Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist

Requirements, Common Roles and Competencies

SNAPSHOT SUMMARY

Title Earned
  • Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist (C-SLDS)
Minimum Degree Required
  • Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
Program of Study Requirement
  • Under Direction of IDA Accredited Partner
  • Minimum 135 Training Hours
    • 45 Hours: focus on the Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading (KPS)
    • 45 Hours: focus on assessment, progress monitoring, lesson planning, lesson delivery associated with decoding-strand skills (including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency)
    • 45 Hours: focus on assessment, progress monitoring, lesson planning, lesson delivery associated with comprehension and writing-strand skills (including vocabulary, comprehension, written expression, written response)
  • May Include: Online Modules; Guided Independent Study
Practicum Requirement
  • Under Direction of IDA Accredited Partner
  • 3 Heterogeneous Students
  • Passing Score on Practicum Portfolio
  • Minimum EACH Student:
    • Two Academic Semesters, each Academic Semester must be:
      • 12 Consecutive Weeks (TOTAL of at least 24 weeks per student)
      • 24 Sessions (TOTAL of at least 48 sessions per student)
      • 2x/week for 60 minutes non-consecutive days or 3x/week for 45 minutes
      • 3 Formal Lesson Observations/Conferences with Write-Up
Exam Requirement
Practicum Supervisor
  • Appointed by IDA Accredited Partner, Approved by CERI
Application Process and Fees
  • Complete Online Application
  • $315.00
    • $150.00 – 1 year certification
    • $165.00 – KPEERI Exam ($150.00 exam fee and $15.00 registration fee)
Renewal Process and Fees

 
  • Documentation of KPS-Aligned CEU 10 Hours (per year of renewal) with Approved Provider
  • Complete Online Renewal Application
  • Renewal Valid for 1 ($140.00) or 3 Years ($395.00)

 

Eligible Independent Accredited Programs (Click to Expand)
Eligible University Accredited Programs (Click to Expand)

Common Role of the Certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist

Typically, the Certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist provides targeted reading instruction and support to individual and small groups of students with complex reading and writing profiles. They have completed extensive supervised practicum experiences dedicated to advancing the literacy profiles of students with Specific Learning Disabilities, including dyslexia, and are able to serve students who are at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of reading, spelling, and writing instruction.

Knowledge and Practice Competencies
All CERI certified professionals have a shared knowledge base; however, their levels of expertise with regard to practice differ.

All CERI certified professionals have knowledge of:

  • Foundational Concepts
    • Development of Oral and Written Language
    • Structure of Language
    • Recognition of Reading Difficulties
    • Intervention Practices to Support Reading Difficulties
    • Assessment (instructional planning and student response)
  • Structured Literacy Planning and Teaching
    • Lesson Planning Practices
    • Lesson Implementation Practices and Routines
    • Managing the Learning Environment
  • Ethical Standards
    • Trust
    • Respect

Certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialists have completed three supervised practicum experiences designed to ensure their ability to adequately demonstrate applied mastery of the Knowledge and Practice Standards, with an emphasis on Assessment, Structured Literacy Planning and Teaching, and Ethical Standards.

In addition to completing three supervised practicum experiences, Certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialists have completed a concurrent seminar that provided them with: (1) exposure to the diversity of struggling reader profiles, with emphasis on intermediate and advanced profiles, and the resulting implications for instruction; and, (2) access to a system of support through which they were able to secure professional feedback and guidance.

Certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialists have demonstrated mastery in planning and delivering common KPS-aligned instructional practices and routines associated with:

  • Principles and Practices of Structured Literacy Instruction
  • Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
  • Phonics and Word Recognition
  • Automatic, Fluent Reading of Text
  • Vocabulary
  • Listening and Reading Comprehension
  • Written Expression

Certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialists have also demonstrated mastery of:

  • Essential literacy assessment practices for screening, goal setting, and progress monitoring of decoding-strand skills.
  • Structured Literacy lesson planning and delivery routines to support vocabulary building and language development (oral and written).
  • Structured Literacy lesson planning and delivery routines to teach text structure for the purpose of supporting reading comprehension and written expression.
  • Before, during, and after reading strategies to promote reading comprehension.
  • Structured Literacy approach to teaching foundational writing skills and composition
  • Strategies to differentiate instruction for students in order to maximize student success

Note on Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist Practicum:
Professionals may meet the stated criteria for certification as a Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist by completing their practicum training through a single IDA Accredited Partner; or through a combination of up to three IDA Accredited Partners (one per assigned student), provided their portfolio documents that they have successfully impacted the literacy profile of three separate practicum students with profiles as follows:

  • At least one student must require intervention with single syllable word reading.
  • At least one student must require intervention with multi-syllable word reading.
  • At least one student must require vocabulary, comprehension, or written response instruction.

CERI certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Interventionists will receive credit for one student; individuals not holding a CERI certification will need to engage three students.

For example, a certification candidate may opt to complete the Certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist requirements as follows (in accordance with program/approach specifications):

Example 1

  • Student Grade: Elementary
  • Student Needs: Single Syllable Words
  • IDA Accredited Partner Supervising Practicum: Higher Education Practicum

Example 2

  • Student Grade: Middle School
  • Student Needs: Multi-Syllable Words
  • Wilson Level I

Example 3

  • Student Grade: Middle School
  • Student Needs: Multi-Syllable Words Vocabulary Development
  • AOGPE Certified

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