ALTA-RMC is the Rocky Mountain Region chapter of the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA). ALTA is a non-profit national professional organization incorporated in 1986 for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, and promoting standards of education, practice and professional conduct for Certified Academic Language Therapists. It was the first national group organized solely for written language professionals.
The Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and the Certified Academic Language Practitioner (CALP) hold baccalaureate degrees or higher and have completed extensive post-graduate education and practica in the theories and methods of remedial written-language treatment as well as the use of multisensory, structured, phonetic, language-based curricula.
Qualified Instructor (QI): These individuals hold a Master's degree and have additional training and certification. These individuals instruct, train, and supervise trainees.
Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT): These individuals hold a minimum of a Bachelor's degree, have completed 200 hours of coursework from an IMSLEC-accredited or equivalent therapy level course, 60 hours of practicum (supervised instruction), 10 documented evaluations by a Qualified Instructor, and have passed the Alliance National Registration Exam at the Therapy level.
Certified Academic Language Practitioner (CALP): These individuals hold a Bachelor's degree, have completed a minimum of 45 hours of coursework from an IMSLEC-accredited or equivalent teaching level course, 60 hours of practicum (supervised instruction), five documented evaluations by a supervisor, and have passed the Alliance National Registration Exam at the Teaching/Associate level.
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE THERAPY
Academic Language Therapy is an educational, structured, comprehensive, phonetic, multisensory approach for the remediation of dyslexia and/or written language disorders. As a Multisensory Structured Language Education (MSLE) program, it develops the secondary language skills of reading, spelling and written communication skills through proficiency in reading and writing.
Individual MSLE programs are designed to meet the needs of those who have been diagnosed with specific dyslexia, dysgraphia, developmental reading disorder, disorders of written language, and language learning disability as well as other related learning problems. MSLE programs offer a variety of specialized services including:
- Phonology and decoding skills
- Handwriting
- Composition
- Reading fluency and comprehension
- Writing mechanics and spelling
- Learning strategies and study skills
MSLE Programs are offered in a variety of places, including public schools, clinical settings, parochial and private schools, hospitals, and private individual therapy settings.