Grant Purpose
This project provides a centralized training hub for teachers to receive dyslexia interventionist training for the MTA and Esperanza curricula. This grant funded training is for eligible local education agencies (LEAs) that are eligible for the 2022-2023 Dyslexia Funding Support Grant and need MTA and/or Esperanza curriculum training for new dyslexia interventionists.
The authorization of the grant comes from Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Section 18003, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER).
Note: The MTA training is available at no cost to eligible LEAs receiving the Dyslexia Funding Support Grant. The Esperanza training is available to all teachers in Texas public schools that need initial training and will provide Spanish dyslexia services in the 2023-2024 school year. These training opportunities will be available until the Dyslexia Training Project funds are expended. All trainings will be held virtually.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
General Training Project Questions
virginia.gonzalez@tea.texas.gov (TEA Dyslexia Funding Support Grant Specialist)
Requests for MTA/Esperanza Curriculum Training
dtproject@esc4.net
MTA Program Questions
jcurry@mtspublications.com
Esperanza Program Questions
info@valleyspeech.org
Training & Registration Procedures for Eligible* LEAs Using the MTA and/or Esperanza Dyslexia Programs
Who should send the request? The LEA should have one designee to represent the entire LEA to request training for teachers.
Region 4 ESC will verify that the LEA is eligible to participate in the curriculum training.
*Please only include teachers that will be using the MTA and/or Esperanza dyslexia programs to provide dyslexia intervention during the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 school year.
About the Esperanza Structured Multisensory Spanish Language Program
Participants in this session will learn to teach the Esperanza program that focuses on helping students develop a strong knowledge base of the structure of the Spanish language. Participants will also learn how to transition the student into English by helping the student apply his or her knowledge of phonology and the rules of Spanish to the acquisition of English. This program has been used successfully with Spanish-speaking students with dyslexia. Teachers attending this training will receive an Esperanza Teacher Kit—Cursive. Only teachers that fully attend and complete the training will be able to keep the Esperanza Teacher Kit. LEAs will be responsible for returning all grant funded kit materials for teachers that do not attend training.
Kit Includes: Esperanza Teacher Manual 8th Edition, Esperanza Training Manual & Assessments, Esperanza USB, Esperanza Student Activity Book 1-Cursive, Esperanza Student Activity Book 2-Cursive, Spanish Alphabet Strip, Esperanza Mirror, Spanish Plastic Letters (Lowercase), Esperanza Counters Set, and Esperanza Bag
Spring and Summer 2023 Esperanza Training Dates:
- August 22–23, 2023
- September 12–13, 2023 **This Training is Full**
- September 21–22, 2023 **This Training is Full**
Please contact dtproject@esc4.net to request training*.
*These training opportunities will be available until the Dyslexia Training Project funds are expended.
NEW! Esperanza Extended Reading and Written Language Course
The Esperanza Extended Reading and Written Language Course will describe the evidence-based practices for reading fluency, reading comprehension, and writing. Teachers will learn an 8-step process for reading comprehension. Foundational skills for writing will be explored in a systematic and cumulative manner. Spanish text structures will also be introduced with graphic organizers for an explicit approach to teaching. Lessons for Spanish reading and writing will be provided and modeled during the training to ensure implementation success. This training will occur over two (2) consecutive days. Teachers attending this training will receive the Práctica de Lectura Manual, Práctica de Lectura Student Workbook, Práctica de Escritura Manual, and Práctica de Escritura Student Workbook. LEAs will be responsible for returning all grant-funded kit materials for teachers that do not attend training.
Spring 2023 Training Dates:
- August 17–18, 2023 **This Training is Full**
- September 14–15, 2023
About the Multisensory Teaching Approach (MTA) Training
Multisensory Teaching Approach (MTA) Teacher Training
Participants will attend the Multisensory Teaching Approach (MTA) 5-day Introductory Course first in which the MTA Kit 1 will be covered. Teachers will then attend Kits 2, 3, 4, and 5 training throughout the school year. In these courses participants will learn the definition and characteristics of dyslexia. Participants will be instructed in the delivery of the Orton-Gillingham based MTA program, including Language Awareness, Alphabet/Dictionary Skills, Multisensory Letter-Sound Associations, Reading/Spelling Rules-Concepts, Syllabication, Cursive Handwriting, Fluency, Comprehension/Composition and MTA lesson planning.
Print materials will be provided for this course. Teachers will receive Kits 1-5 at different times throughout the year that coincide with their training schedule.
Only teachers that fully attend each training session will be able to keep the MTA kit materials. LEAs will be responsible for returning the grant funded kit materials for teachers that do not attend training.
NOTE: Teachers are then required to attend 4 days of follow-up training throughout the school year. Participants will receive a certificate of completion once they have completed all 9 days of training and all post-session surveys.
MTA Teacher Course 2022–2023 Training Schedule
Please contact dtproject@esc4.net to request training. *
*These training opportunities will be available until the Dyslexia Training Project funds are expended.
Multisensory Teaching Approach (MTA) Deeper Dive Course
Prerequisite Courses: Participants must have completed the 9-day MTA training course (Kits 1-5) and have access to MTA kits for reference.
This 3-day training will take MTA teachers into a deeper dive within areas of the MTA curriculum such as: phonemic awareness, spelling deck response, situation spelling, word spelling formulas, spelling derivatives, handwriting, dictionary skills, history of language, morphology, affixes, coding, syllable division rules, connected text, fluency, and comprehension strategies.
Only teachers that fully attend each training session will be able to keep the MTA readers and materials provided. LEAs will be responsible for returning the grant-funded materials for teachers that do not attend training.
Please contact dtproject@esc4.net to request training.
Summer 2023 Training Dates:
- June 27–29, 2023
- July 11–13, 2023
- July 25–27, 2023
- August 1–3, 2023 (2 courses)
Multisensory Teaching Approach (MTA) Training for Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALTs)
The MTA training for CALTs training addresses basic language skills utilizing structured, multi-sensory language instruction based on the Alphabetic Phonics approach for teaching reading, handwriting, spelling, and comprehension. Participants are trained to use a multisensory structured language program for students with specific language disabilities such as dyslexia and related disorders. Therapists will learn how to utilize the Multisensory Teaching Approach (MTA) materials developed by Margaret Taylor Smith.
Print materials will be provided for this course. Teachers will receive the MTA Kit 1 first. Teachers that fully attend all 3 days of training will receive Kits 2-5 at a later date.
Only teachers that fully attend each training session will be able to keep the MTA kit materials. LEAs will be responsible for returning the grant funded kit materials for teachers that do not attend training.
Please contact dtproject@esc4.net to request training.*
*These training opportunities will be available until the Dyslexia Training Project funds are expended.
MTA CALT Training Options:
New dates will be added soon.