The Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) – What you need to know

Want to broaden your knowledge and expertise in the field of dyslexia? Try The Academic Language Therapy Association.

Those with ALTA certification provide professional and effective reading instructions and guidance for those suffering from dyslexia and all other related DISABILITIES. ALTA membership is recognized internationally, so if you’re interested in becoming a certified academic language therapist and working abroad or working in dyslexia education, becoming an ALTA member will be a terrific addition to your CV. Here’s all you need to know!

Understanding the impact of Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA)

The Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) is a Texas organization dedicated to educating, specializing, and credentialing those working with Multisensory Structured Language Education and Therapy (MSL/MSLE).

The organization prides itself on its rigorous training procedures and requirements as well as high ethical standards. Those who join ALTA and pass the national Academic Language Therapy Association Competency Exam for Multisensory Structured Language Education are guaranteed to uphold the highest standards of service and focus on continuing education and professional development.

For dyslexics and those dealing with other written-language disorders, working with a qualified instructor at a well-equipped training center means quick progress. ALTA professionals provide well-tailored training programs and coursework for patients at all therapy levels, ensuring improvement in all language skills, including not only reading but also syntax and phonology.

CALT and multisensory structured language education

Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALT) who have passed the ALTA competency exam are all about providing systematic and professional care for those with language disabilities.

Relying on their skills and experience, they ensure their assessments, reviews, and subsequent intervention are accurate and suitable to any given individual. With Multisensory Structured Language Therapy and environment remediation, students can become more independent and results-driven.

How ALTA certified members help provide a safe and constructive learning environment for those with learning disabilities

Going through Multisensory Structured Language Education with the help of a certified academic language practitioner (CALP) means relying on and making use of visual, auditory, and motor exercises as well as intensive one-on-one or small-group sessions with CALT/CALP instructors for additional feedback and evaluation.

To become a certified ALTA instructor, each candidate must prove their ability to maintain high levels of privacy and safety standards before they can work with any clients. Each MSLE session is conducted in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment, and all feedback is provided in a constructive fashion.

More ways teacher can help those with learning disabilities

Natural, you don’t need to be a verified ALTA instructor to provide help for those with learning and reading disabilities. Any teacher can and should do their best to ensure those who can’t keep up with reading at their grade level can still interact with and internalize written information.

Classroom remediation

The first step to increased reading competence is usually classroom remediation. In other words, people often introduce some changes to their environment that facilitate reading and ensure those with reading difficulties and disorders such as ADHD can pay attention and stay focused for longer.

Usually, remediation boils down to the removal of unnecessary clutter and the creation a well-organized space free from distractions. In addition to minimizing noise and reducing the need for unnecessary movement, introducing a bunch of audio-visual learning tools can help children make associations between colors and other imagery with certain sounds and word shapes, allowing for slow improvement over time.

Increase audio listening/reading in classroom

Reading might be important, but language is first and foremost spoken. Writing systems are just imperfect ways of recording our voices, and nothing beats good listening comprehension as it fuels all other aspects of language acquisition and production.

Thankfully, we live in an age of audiobooks, so finding good listening material is more than easy. If you head over to Speechify’s audiobook platform, you’ll discover tons of titles of all genres suitable even for the youngest audiences.

Relying on a well-made audiobook will not only allow your students to engage with literature but also make them passionate about it. As you’ll see, most audiobooks are not only read but acted out by professional voice actors, so they’re a joy to listen to as they allow for complete immersion.

Asking students for feedback

Most reading and learning disabilities come as a spectrum, so it’s important that we understand each individual and their needs. If you’re working with groups of students, you’ll have to go a long way to provide them all with appropriate learning materials and homework. The best way to achieve that is to simply ask them what they think about your methods.

Of course, you shouldn’t follow your students’ advice blindly. After all, you’re the one who’s undergone pedagogical training, and it is you who knows that some things simply have to be done if you want to see progress. However, it doesn’t hurt to make small adjustments according to your students’ needs, especially if it means the difference between breaking a plateau.

FAQs

Is ALTA a nonprofit organization?

Yes, ALTA is a nonprofit credentialing organization. For more information, contact the team at [email protected].

Another similar organization is The International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC).

What is an example of a word that is difficult for someone with dyslexia to read?

There is no definite answer to this question. Dyslexia manifests differently in everyone, so what constitutes a difficult word will depend on the individual. But, it is usually longer and not really common words that give people trouble. For example, something like pulchritudinous is almost guaranteed to give most people a headache.

Can a CALT diagnose dyslexia?

In most cases, it is accredited psychologists who diagnose dyslexia. If a CALT possesses the required skills and credentials, they are capable of and free to diagnose dyslexia. Usually, however, CALTs just use diagnostic strategies to provide feedback and come up with useful strategies for improving reading proficiency and language skills.