The Wilson Reading System® (WRS) Level I Certification is recognized as an IDA AccreditationPlus program. It 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 disability, such as dyslexia.
Before participating, individuals must have completed the WRS Introductory Course within the last five years. They must also possess a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field.
Individuals have 12 months from the date of enrollment to complete the online course and practicum. If site-based within a school or district, participants are encouraged to complete certification within the school year.
The practicum student must meet the following criteria and be approved by Wilson Language Training® (WLT) before instruction begins. Whether the criteria is met should be determined from school records and current testing.
For practicum student approval, the Word Identification and Spelling Test (WIST) plus another formal reading test must be administered and results submitted to your supervising Wilson trainer. Testing results used to select practicum student must be no more than six months old. Any of the following is suggested:
A similar individualized reading assessment may be substituted if it provides information regarding decoding, comprehension, and total reading. Prior approval from WLT is required.
The practicum situation works best when the selected student has a consistent attendance record and does not have overriding emotional or behavioral issues.
For individuals registering for WRS Level I Certification (through a Certification Community, including when enrolling in a web-based practicum course), materials may be ordered at the time of registration.
For school and district implementation, materials information will be provided as part of the Comprehensive Plan for Achieving Success and Sustainability (COMPASS Plan).
Participants will need access to an external camera to be used during observation. The camera must be external to your device, as built-in cameras do not capture the observation completely.
Individuals who successfully meet all the requirements receive WRS Level I Certification and are able to:
Participants completing this certification program may represent themselves as WRS Level I Certified Teachers but are not qualified as Wilson® Credentialed Trainers. Wilson Level I Certificate holders earn the recognition of Wilson® Dyslexia Practitioner (W.D.P.) and must re-credential every five years to maintain the W.D.P. recognition.