What We Do
Our dedicated educators make a difference in the lives of children with dyslexia every day through their work. The mission of each Dyslexia Center has three components:
Provide the highest quality, state-of the art, multisensory tutorial reading and written language instruction to children with dyslexia;
Train tutors in the art, science and practice of tutoring children using the Orton-Gillingham approach to multisensory teaching of reading, spelling and writing;
Advance the body of scientific knowledge of dyslexia through support of clinical research, to improve today's standards and tomorrow's care.
Since the early 1990s, our Centers have been providing intensive intervention to children with dyslexia.
Our clinical program is independent of public school procedures. We serve children in grades 1-12 from many different educational backgrounds. On average, children admitted to the program attend for two years. The children receive one-on-one instruction twice a week after school. This allows for the curriculum to be tailored to each individual child’s needs. Often this instruction improves the child’s self-confidence, self-esteem, and approach to learning.
We take pride in the fact that our clinical model incorporates the latest scientific research in the field of reading and spelling, dyslexia, and dyslexia remediation. We are structured and funded to serve a specific population: children with dyslexia. We require a psychoeducational assessment done outside of our centers, since we do not evaluate children. It is not required the child have a diagnosis of dyslexia. The provided evaluation helps us to target children who meet the diagnostic profile of dyslexia.
The admission application and the psychoeducational evaluation help us determine if our reasoning-based approach would be appropriate for the child. Our professional staff are specifically trained to work with children with dyslexia. They are only qualified to provide instruction for this type of learning difficulty. Contact your local center for further information and to request a Child Admission Application.
The Children’s Dyslexia Centers follow an Orton-Gillingham based, multisensory structured language education (MSLE) approach. Instruction is direct, systematic, cumulative, diagnostic and prescriptive. Concepts are introduced using simultaneous, multisensory (VAKT) techniques. Children are taught to analyze words using synthetic and analytic strategies.
The instructional approach used in all Centers is overseen by the corporate clinical staff.
Our Centers offer the highest quality MSLE instruction at minimal or no cost, in a one-on-one clinical setting.
Our training courses lead to certification in our nationally accredited program.
The Children’s Dyslexia Center MSLE training program is accredited for its Teaching, Instructor of Teaching, Therapy, and Instructor of Therapy levels by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC©). School teachers and other qualified individuals can receive training and continuing education credits to become certified in our IMSLEC© accredited courses.
Applicants for our IMSLEC© accredited Initial Course must hold a Bachelor’s Degree or higher. This course takes a minimum of nine months. Trainees must complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervised practicum, course readings, and assignments. Successful completion of our MSLE Initial Course leads to certification as a Dyslexia Practitioner 1.
Trainees successfully completing our Initial course may apply for further training in our Advanced Course that leads to certification as a Dyslexia Practitioner 2. Trainer recommendation is required to participate in our Supervisor Course, Therapy Course, and Instructor Level Courses.
Each center sets their own training schedule. Please contact your local center for more information about our training courses.
Outreach
Our Centers have become resources in their communities. Many Center Directors receive requests to talk to local groups about dyslexia, the type of intervention we provide to children, and how we train qualified individuals in this intervention. Contact your local Center for more information about possible outreach opportunities.
Our centralized data base is used to monitor and show an individual child’s progress and to show a summary of the average progress made by the children attending the Centers every year.
Research & Progress Data
Our program has provided data for or participated in several scientific research projects.
ANNUAL PROGRESS SUMMARIES
2018 Progress Data Analysis
2017 Progress Data Analysis
2016 Progress Data Analysis
2015 Progress Data Analysis
Formal testing must be conducted before contacting the Children’s Dyslexia Center. Once this evaluation is completed, the parent should locate the nearest center, then call the Center Director, who will send an application to be completed and returned with supporting information.
When we give the children an opportunity to reach their potential, we invest in their future and the future of our world.
A Charity of Scottish Rite Freemasonry
Copyright 2019. Dyslexia Centers for Children
