Saint Joseph's University Saint Joseph's University

Reading Interventionist Certificate

Get Started

Overview

Saint Joseph’s University’s reading interventionist certificate program provides teachers with the skills they need to help students become fluent, independent readers. Earn your certificate from a University with accreditation at both levels of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading. The program consists of 13 credits and can be completed online. Certificate credits can also be applied towards the Special Education M.S. and Education M.S. for all grade levels, and you may be eligible to earn your Wilson Reading System ® Level 1 certification upon completion of the certificate program.

What Is the Reading Inteventionist Certificate?

The reading interventionist certificate program at Saint Joseph’s University helps in-service teachers increase their knowledge and instructional practice in structured literacy. The need for teachers with this content knowledge is increasing in school districts across the country.

The reading interventionist certificate program is aligned with scientifically based approaches to address the development of reading skills in students who exhibit reading difficulties, deficits and delays. The certificate also includes a 65-hour practicum with an individual student and other field-based experiences.

International Dyslexia Association Accredited Program

Saint Joseph’s reading interventionist certificate features a curriculum accredited by the International Dyslexia Association as meeting specific coursework requirements, content hours and faculty standards. While the course content is a required approach for teachers working with students with language-based learning challenges such as dyslexia, it is also recommended for teachers to address the reading needs of 50-60% of all students.

Reading Interventionist Certificate Courses

The 13-credit reading interventionist certificate program requires the following courses:

  • SPE 604 Researched Based Models and Procedures: Reading Writing and Oral Language (3 credits)
  • SPE 710 Wilson Reading System® Introduction to Multisensory Language Instruction (1 credit)
  • SPE 711 Wilson Reading System® Intensive Instruction for the Non-Responsive Reader 1-3 (3 credits)
  • SPE 712 Wilson Reading System® Intensive Instruction for the Non-Responsive Reader 4-6 (3 credits)
  • SPE 713 Clinical Practicum: Intensive Instruction for the Non-Responsive Reader (3 credits)

Online Certificate with Field Placement

Saint Joseph’s reading interventionist certificate program is offered online and designed to meet the needs of working educators and professionals in the field who are looking to advance their careers or change paths. Our online programs provide personal attention from faculty as well as opportunities for meaningful interactions with your peers. Online courses use the same rigorous curriculum and expert faculty as our on-campus programs. In addition to online coursework, field experience is an expected component of the program and includes a 65-hour practicum with an individual student, as well as other field-based experiences.

What Can I Do with a Reading Interventionist Certificate?

Earning a reading interventionist certificate shows that you have a deep understanding of language structure and have mastered multisensory and diagnostic instructional methods. This certificate can also lead to other teaching careers such as:

  • Special education teacher
  • Reading specialist
  • Instructional coach
  • Elementary general education teacher
  • Adult literacy education advisor
  • Private educational tutor

Become a Wilson Reading System ® Certified Educator

Upon completion of Saint Joseph’s reading interventionist certificate, you may also be eligible to earn your Wilson Reading System ® Level 1 certification and be included in Wilson’s tutor referral service. A Level 1 certification trains you to help students with reading and spelling challenges using the Wilson Reading System’s research-based strategies.

How Will Saint Joseph's Reading Interventionist Certificate Enhance My Career?

The reading interventionist certificate from Saint Joseph’s prepares you for personal excellence, professional success and engaged citizenship in the spirit of the University’s mission. Saint Joseph is the only university in Pennsylvania and one of four in the U.S. with accreditation at both levels of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading. The reading interventionist certificate is accredited by the IDA and is the preferred professional development credential in the Philadelphia School District and many other school districts.

View Curriculum and Courses

At-a-Glance

Length

Average part-time: 2 - 4 semesters, or 6 - 12 months.

Credits

13 credits or 5 courses.

Start Terms

Spring, summer or fall.

Format

Online.

Tuition for 2021-2022

$812 per credit hour, $325 in Wilson fees per course.

Learn more about our tuition & fees.

Stack this Certificate into a Master’s Program

The credits of the reading interventionist certificate can be applied towards the Special Education M.S. and Education M.S. for all grade levels (Early Childhood/Elementary PK-4; Elementary/Middle School Education; and Secondary 7-12).

Potential Career Paths

The reading interventionist certificate can lead to other teaching careers such as:

  • Special education teacher
  • Reading specialist
  • Instructional coach
  • Elementary general education teacher
  • Adult literacy education advisor
  • Private educational tutor
Requirements

You must have a bachelor’s degree and a valid Pennsylvania Instructional I or Instructional II certificate.

Admission Information

To learn more about the admission process and required materials, Graduate Admission can provide more information or answer any questions.

Financial Aid

Scholarships, federal and state grants, loans and other types of financial aid may be available to those who qualify. Our Office of Financial Aid can help you understand your options.

Discount Eligibility

  • Alumni of Saint Joseph's are eligible to receive 10% off the cost of this program through our alumni discount.
  • Completed a year or more of service with a recognized service organization? You may be eligible for our mission discount.
  • Check with your employer to see if they are an Edcor or a Bright Horizons EdAssist member, which may entitle you to a discount on graduate programs.

*note - discounts cannot be combined.

Veterans

Saint Joseph's is a Yellow Ribbon School that accepts GI education benefits. Our Office of Veterans Services can help you access and understand your benefits.

For additional information regarding whether SJU’s programs meet educational requirements for professional licensure/certification, please visit https://www.sju.edu/disclosures.

Related Programs

Special Education M.S.

Today, almost every classroom includes a number of students with disabilities — either physical, educational, emotional or a combination of all three. Our innovative curriculum is designed to develop and refine competencies in professional educators in order to meet the demands of teaching students with special needs in a variety of school environments, public and private, urban and suburban. 

You can also add a concentration, endorsement or certificate to your degree including: 

 

Education M.S. — Reading Specialist PK-12

The reading specialist program at Saint Joseph's University prepares educators to meet the literacy needs of children. This program welcomes Level 1 certified teachers who wish to become reading specialists, teachers with education backgrounds without certification, as well as those who are neither teachers nor from an education background.

ESL Program Specialist Certificate

Saint Joseph’s University’s English as a Second Language (ESL) Program Specialist certificate prepares individuals who possess Level I or Level II instructional certification to teach non-native speakers of English to be proficient in speaking, reading and writing English.