These credentials equip teachers with the knowledge and skills critical to providing intensive support for students with a language-based learning disability, as well as those not making sufficient progress in an intervention setting.
WRS Level I Certification prepares teachers to use the program with individual students. WRS Level II Certification concentrates on advanced concepts of the structure of the English language and on successfully delivering the program to groups of students. WRS Certification training is rigorous and focused. When implemented in a school or district setting, certified educators develop a supportive community to share practices and information. Depending on their role, WRS-certified educators may also coordinate program scheduling and material ordering for the district. WRS-certified educators support implementation with the fidelity that is so important for effective results.
The WRS Level I Certification program is designed to prepare teachers to effectively implement WRS Steps 1–6 with students who are reading and spelling below grade level, as well as those diagnosed with a language-based learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. It consists of two components: the WRS Intensive Instruction for the Non-Responsive Reader (Steps 1–6) Online Course and the Web-Based WRS Steps 1–6 Practicum.
A critical factor for student success is teacher knowledge and skills, and their ability to apply them in the classroom. The WRS Level I Certification program provides a course that deepens teachers’ content knowledge while providing a supervised practicum that allows teachers to apply and practice skillful use of research-based strategies. Considerable time, effort, and study are required for the WRS Certification program. Each trainee is expected to acquire a very sophisticated working knowledge of the sound-symbol system of English (phonology), the rules that govern English spelling (orthography), and its structure (morphology), as well as the use of specific diagnostic techniques in teaching decoding and encoding and strategies for vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.
Completion of WRS Level I Certification makes one eligible to receive the professional credential of Wilson® Dyslexia Practitioner (W.D.P.).
Individuals who have completed Wilson Reading System® (WRS) Level I Certification may seek WRS Level II Certification. This advanced coursework further develops theoretical and practical understanding of WRS. Four courses, spread across two distinct tracks, bolster educators’ skills in implementing structured multisensory language instruction and teaching students advanced levels of decoding and encoding. The tracks may be completed in either order or during the same period of time. Availability of appropriate practicum students may help determine which option is best for your situation.
Successful completion of all four advanced courses results in WRS Level II Certification and eligibility to receive the Wilson® Dyslexia Therapist (W.D.T.) professional credential. However, this does not qualify one as a Wilson® Credentialed Trainer.
Educators who complete WRS Certification are able to:
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) recognizes WRS Level I and Level II Certifications as AccreditationPlus programs. This designation is earned after rigorous review for alignment with the IDA’s Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading (KPS), confirmation of an intensive and supervised practicum, and a course of study that promotes mastery of structured literacy practices with the aim of preventing reading failure and remediation. This recognition demonstrates that Wilson® certified educators are well-qualified to provide instruction to students with dyslexia based on recognized best practices and standards.