Course Description
Wilson Reading System® Intensive Instruction for the Non-Responsive Reader
Steps 1-6 Online Course with Steps 1-6 Practicum
This online course presents, in detail, the multisensory structured language (MSL) instruction that is required for teaching students in grade two and beyond with significant world-level deficits who are unresponsive to previous instruction (due to dyslexia and/or other characteristics that indicate the need for intensive, multisensory instruction.
Prerequisites
- Wilson Reading System® Introductory Course (completed within the last five years).
- Bachelor’s degree in Education or a related field.
Audience: Special educators, reading specialists, literacy coaches, tutors, and reading interventionists
Mode: Online via Zoom. All sessions are synchronous.
Duration: 90 hours; this course generally spans one academic year and must be completed within 12 months. Participants need to have a minimum of two (2) full lessons per week (90 minutes each lesson).
Time: Online, there is a ½ day workshop and five additional implementation meetings that must be completed along with the full online course.
Course Number: TBD CRN: TBD
Cost: $2,700
Registration
Next Level I Certification course starting August 2024
Register here to get on the waitlist
Registration deadline: Upcoming sections TBD
Please Note:
- Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to pay for your course. The registration may take 24-48 hours to process.
- You are required to pay within 48 hours of receiving your course payment email. Not paying for a course does not constitute a withdrawal from the course. You may withdraw prior to the start of a course. Once a course starts, you are not eligible for a refund.
Additional Information
- WRS Introductory Set (Steps 1-6), 4th edition, containing instructor and student materials.
- WIST (Word Identification and Spelling Test) for student testing.
- Complete a comprehensive online course: WRS Intensive Instruction for the Non-Responsive Reader (Steps 1-6).
- Conduct 1:1 WRS instruction with a practicum student for a minimum of 65 lessons with a lesson plan written for each lesson. Students must meet selection criteria and be approved by the assigned Wilson® Credentialed Trainer. Instruction must be with WRS 4th Edition materials.
- Be observed five times teaching the practicum student. Each observation is scheduled with the Wilson® Credentialed Trainer and lasts approximately 60-75 minutes.
- Submit a pretesting report on the practicum student, including educational history and current test results.
- Develop a Teacher Binder and Student Portfolio and compile student’s written work in accordance with WLT program standards.
- Demonstrate mastery of the WRS Lesson Plan procedures (documented and approved by Wilson® Credentialed Trainer).
- Demonstrate an understanding of language concepts through accurate teaching with multisensory procedures.
- Demonstrate student mastery of reading, spelling, fluency, and comprehension.
- Conduct pre- and post testing with two norm-referenced tests, one being the Word Identification and Spelling Test (WIST), and submit posttest data with practicum student final report after a minimum of 65 lessons and achievement of WRS Substep 4.2.
The practicum student must meet the following criteria and be approved by Wilson Language Training before instruction begins.
- In or entering grades 4-12 (grade 3 approved if student has been retained).
- Overall cognitive ability in average range (minimum IQ = 80).
- Overall reading must be ranked in the 5th to 30th percentile with a minimum total reading score of grade 2.0.
- Student’s listening comprehension ability is higher than independent reading comprehension.
- Student has poor decoding and spelling skills.
- Student must be available to be scheduled for a minimum of three to four 45-minute lessons or two to three 60-90 minute lessons per week (1:1).
- The practicum student must not have any previous Wilson instruction.
- Additional details can be found here on the Wilson website.
Certification: Completion of WRS Level I Certification makes one eligible to receive the professional credential of Wilson® Dyslexia Practitioner (W.D.P.).
Graduate credit: Nine (9) graduate credits available upon successful completion of courses for an additional fee. See the Registrar’s webpage for more details.
Once participants successfully complete Level 1 training they may move on to Level 2 training the following academic year.
Marjorie Edwards has an M.S. in Education and has worked in the field of education for over 35 years. She has been a Wilson® Credentialed Trainer since 2004. After beginning her career as a classroom teacher, Marjorie has gone on to specialize in reading and literacy, transitioning to positions as a reading specialist. Since then, she has worked as a lead teacher / coordinator for a Title 1 early intervention program, an Implementation Facilitator for Massachusetts Reading First, and a district reading coach. Currently, Marjorie is a Trainer for Wilson Language Training®.
Debra Larkin, Focused Instructional Coach/In-District WRS Trainer For the Worcester Public Schools
After graduating from Fitchburg State University with a BS in Special Education, I began my career in the Worcester Public Schools at South High School and West Tatnuck Elementary School as a Learning Disabilities Specialist 31 years ago. It was at South High that I earned my Level I certification in the Wilson Reading System. I then earned my first masters in Education at Cambridge College. I continued to work in the Learning Disabilities Department at North High, The ALL School, Forest Grove Middle School (Learning Disabilities Classroom), Burncoat High School and Worcester Technical High School. I applied to the WELLTR Program and was accepted to complete my second masters in ESL for certification. I completed my Level II training for the Wilson Reading System and became a Wilson Reading System In-District Trainer for the Worcester Public Schools 8 years ago.