Texas Border Business
PHARR – A group of 24 Certified Academic Language Practitioner (CALP) candidates in Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA ISD) recently completed their 60-hour instructional coursework and practicum to provide multisensory language instruction to students identified with dyslexia.
According to the PSJA 504 Program Coordinator Dr. Dora Rodriguez, the PSJA ISD CALP candidates will be finishing their training during the fall of 2019 by completing their direct observational hours and a national certification exam through the Alliance for Accreditation and Certification of Dyslexia Specialists.
According to the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity, dyslexia is very common, affecting 20 percent of the population and representing 80-90 percent of all those with learning disabilities. Among the many challenges dyslexic children and adults face, some of the most common are: reading fluently, spelling words correctly and learning a second language.
Currently at PSJA ISD, trained educational professionals at all 43 campuses use the New Herman Method, a small group reading intervention that provides instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills, to provide instruction to children diagnosed with dyslexia.
By completing the CALP coursework, these PSJA ISD staff members will now add a new layer of training to assist dyslexic monolingual and bilingual students to learn additional skills and help expand the program in the district. After completing their observational hours, the candidates will be taking the exam to become licensed Dyslexia Specialists on January 2020.
According to Rodriguez, the district looks forward to expanding the program and to continue providing the best opportunities for all students. PSJA ISD parents who may suspect the signs of dyslexia in their children can contact their school’s counselor or 504 coordinator.
The CALP candidates are as follows:
- Julia Rodriguez, 504 Dyslexia DiagnosticianÂ
- Sandra Zuniga, Mckeever ElementaryÂ
- Diana Ryan, Sorensen ElementaryÂ
- Jesus Montemayor, Arnold ElementaryÂ
- Lorena De la Cruz, Longoria ElementaryÂ
- Rene Marquez, Garza ElementaryÂ
- Laura Navarro, LBJ Middle SchoolÂ
- Lorena Guerra, PSJA Memorial High School Â
- Patricia Cantu, Escobar Elementary Â
- Valerie Hernandez, Guerra Elementary Â
- Jacob Benavides, Escalante Middle SchoolÂ
- Melissa Solis, Kelly-Pharr ElementaryÂ
- Gabriel Cerda, PSJA North High School Â
- Rocio Garcia, Carman ElementaryÂ
- Alicia Enriquez, Ford ElementaryÂ
- Dr. Dora Dian, Rodriguez, 504 CoordinatorÂ
- Angelica Garza, Ramirez ElementaryÂ
- Erika Gonzalez, Liberty Middle SchoolÂ
- Irma Villarreal, Garcia ElementaryÂ
- Lisandra Medina, Trevino ElementaryÂ
- Alma Hernandez, Cantu ElementaryÂ
- Benita Hernandez, Doedyns ElementaryÂ
- Edna Prado-Esparza, Drs. Reed & Mock ElementaryÂ
- Josefa Martinez, Ford ElementaryÂ
 candidates in Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA ISD) recently completed their 60-hour instructional coursework and practicum to provide multisensory language instruction to students identified with dyslexia.){kind=link}