MLTI-NM offers three courses.
- The Summer Introductory 10-day, 72-hour course is open to educators wishing to learn more about dyslexia and the Sounds In Syllables approach. The Application for the Summer training is always posted on the HOME page by February 1. The course is via Zoom and is synchronous. To provide optimum participation, the Introductory course is limited to 12 trainees. Priority is given to those with a Master’s degree, and to those who can commit to the Year 1 clinical requirements.
- The Year 1 course (teaching level) is a 64-hour course open to those who have successfully completed the Introductory course. Classes meet one Saturday per month. Clinical practicum requires trainees to provide SIS services to at least one student, four to five sessions per week, for a minimum of 90 hours.
- The Year 2 course (therapy level) is a 64-hour course open to those who have successfully completed the Intermediate course and who wish to become dyslexia therapists. Classes meet one Saturday per month. Clinical practicum requires trainees to provide SIS services to additional students until completing the curriculum.
Scholarships are available for these courses through these organizations:
Southwest Branch of The International Dyslexia Association
Taos Community Foundation/Cathleen Tomlinson Endowment Fund.
Pre-requisites for Summer Course and Year 1 Course: a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (preferably in Education or a related field). Teaching experience with a Master’s degree is preferred.
Requisite at the time of Trainee’s Certification at the Therapy Level: Master’s degree in Education or related field
Introductory Level Course: Summer 10-day Intensive Training
- Theory and practical application of intensive multisensory instruction techniques for the remediation of reading, writing, and spelling problems in dyslexic children and adults. Emphasis is on strategies for working with bright, yet severely dyslexic readers.
- The foundations of the English language for reading and spelling: basic phonology (sounds, symbols, syllables, rules) as well as the linguistic and morphologic components of written English (affixes, roots) are studied.
- Recognizing the characteristics of specific developmental dyslexia.
- Diagnostic profiles – comparing and contrasting dyslexia with other learning disabilities.
- Phonologic and orthographic processing – their roles in learning to read and spell.
- Multisensory Linkage procedures for new introductions and reviews that aid long-term memory.
- Teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, handwriting, spelling, and comprehension through an integrated, multisensory curriculum that optimizes neuroplasticity, creating more efficient pathways for reading and spelling.
- Practice teaching (with an in-person student) following carefully structured lesson plans.
Trainees demonstrating mastery of all requirements will be approved to begin implementing Sounds In Syllables instruction with dyslexic students while continuing their training in the fall.
Graduate Credit (4 units) for Professional Development is available from Adams State University, (Alamosa, Colorado) for an additional fee of $55 per unit. Resident status not required.
One of the things I have greatly appreciated about MLTI is the time provided to practice procedures as compared to other trainings. I feel prepared to work with students having been given the opportunity to teach the lessons multiple times from start to finish while being provided with instructional scaffolding, immediate feedback, and support.
Laura H., Los Alamos Schools, Introductory course 2023
Year 1 Course – The Teaching Level
Fall and Spring Semesters
A continuation of the theories and application of structured, multisensory language teaching. Emphasis is on perfecting skills in using S.I.S. strategies to teach students with reading and spelling disabilities. Participants begin teaching a student daily (at their own site) and continue throughout the year under the supervision of the instructor (who reviews filmed lessons). Classes meet one Saturday per month and provide the background, guidance, and specific techniques necessary to implement this approach.
Successful completion of all instructional and clinical requirements qualifies a trainee to continue onto the Advanced Level of training if desired.
Graduate Credit (2 units per semester) for Professional Development available from Adams State University (Alamosa, CO) for an additional fee of $55 per unit. Resident status not required.
Year 2 Course – The Therapy Level
Fall and Spring Semesters
Trainees can continue to work with their first demonstration student and add a second and third situation when appropriate. Monthly classes cover the advanced phonic, linguistic, and morphologic rules and generalizations which govern the language. Trainees also develop advanced skills in testing, writing reports, the use of accommodations, and the teaching of written expression, morphology, and study skills. In addition, trainees are required to read research studies on topics related to dyslexia and to become better acquainted with other Orton-Gillingham based approaches.
Graduate Credit (2 units per semester) for Professional Development is available from Adams State University for an additional fee of $55 per unit. Resident status not required.
Successful completion of all courses and clinical requirements by MLTI trainees, who have a Master’s degree in education or related field, can lead to national certification with the Academic Language Therapy Association.
Don’t have a Master’s Degree?
King’s College (PA) now offers two pathways towards a Master’s degree, giving 12 credit hours for those who have completed an IMSLEC accredited course, such as MLTI-NM’s. These credits can be earned retroactively or concurrently. Contact us to learn more.
mlti-nm.com 