Academic Language Therapy Association- Tennessee Chapter

Tennessee Chapter members are invited to our next meeting on June 2nd at 7:00 pm central time. Join us to hear a personal journey shared by Lily Walton with meeting to follow. Please register below for .5 CE or check email for link to meeting that follows.

The designation of Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) as the “gold standard” is not a marketing phrase—it reflects a convergence of rigor, depth, and accountability that is unmatched in dyslexia intervention training. Several key factors contribute to this distinction:

1. Depth and Breadth of Training
CALT preparation is grounded in a comprehensive study of language—phonology, orthography, morphology, syntax, and semantics—paired with neuroscience and the research base on dyslexia. This is not a surface-level training; trainees develop true diagnostic-prescriptive expertise. They are not just delivering lessons—they are making informed instructional decisions moment by moment.

2. Supervised Clinical Practicum
Unlike many certifications, CALT requires extensive, supervised clinical hours with real students. Trainees must demonstrate:
• Precision in lesson delivery
• Fidelity to multisensory structured language (MSL) procedures
• The ability to adjust instruction responsively based on student performance

This level of coaching and accountability ensures that therapists can translate knowledge into effective practice.

3. High Standards for Mastery
Through organizations like the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA), CALT candidates are held to strict competency benchmarks. This includes:
• Detailed lesson planning and ex*****on
• Ongoing evaluations and feedback cycles
• A comprehensive certification exam assessing both knowledge and application

Mastery is expected—not exposure.

4. Diagnostic-Prescriptive Approach
CALT therapists are trained to teach therapeutically and diagnostically. This means:
• Every response from the student informs the next instructional move
• Errors are analyzed, not just corrected
• Instruction is continuously adjusted to meet the learner’s needs

This is a defining difference from program-driven or script-based instruction.

5. Emphasis on Fidelity and Integrity of Practice
Training programs aligned with CALT standards require strict adherence to evidence-based MSL principles. Procedures are not optional or flexible—they are purposeful, sequenced, and cumulative. This ensures consistency and effectiveness across practitioners.

6. Demonstrated Student Outcomes
Because of the rigor in preparation and implementation, CALT therapists are consistently associated with strong student outcomes, particularly for students with dyslexia and related language-based learning differences.

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In essence:
CALT is the gold standard because it develops clinicians, not just instructors. It ensures that a therapist understands the why behind every move, executes with precision, and adjusts with intention—always working toward true student independence.

If you are training others, this distinction is critical to emphasize: we are not building lesson deliverers—we are building experts in language and responsive instruction.

✈️ Take Flight Recalibration Training

Join the ALTA Tennessee Chapter for a Take Flight Recalibration Session conducted by the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. This session is designed to refresh instructional clarity, strengthen fidelity of implementation, and support stronger outcomes for students with dyslexia.

📅 May 15, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
🎓 6 CEH Available

Important: This training is only open to individuals trained in Take Flight through a Tennessee Chapter Take Flight Instructor or current ALTA TN Chapter members trained in Take Flight.

🔗 Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/take-flight-re-calibration-tickets-1982543909201?aff=oddtdtcreator

Seats are limited — reserve your spot today! ✨

Thank you to everyone who came out in support of the 2026 Fox Conference!

To Dr. Nancy Young - Reading, Spelling, Writing Specialist - thank you for allowing us to bring your Ladder of Reading and Writing to all of our participants. What a priceless opportunity it was for educators in Tennessee and across the nation to learn from and engage with some of the chapter authors from Climbing the Ladder of Reading and Writing: Meeting the Needs of ALL Learners.

To our presenters: Your expertise engaged our in-person and virtual audiences. Many educators remarked that they had a lot of new ideas to bring back to their schools because of the work you do!

To the Fox Family: Your generosity and vision for this conference, through the Tom and Elizabeth Fox Endowment for Reading, made it all possible!

To our sponsors: Your support made the event 100% free for everyone to access this conference.

Platinum Sponsors: Wilson Language Training Learning Ally Lipscomb's College of Education

Gold Sponsors: Public Consulting Group (PCG) Redstone Federal Credit Union Academic Language Therapy Association- Tennessee Chapter Amplify Education Foundations in Learning

Silver Sponsors: Roberts Academy and Dyslexia Center at Vanderbilt University Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes Hoover Learning Group

Bronze Sponsors: Benchmark Education Company Learning Solutions - A Structured Literacy Approach Tennessee Branch of the International Dyslexia Association Niki Richardson, CALT QI - TN Dyslexia Alliance Nashville Dyslexia Center Learning Matters, Inc. Tennessee State Library & Archives

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who sponsored, presented, and participated! See you in 2028!

ALTA TN represented at the FOX conference last week. It is always an informative time that is offered for free due to an extremely generous donation from the FOX foundation. And always a good chance to meet up with friends or make new friends too.

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Reminder March 3rd is our next TN Chapter meeting. Come join us and and meet our 2026-2028 expanded slate of officers. Also learn about what’s going on in our legislation and what we have planned throughout the year. Check your email on May 2nd for the zoom link for the meeting.

This just became official! Congratulations to Hoover Learning Group! Big news for Nashville and TN!