CSA’s school-age (K-5th) program is devoted to the needs of children with developmental learning differences who demonstrate average to above average learning potential. Several studies have shown that children with early speech and language problems have increased difficulty with language-based academic skills such as reading, writing skills, spelling, punctuation and math skills in the elementary school years.
CSA strives to foster solid language skills, and to identify and cultivate each student’s individual strengths. Using therapeutic, individualized instruction, our curriculum includes:
- Training in Oral Language
- Spelling
- Multi-sensory Mathematics
- Writing
- Multi-sensory Reading
- Social Language Development
- Mechanics of Learning
- Keyboarding
- Development of Language Skills
CSA SCHOOL-AGE CLASSES
Students are grouped by chronological, developmental and social age and assigned to a Level on the program’s curriculum. School-age levels start with Level 3 which is a kindergarten curriculum and go through Level 8 which is a 5th grade curriculum. Skills on the curriculum are sequenced according to instructional necessity. Having levels rather than traditional grades, allows students to be placed where they are best ready to learn without the stigma of being held back a grade. Levels may also be combined to form multi-age/multi-level classes.
- Monday – Thursday from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
- Friday 8:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Class size: 10-12
- Level 3 (Kindergarten curriculum)
- Level 4 (First Grade curriculum)
- Level 5 (Second Grade curriculum)
- Level 6 (Third Grade curriculum)
- Level 7 (Fourth Grade curriculum)
- Level 8 (Fifth Grade curriculum)
SMALL CLASS SIZE
The time and flexibility afforded by the small group setting at CSA make it possible to identify, remediate, and maintain important skills on a student-by-student basis.
INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT PLAN
The centerpiece of CSA’s program is the Individual Treatment Plan (ITP), developed by CSA staff and administrators. Skills are aligned with the Texas State Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and sequenced according to typical academic expectations. Every student at CSA has an ITP that indicates the skills he or she has mastered and the skills that are still developing. Each student’s ITP is developed at the beginning of the school year and updated at two points during the school year.
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY
Speech and language skills are reinforced daily with group language sessions in the classroom. Receptive and expressive language skills are monitored and targeted as needed. Social language concepts are reinforced during small and whole group activities throughout the day.
MULTI-SENSORY INSTRUCTION
Many children, particularly those who struggle with speech, language, or other learning differences, benefit from multi-sensory instruction. By engaging multiple different senses, children can better connect with concepts being presented to them.
CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE
CSA follows a comprehensive social emotional learning and classroom management system that offers solutions for social-emotional learning, discipline and self-regulation.
SPECIALS AREAS
Opportunities to explore and excel creatively and non-verbally are offered through weekly art, music, P.E., library, and drama.
TESTING/STUDENT PORTFOLIOS
CSA Teachers use both standardized and non-standardized measures to gauge student progress. In addition to the ITP, all students in Levels 4-8 participate in yearly MAP testing. Teachers also collect samples of student work throughout the year to document and demonstrate progress.
PEER MODELS
CSA welcomes children without identified learning differences to be peer models for their classmates with speech, language and learning difficulties. We believe that all children can benefit from a language-rich, multi-sensory program and that this inclusive model is valuable for both types of students.
