One in five people have dyslexia which can inhibit a child’s ability to learn and lead to frustration. That is why having personnel trained specifically in working with such students is so important.
With the new school year approaching in August, McAllen ISD will have 12 teachers equipped to work with students with dyslexia.
That is a sharp rise from last school year when the district had just one teacher trained as a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT). Eleven of these teachers recently completed a two-year program.
“A CALT will teacher students identified as dyslexic by diagnosticians after being referred by teachers or parents when they see their student struggling in reading and/or spelling,” Salvador Flores, McAllen ISD’s Director for Dyslexia and similar programs, said. “They will use … materials to teach these students how to read, spell, as well as the ‘survival skills’ like reading and spelling rules used in the instruction. With 11 new CALTs available to the district this fall, many more students will benefit from this special instruction.”
Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty which can impact a child’s ability to read, write and spell.
There are two more CALT candidates planning to take the exam this fall which would bring the district’s total to 14.
Candidates train using Take Flight – a comprehensive program used for students with dyslexia.
“It is a very detailed, research based, explicit instruction program which takes two years of intense training,” Flores explained. “In year one, the teachers learn to use the teaching materials with students. In year two, they learn the why for using multisensory instruction for people with dyslexia.”
The rigor includes 200 hours of classroom instruction for each teacher plus another 700 hours working with students. After passing an exam, which covers all areas of multisensory teaching, they become certified therapists.
McAllen ISD paid for the teachers’ training.
“This commitment required teachers to embrace new methodologies and adapt their teaching styles to meet the needs of dyslexic learners,” Flores said. “This body of dyslexia research is grounded in understanding the connections between phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. When teachers are equipped with foundational knowledge about the science of reading and are applying practical strategies in the classroom, our dyslexia students are better prepared in all subjects.”
About McAllen ISD
McAllen ISD is a three-time winner of the state’s highest rating, an “A,” and a four-time winner of the state’s Post-Secondary Readiness Distinction. In 2022, McAllen ISD was named the Best Large District in Texas through the H-E-B Excellence in Education awards. The district is home to 30 campuses and approximately 20,000 students. To learn more about McAllen ISD’s schools and programs, contact Student Outreach at 956-687-MISD (6473).