Certificate

Dyslexia Interventionist

Format & Location

Online, Hybrid

Reading and language arts candidate helping a young student with letters in the alphabet, particularly 'm'.

Start Dates

Fall (September), Summer

Application Deadline

Rolling Admission

Completion

10-24 Months

Schedule

Part-Time

Attend a Virtual Information Session Check for Upcoming Dates

A child’s reading ability by third grade strongly predicts future success, yet students who miss foundational benchmarks by fourth grade face increasing challenges. The Dyslexia Interventionist Certificate prepares professionals to support students with dyslexia or gaps in evidence-based instruction in grades 3–12, helping them build foundational reading skills and become confident, successful readers.

What You'll Learn and Do

Lead with confidence—and evidence.

Through a partnership with Wilson Reading System®, the certificate provides candidates with rigorous preparation in multisensory structured language instruction and leads to completion of preparation requirements for Wilson Reading System® Level 1 Certification. The Wilson Reading System® is the most widely used remedial reading intervention program in the United States and is implemented across dozens of Connecticut schools, including district-wide adoption in multiple Fairfield County and statewide districts.

Through coursework grounded in the science of reading and aligned with state and national literacy priorities, candidates will build the knowledge and skills needed to deliver instruction that is explicit, data-informed, and responsive to individual learner profiles.

Earn industry-respected credentials.

Deepen your expertise in Structured Literacy and complete preparation requirements for Wilson Reading System® Level I Certification as part of an integrated program of study. This widely recognized credential signals advanced competence in evidence-based literacy intervention and prepares you to deliver high-quality, effective reading instruction to young children with language-based learning disabilities in school, clinic, and private tutorial settings.

This certificate serves as a stand-alone professional credential and may also be embedded within Fairfield’s master’s and sixth-year programs in Remedial Reading and Remedial Language Arts, offering a flexible, high-impact pathway for literacy professionals committed to improving outcomes for struggling readers.

Learn from experts in the field.

Work closely with faculty who are nationally recognized for their contributions to literacy education, dyslexia, and structured literacy implementation. Faculty bring extensive experience across classrooms, clinics, districts, and policy contexts and are deeply committed to preparing reflective, skilled professionals. You will join a collaborative learning community focused on translating research into effective practice.

Advance your practice—without pausing your career.

All coursework is delivered fully online and is taught by a Wilson Credentialed Trainer®. Practicum requirements are arranged to accommodate candidates’ individual schedules, allowing them to remain fully engaged in their current roles.

MA in Reading and Language Development

The certificate may be pursued standalone, or as part of Fairfield’s MA in Reading and Language Development, where SEHD prepares reflective practitioners through evidence-based practices to support diverse learners, strengthen instruction, and pursue roles in literacy leadership and student support.
Learn More About the MA in Reading and Language Development

Find Out More

Contact Us

Graduate Admission
gradadmis@fairfield.edu
(203) 254-4184

Define Your Future

Admissions

From your first admission conversation to graduation and beyond, you’ll find support at every turn. The Fairfield University student support network is dedicated to meeting your needs. You’ll receive personal, academic, and financial guidance as you complete your graduate certificate in dyslexia intervention.

Meet Your Graduate Admission Counselor

Admission Requirements

Tuition and Financial Aid

Credits: 10

Cost per Credit: $955

Estimated Tuition: $9,550

Estimated tuition does not include fees or annual cost-per-credit increases. Figures are based on the 2026-27 rate.

Tuition & Costs

Financial Aid

Additional Financial Resources

Community Clinics

The Dyslexia Interventionist certificate program recognizes its responsibility to the broader community. Our Community Clinics connect university expertise with community needs, providing literacy support while fostering educational equity.

These experiences prepare future reading specialists to become knowledgeable professionals who are dedicated to ethical practice, community engagement, and improving the lives of others through education.

  • Healthy Literacy Screening Clinic

    The Healthy Literacy Screening Clinic provides an early, targeted review of a child’s literacy development to determine whether skills are on track for grade-level expectations.

    Students attend a single 1.5-hour Saturday session accompanied by a parent or guardian. Families receive a Healthy Literacy Screening Report that identifies grade-level skills that have been mastered, require additional practice, or warrant direct instruction. Results are reviewed with families during a follow-up conference and may be used to guide instructional planning at home, in school, or through tutoring.

    Comprehensive Diagnostic Reading Clinic

    The Comprehensive Diagnostic Reading Clinic offers a full evaluation to determine whether a student has a reading disability and, if so, whether the profile is consistent with dyslexia, a specific reading comprehension disability, or a mixed reading disability.

    Students participate in two extended Saturday assessment sessions, followed by a parent conference to review findings and recommendations. Families receive a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation report that includes assessment results, analysis, diagnostic conclusions, and instructional recommendations. The report is appropriate for supporting special education identification and IEP or Section 504 planning.

    Structured Literacy Reading Intervention Clinic

    The Structured Literacy Reading Intervention Clinic provides intensive 1:1 diagnostic-prescriptive reading intervention aligned with the principles and practices of Structured Literacy.

    Students receive intervention multiple days per week during a five-week summer session, with flexible scheduling options. At the conclusion of the clinic, families receive a Response to Intervention Report summarizing instructional focus, progress, and response to intervention, which is reviewed with the assigned interventionist.

    Wilson Reading Level I Certification Intervention Clinic

    This clinic provides eligible students with sustained 1:1 Wilson Reading System instruction, delivered by candidates completing Wilson Reading Level I Certification under the supervision of credentialed faculty and trainers.

    Students receive intensive intervention multiple days per week across an academic-year or extended-year model. Instruction follows Wilson Reading System protocols and includes ongoing progress monitoring and documentation shared with families.

Learn From Industry Experts

Fairfield’s award-winning faculty have deep expertise in topics such as remedial reading and language arts. With a broad range of courses that integrate critical reflection and extensive field experience, you’ll benefit from firsthand insights and guidance on the way to your certificate in dyslexia intervention.

View All Faculty

Jule McCombes-Tolis
Associate Professor of the Practice, Educational Studies and Teacher Preparation | Director, Reading and Language Development

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