Member Spotlight: Teri Naya, CALT

After 36 years in education, Birdville ISD dyslexia therapist Teri Naya still lights up when she talks about helping students unlock the power of reading. Recently, she earned her Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) credential—an advanced certification that deepens her ability to support students with dyslexia and related learning differences.

“I’ve technically been eligible to retire for several years,” Naya says. “But I love to learn, and this was something I’d wanted to do for a while. It gives me the opportunity to serve my students better and to share what I’ve learned with colleagues.”

A Career Devoted to Reading

Naya spent 25 years teaching primarily first and second grade, where she became known as the teacher “who could teach a rock to read.” Her passion for small-group instruction led her to a role as a reading interventionist and later as a dyslexia therapist. For more than a decade, she has been a district leader and go-to resource for educators navigating dyslexia support.

“I jumped into this job without a huge base of knowledge at first,” she explains. “But once I began to see the difference that targeted dyslexia intervention made in students’ confidence and ability to read, I wanted to know more. That’s what inspired me to keep learning and pursuing this certification.”

The Value of Advanced Training

To earn the CALT designation, Naya completed two years of intensive coursework, documented more than 700 teaching hours, and submitted multiple teaching videos for evaluation. She was trained in the Take Flight curriculum, a structured, multisensory approach that helps students connect sounds and letters in meaningful ways.

“The process makes you vulnerable because you’re being critiqued constantly,” she says. “But it absolutely makes the biggest difference when you get in front of kids. These students deserve our best.”

That training, she added, also gives her confidence that she is teaching the procedures “in a way that’s going to be what’s best for the kids.”

Changing Lives Through Literacy

For Naya, the most rewarding part of the work is watching students transform. “A lot of these kids come in thinking they’re not smart because they can’t read like their peers,” she says. “When they finally get to the point where they say, ‘Hey, I can do this. I am a worthwhile person. I can be successful,’ That’s the piece that makes it worthwhile.”

She recalled one quiet student who had been overlooked for years before being identified with dyslexia in third grade. By the time she left Naya’s program at the end of fifth grade, the student was thriving academically and went on to enroll in her district’s collegiate high school.

“Those are the success stories that keep me going,” Naya says. “I tell my students all the time—you are smart. You just learn differently.”

Advocating for Early Intervention

Naya is quick to correct common misconceptions about dyslexia, including the belief that it can’t be identified until third grade. “The National Institute of Health says dyslexia can be identified with 92% accuracy between ages 5½ and 6½,” she says. “Time doesn’t help. Early intervention is critical.”

She emphasizes that waiting only delays the support students need, often leaving them discouraged and further behind their peers. “The earlier we intervene, the greater their chance of closing the gap and developing confidence as readers,” Naya says.

She also stresses that dyslexia is not about writing letters backward. “It’s a very specific learning disability related to how a student understands the connection between letters and sounds,” she says.

Looking Ahead

As both a veteran educator and a newly credentialed CALT, Naya sees herself as an advocate, mentor, and leader. She helps identify students, collaborates with teachers on accommodations, and encourages older students to self-advocate for their learning needs.

“What keeps me inspired is the kids,” she says. “There’s a deep bond that develops when you work with them for years. To see them go on to middle school and high school, come back to visit, and tell me they’re successful. That’s what makes it all worth it.”