquire a sophisticated working knowledge of the sound-symbol system of English (phonology) and its structure (morphology), and learn how to implement specific diagnostic-prescriptive methods to support the remedial teaching of reading and spelling for students in Grades 2-12 who struggle with decoding and spelling, including those identified with dyslexia.

Candidates are advised that this program may be incorporated into the following degree granting programs:

1. 30-credit MA program in Remedial Reading and Remedial Language Arts with/without the #102: Remedial Reading and Remedial Language Arts certification (requires one additional credit for a total of 31-credits)
2. 36-credit SYC program in Remedial Reading and Remedial Language Arts with/without the #102: Remedial Reading and Remedial Language Arts certification
3. 60-credit SYC program in Special Education with the #065: Comprehensive Special Education certification

Program Goals

The Program will prepare candidates to:

1. Understand and/or know:
   1. the research base for multi-sensory structured language teaching
   2. the necessary principles of instruction used to teach students with a language-based learning disability
   3. the nature of dyslexia
   4. the instruction and importance of literacy skill
   5. the instruction and importance of transcription skills
   6. word structure including phonemes and associated graphemes syllables, syllabication rules, morphemes, schwa, etc.
   7. variances in children's vocabulary acquisition as well as learning expectations
   8. the importance of core and academic (general and domain specific) vocabulary and understand research-based instructional methods for all students, including ELLs
   9. how to appropriately select and teach vocabulary within an MSL lesson
   10. the importance of fluency as well as contributing factors to its development
   11. how to differentiate fluency instruction for students with significant deficits
   12. graphic organizers for varied types of informational texts (description, compare-contrast)
   13. the importance of oral language comprehension and explain how to differentiate instruction with individuals as indicated by their cognitive profile
2. Demonstrate:
   1. the instructional implications associated with different cognitive skill deficits
   2. an understanding of the language concepts through WRS Substep 6.4 and the specific procedures used to teach these concepts
   3. an understanding of WRS principles of instruction: explicit, sequential, cumulative, and multi-sensory instruction.
   4. an understanding of the WRS Lesson Plan and the ten parts of a WRS lessons
   5. an understanding of the nature and causes of dyslexia and dysgraphia
   6. an understanding of multisensory strategies used to teach sight words, vocabulary and comprehension

Admission Requirements

1. BA/BS from an Accredited Institution of Higher Education
2. Minimum GPS of 3.0
3. Personal Statement 1.5 -2 pages:
   1. Why are you interested in pursuing this certificate/certification?
   2. How do you intend to utilize this certification in the service of off-track readers and/or readers with dyslexia?

Practicum Requirements

Candidates are required to identity, and advance for approval, a student for the practicum component of this certificate and certification. When enrolled in their RLDV 6575 course, candidates will be provided with student selection criteria, and a Practicum Approval application for submission to their assigned Wilson Credentialed Trainer.

The practicum component of this certificate and certification will require candidates to meet with their approved student a minimum of three times/week for 60-75 minutes.  Candidates who have school/district/parent consent to work with their approved student as part of their daily teaching responsibilities in a school, may opt to do so.  Otherwise, candidates who have identified a practicum student may arrange with the student’s parent/guardian to meet with the student, once approved, at a mutually agreeable location during mutually agreeable days and times.  Finally, candidates who require assistance locating a qualified student may opt to collaborate with one of the Reading and Language Development’s clinical sites to identify a student and arrange for the use of after-school space, if possible. 

Successful completion of practicum requires candidates to meet several criteria, including the following:

• Complete 65, 60-75 minute 1:1 WRS lessons with an approved practicum student.
• Be observed by an assigned Wilson Credentialed Trainer a minimum of five times over the course of the practicum experience.
• Advance through WRS Substep 4.2
• Maintain a Teacher Binder and Student Portfolio of work that reflect standards provided.
• Complete pre-post testing with the Word Identification and Spelling Test (WIST) and one additional norm-referenced test, and submit post-test data with the final practicum report.

Other Requirements

New Student Orientation (Online)