Take Flight Dyslexia Therapist Training Program
In Partnership with Region 13 ESC

2027 application - Available in September!

STEP 1 - Submit Your Application
Complete the Dyslexia Center of Austin 2027 Application & Acknowledgment Form.

STEP 2 - Submit School Support Form
If teaching in a school setting, ask your principal or administrator to complete the School Support Form.

STEP 3 - Email Required Documents
Email the following documents to Kelly O’Mullan at kelly@dyslexiacenterofaustin.org.

  • Official college transcript (highest degree only), sent directly from the university

  • Two professional letters of recommendation. One letter must be from your principal or administrator if you are teaching in a school setting.

Application Deadline: July 1, 2027
Introductory Summer Course: July 21-30, 2027
Training Location: Region 13 ESC, 5701 Springdale Rd., Austin, TX 78723



IMSLEC-accredited training program

The Dyslexia Therapist Training Program is a two-year multimodal, structured language training curriculum for individuals interested in becoming Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALT), CALT-Candidates (CALT-C), and Texas Licensed Dyslexia Therapists (LDT). All training sessions are in person.

This comprehensive program uses Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia (Take Flight), a curriculum written by the Scottish Rite Children. Take Flight is a comprehensive Tier III intervention for students with dyslexia ages seven (7) and up.

Our Dyslexia Therapist Training Program is accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC), meets the requirements for Texas licensure, and meets the criteria for membership in the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA).

Dyslexia Center of Austin adheres to the high professional and ethical standards established by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC). Therapist certification is conferred by the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA).


Training Cost

Cost includes all professional development, the Introductory Materials Kit, and the Advanced Materials Kit.

  • Introductory Year of Training—$3,500

  • Advanced Year of Training—$2,000


degree requirement

Completion of a 4-year Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university is required to start the training program.


Certification and Licensing

Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT)

Graduates of the Dyslexia Therapist Training Program with a Master’s degree are eligible to sit for the ALTA Competency Exam at the Therapy Level to become Certified Academic Language Therapists.

Certified Academic Language Therapist—Candidate (CALT-C)

Graduates of the Dyslexia Therapist Training Program with a Bachelor’s degree are eligible to sit for the ALTA Competency Exam at the Therapy Level to become a Certified Academic Language Therapist—Candidate. CALT—Candidates have up to five (5) years upon completion of Dyslexia Therapist Training to obtain a Master’s degree from an accredited university. If a Master’s degree is not received within the allotted time, individuals will become Certified Academic Language Practitioners (CALP).

Texas Licensed Dyslexia Therapist (LDT)

Certified Academic Language Therapists in good standing may be eligible to apply to become Licensed Dyslexia Therapists, as defined by Texas HB 461. For more information, visit the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation.


Graduate-Level Clinical Training and Supervised Instruction in:

  • Oral and written language development

  • Knowledge of structural linguistics, including the alphabetic principle, phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, syllabification, orthography, etc.

  • Knowledge of dyslexia and related disorders

  • Diagnostic, prescriptive, multimodal, structured language education approach to teach reading, fluency, comprehension, spelling, and written expression

  • Knowledge of psychoeducational tests and interpretation of report data

  • Administration of informal assessment tools

  • Federal and state laws guiding professional conduct and advocacy for students

  • Ethical standards of the profession

  • Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia, a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum developed by the Scottish Rite for Children

  • Classroom strategies and techniques used for students with dyslexia

  • Effective communication strategies with students, parents, colleagues, etc.

  • How to conduct parent and teacher information seminars


TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

  • 1st Year—Introductory Training Course
    Cost includes professional development and an introductory materials kit.

    • Introductory Summer Course—Three (3) weeks

    • Four (4) Introductory Seminars throughout the school year

    • Attend one (1) approved dyslexia-related conference

    • Submit five (5) recorded introductory demonstration lessons

    • Teach three (3) groups using the Take Flight curriculum

  • 2nd Year—Advanced Training Course
    Cost includes professional development and an advanced materials kit.

    • Advanced Summer Course—One (1) week

    • Four (4) Advanced Seminars throughout the school year

    • Attend one (1) approved dyslexia-related conference

    • Submit five (5) recorded advanced demonstration lessons

    • Continue teaching three (3) groups using the Take Flight curriculum


Graduate-Level Credit

MSU Texas
Graduates may receive up to 15 graduate-level credit hours toward a Master of Education in Special Education with a Dyslexia Emphasis, with an optional Educational Diagnostician Certification. Click here to learn more about the online M.Ed. programs. For more information, please contact April Crutcher, Special Education Program Coordinator, at april.crutcher@msutexas.edu.

King’s College
Graduates may receive graduate-level credit toward a Master of Education in Reading or a Master of Education in Special Education. For more information about the online M.Ed. programs, please contact Judie Burridge, Graduate Admission Counselor, at judieburridge@kings.edu.