Certified Academic Language Therapy
for Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Related Language-based Learning Differences
Serving Austin, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Leander, and the surrounding areas
Services Supporting Reading Comprehension, Written Expression, and Executive Functions
Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia
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Take Flight is a comprehensive, multisensory therapeutic intervention program that addresses, through direct instruction, the five components of effective reading instruction supported by the National Reading Panel research meta-analysis: phonemic awareness, phonic skills, vocabulary, fluency, and reading comprehension. The curriculum includes: practice identifying and naming the 44 phonemes of the English language and the graphemes with which they correspond; handwriting; Fry’s instant words; phonological awareness; spelling; dictation; grammar; single-word decoding; reading rate practice; connected text reading that develops fluency and prosody; and connected text reading and other multisensory tasks that develop complex levels of comprehension.
Find out more about Take Flight at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children's website.
Pre-Flight: An Introduction to Take Flight
This 36-lesson multisensory program is designed for younger, struggling students. It provides direct instruction in alphabet, sequencing, phonological awareness, and comprehension skills. Pre-Flight is beneficial for many students that struggle with foundational reading skills, not just those identified with characteristics of dyslexia.
Build: A K-1 Early Reading Intervention
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Build is a comprehensive 100-lesson reading program that explicitly addresses all five reading pillars: phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and reading comprehension. It is suitable for small group instruction (four to six students) for a minimum of 45 minutes per day for kindergarten and first-grade students who have been identified either as having dyslexia or being at risk for dyslexia. This program has roots in the four previous successful dyslexia intervention programs developed, written, piloted and revised by staff of the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders of Scottish Rite for Children — Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia, Alphabetic Phonics, the Dyslexia Training Program and the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital (TSRH) Literacy Program.
Download a Build flyer here.
Support in Executive Functions and Reading Comprehension
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Executive Functions are cognitive skills we use to approach, organize, and complete mental tasks. Some examples of important Executive Functions are: working memory (holding newly acquired information “in your mind” while you complete a task that uses the new information), cognitive flexibility (transitioning and shifting your mindset or mental approach to a task or event), and inhibition (mental self-regulation). Difficulty in these areas can lead to ineffective reading comprehension, task completion, and written expression. Executive Function deficits can show up early in a child’s development and persist into adulthood. Adults with dyslexia or other language-based learning differences—diagnosed or undiagnosed—often find that, even if they have developed ways to cope with and compensate for their learning difference, they continue to struggle with Executive Functions. Deficits in Executive Functions can negatively affect academic, workplace, and personal achievement. Interventions that focus on improving Executive Functions can improve reading comprehension, task completion, and written expression.
Support in Written Expression
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Individualized plans of support in written expression vary based on grade level, experience, academic history, and learning profile. Typical support plans address sentence-level construction first, building a foundation for success in longer and more complex writing situations. Also addressed, according to need, are concepts and skills such as syntax, grammar, word choice, planning, organization, editing, and spelling.
Dyslexia Screenings
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Screenings are often an appropriate first step if you have concerns about your or your child's reading ability but aren't sure if you should pursue a full evaluation through a licensed provider or your public school. The screening assesses handwriting, alphabet and sequencing skills, phonics, phonological awareness, oral fluency, and listening and reading comprehension. For adults, screenings also assess key Executive Functions.
Dysgraphia Screenings
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This formative assessment for dysgraphia evaluates handwriting, keyboarding, spelling, and written composition. It's appropriate for students K-12, as well as adults. Formative assessments are designed to inform current instructional practices and support. Recommendations will be made regarding appropriate handwriting, keyboarding, spelling, and composition instruction, as well as appropriate assistive technology interventions and accommodations. Referrals for additional evaluations are provided as needed.
