In a significant stride towards fostering inclusivity and providing specialized support for students with dyslexia, Garland Independent School District’s Dyslexia Therapist Training Center has achieved accreditation, marking a milestone for the GISD Dyslexia Department.
“The GISD Dyslexia Therapist Training Center is one of two national training centers, and we are proud to have earned accreditation for our center,” said Dr. Marcy Eisinger, Assistant Director of the Dyslexia Department. “What sets us apart from other local and national centers is that we offer three programming options and can train teachers up to qualified-instructor level. The accreditation allows the department to have a voice in dyslexia instruction in public education on behalf of Garland ISD.”
The path to accreditation from the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) has been a work in progress since 2019 when the department received a grant to develop the center. Eisinger says the district knew there was a need for quality dyslexia training to meet the needs of all students identified with dyslexia, and plans to create the center began.
So far, more than 150 Garland ISD teachers have completed the training and are trained dyslexia therapists. The two-year program requires 700 practicum and seat hours, and a national exam to become a therapist.
“To work with the students with dyslexia, the teacher has to be a therapist or in training to become one,” said Eisinger. “With the three programs offered through the center, the district offers training for individuals to reach therapy level or instructor of therapy level.”
The programs within the center include the Take Flight curriculum and the GISD Dyslexia Program, geared toward secondary students, twice-exceptional students, and students needing specialized instruction. The GISD training center is also the first in the country to offer a bilingual therapy program.
“Our training center will create more equitable services for all student populations,” said Eisinger. “There isn’t much out there for Spanish speakers, and we wanted a program with the same standards as English speakers. We are thrilled we were able to design and build the bilingual program to provide students with even more opportunities.”
Students are already seeing growth in their scores after working with trained dyslexia therapists. According to Eisinger, students who work with therapists have shown a 97% increase in fluency scores.
“It’s amazing to see the growth happening in real-time. We can get feedback from parents, staff, and the community. Not only are we seeing growth within our scores, but we’re also seeing growth with social-emotional self-esteem and self-advocacy. Students feel better about themselves because they understand the material and are less likely to cause disruptions in class,” said Eisinger.
One of the benefits of having an accredited training center within Garland ISD is that it allows the district to train the teachers in-house. Additionally, the Dyslexia Department can begin training teachers and therapists from other districts, saving money and providing sustainability.
Many people from other school districts have already expressed interest in training with GISD, and Eisinger says she’s excited to open the program to outside districts later this year.
The Texas Education Agency says the Garland ISD Dyslexia Therapy Training Center is a model for other districts.
Information and photo provided by Garland ISD.