Special Education Literacy Clinic
The Special Education Literacy Clinic specializes in teaching reading to young people who are identified with mild to moderate disabilities such as learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADD, autism, and mild intellectual disabilities.
Founded in 2000, we have a proven track record of service to the community, and are proud of our ability to develop the reading skills of young people with learning challenges.
The tutoring services are provided by Â鶹AV students who are receiving their credentials as Special Education teachers, Reading Specialists, or Educational Therapists, under the guidance of experienced Â鶹AV reading faculty.
The Special Education Literacy Clinic has two 10-week sessions each year; spring semester: February - May, and fall semester: September - December. Families may put in an initial request at any time using ourÌýRequest Services form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Faculty
The Educational Therapy Internship services are overseen by Stacy Rotter, a Â鶹AV faculty member who has years of experience as a Board Certified Educational Therapist. All ET Interns receive ongoing feedback and guidance from qualified University Supervisors.
ET Interns
Our ET Interns are Â鶹AV students enrolled in the Masters and Post-Master's Certificate programs, and all have done some teaching in special education settings. Many also have credentials as Special Education teachers.
Included Services
The educational therapy sessions begin with a parent intake session. Then the ET Intern provides an informational assessment of both academic and social/emotional functional. Based on the results of those assessments, the ET Interns create individualized goals focused on social/emotional outcomes, reading, writing, and/or math. Clients participate in educational therapy sessions twice per week over the course of the semester, working with their ET Interns on engaging, interactive activities based on their individualized goals. At the end of the semester, the ET Interns will consult with families regarding progress made in targeted areas. A detailed report is presented to the families at a final family meeting.
Fees
$750 for the semester
Schedule
Educational Therapy services are generally only available during the fall semester.
- Educational therapy begins in late August and continues through mid December.
- Educational therapy is conducted on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
- Educational therapy occurs twice per week for a total of about 25 sessions.
- To learn more about educational therapy at Â鶹AV pleaseÌý. (YouTube video)
Educational Therapy Internship Services
Faculty
The Educational Therapy Internship services are overseen by Stacy Rotter, a Â鶹AV faculty member who has years of experience as a Board Certified Educational Therapist. All ET Interns receive ongoing feedback and guidance from qualified University Supervisors.
ET Interns
Our ET Interns are Â鶹AV students enrolled in the Masters and Post-Master's Certificate programs, and all have done some teaching in special education settings. Many also have credentials as Special Education teachers.
Included Services
The educational therapy sessions begin with a parent intake session. Then the ET Intern provides an informational assessment of both academic and social/emotional functional. Based on the results of those assessments, the ET Interns create individualized goals focused on social/emotional outcomes, reading, writing, and/or math. Clients participate in educational therapy sessions twice per week over the course of the semester, working with their ET Interns on engaging, interactive activities based on their individualized goals. At the end of the semester, the ET Interns will consult with families regarding progress made in targeted areas. A detailed report is presented to the families at a final family meeting.
Fees
$750 for the semester
Schedule
Educational Therapy services are generally only available during the fall semester.
- Educational therapy begins in late August and continues through mid December.
- Educational therapy is conducted on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
- Educational therapy occurs twice per week for a total of about 25 sessions.
- To learn more about educational therapy at Â鶹AV pleaseÌý. (YouTube video).
Information for Â鶹AV Students
The Special Education Literacy Clinic provides a high quality, supervised clinical experience for students enrolled in advanced graduate level coursework in Â鶹AV’s Special Education programs. With faculty support, guidance, and supervision, these hands-on tutoring experiences are an opportunity to design and apply assessment and teaching strategies taught in university classes and to implement evidence-based instruction.
The Â鶹AV Mild/Moderate Special Education Credential and Masters programs offer a high-level of clinical application throughout the coursework. Candidates get multiple opportunities to practice their new skills through simulation, one-on-one experiences, and participation in classrooms with highly-qualified mentor teachers. The Special Education Literacy Clinic is just one of the clinical opportunities integrated in our Mild/Moderate Special Education programs.
For more information about Â鶹AV’s Special Education programs, pleaseÌý.
Special Education Reading Clinic
Faculty
The Special Education Reading Clinic is supervised by experienced Â鶹AV faculty members who are highly knowledgeable about best practices for teaching reading to students with disabilities. Tutors are taught the latest brain research related to reading problems, and the most effective, proven strategies for teaching reading to students with significant reading challenges. All tutors receive weekly feedback and guidance on their activities from the supervising faculty.
Tutors
Our tutors are Â鶹AV students enrolled in the Special Education Credential program, the Special Education Masters program, or the Reading Specialist program. All have previously done some teaching in authentic school settings, and many have years of experience as teachers or paraeducators.
Included Services
The tutoring begins with informal reading assessments, designed to tease out students’ specific areas of strength and needs related to reading. Tutors then create individualized, focused reading goals based on the results of those assessments. Using their goals to guide them, the tutors design eight weeks of fun, interactive reading/writing activities that engage students in the process of learning to read without making it painful or frustrating. At the end of the semester, tutors write a report of their students’ progress and present it to the parents in the final session.
Fees
$200
Schedule
| Ìý | Dates of Tutoring | Days Available | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Early October through early December | Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday | Once a week |
| Spring Semester | Late February through early May | Monday or Thursday | Once a week |
Yes, I CAN Learn to Read!
"From day one of the program, my son Dylan felt welcome and comfortable. He is a reluctant reader, and I wasn't sure how things would transpire. I feared he might stand stubbornly outside the building doors and refuse to go in. But my fears were unfounded. He practically skipped out of his first session and immediately said, "This was so much fun, and so much better than school when you sit at a desk all day." I know that's one of the goals—to make reading fun, and it certainly was for Dylan.
…And then last night, after we finished reading together at bedtime—with me doing most of the reading—I turned off the lights, said good night, and left the room. And then I heard talking coming from Dylan's room. I went back in and discovered that he had turned the lamp back on in his room and had picked up a new book and was reading to himself out loud. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. May this be a new beginning."
The Special Education Literacy Clinic offers fun, interactive reading instruction for students ages 5 to 20 who are identified with special needs. Each student is assessed to identify specific areas of reading strength and weakness, and individualized goals are created to meet their reading challenges. Based on these goals, our tutors design active, hands-on activities each week that help the students to realize that yes, they CAN learn to read!
Because reading and writing are so challenging for some youngsters, our tutors are encouraged to create age-appropriate game-based activities to engage students fully and actively. We believe learning should beÌýfun!ÌýOur aim is to create a reading clinic where the students are anxious to return, and where the learning engages them physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Our tutors also use technology to help students access text in new ways. Tools such as iPads, Kindles, recording pens, computers and websites help make reading tasks relevant and entertaining for young readers.
We have two different programs available to families with struggling readers. The Special Education Reading Clinic offers once-a-week individualized tutoring, focusing specifically on the development of reading skills. The Educational Therapy Program offers more intensive, twice-weekly services that include educational and therapeutic approaches to tutoring in a variety of subjects. For more information on these programs, please click below.
