Language and Literacy Therapy

PLLC

Welcome to Language and Literacy Therapy, where scholars of all ages are empowered to develop the skills they need to flourish.

Good communication --fluent, automatic, and sophisticated listening, reading, speaking, and writing-- forms the foundation for academic and interpersonal growth. Every learner brings a unique blend of strengths and challenges to their literacy journey.

Which research supported programs, strategies, and approaches would your child benefit from? How can instruction be individualized to leverage your child's cognitive-linguistic assets and support their areas of need? How might the intervention your child needs be expected to evolve through different grade levels? I look forward to beginning the conversation with you.

Dr. Rachel Chao, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL

About

Language and Literacy Therapy

Language and Literacy Therapy, PLLC. provides skilled evaluation and intervention to clients with academic challenges stemming from language, reading, writing, cognitive processing, or executive functioning deficits.

All assessment and treatment is provided by Dr. Rachel Chao, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL.

Dr. Chao proudly attended the University of Arizona in her hometown of Tucson, AZ. She had the opportunity to earn both a Bachelor of Science (with a minor in Spanish) and Master of Science degree (in speech-language pathology, with the additional endorsement of a College-Level Teaching Certificate) from the U of A's top-ten nationally-ranked Speech and Hearing Sciences Program.

She has practiced in a variety of settings including public school districts, private and charter schools, a sheltered workshop facility, multidisciplinary evaluation teams, residential programs, and an out-patient traumatic brain injury program. Since 2012, she has worked as a private practice pediatric therapist specializing in language-based learning disorders and literacy intervention.

In 2014, Dr. Chao successfully defended her doctoral dissertation "Parental Goal-Setting and Special Education in the People’s Republic of China." This project was a labor of love, born out of deep respect for the parental struggle and dedication she witnessed while working in China at an experimental inclusive preschool program. She was awarded the degree of Doctor of Education with a specialization in educational leadership from Northcentral University.

She was the winner of the NCU's 2015 poster session for her presentation of this research.

In 2022, Dr. Chao was recognized by the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders as the first Board Certified Specialist in Child Language in the state of Washington . Since 2000, the ABCLLD has been endowed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) with oversight of specialty certification in the area of child language.

Dr. Chao has received extensive continuing education in popular, research-based programs including:

University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) Intensive
- Foundations of Literacy Development and Dyslexia
- Dyslexia: Language and the Brain
- Dyslexia: Assessment for Intervention
- Dyslexia: Intervention Methods
SPELL-Links
- Building the Brain for Literacy: From Speech to Print
- Getting Started with SPELL-Links to Reading & Writing and SPELL-3
Institute for Multi-Sensory Education
- Orton-Gillingham Intermediate
- Writing and Grammar
Wilson Reading Systems
- Introductory
- Fundations
Wired for Reading
- Introductory
- Advanced
Handwriting Without Tears

Dr. Chao is licensed to practice in Washington state.

She is certified clinically competent by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA).

She is a board certified child language specialist recognized by the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders (ABCLLD).

She is a professional member of:

American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA)
American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders (ABCLLD)
International Dyslexia Association (IDA)
Washington Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (WABIDA)

Services

Offered at LLT

Language is the foundation for all reading, writing, speaking, listening, and higher-order thinking skills. Language and Literacy Therapy, PLLC provides research supported evaluation and treatment services focused on the language-based learning needs of clients who are struggling academically.

Dr. Chao has extensive experience teaching elementary through college age clients with suspected or diagnosed:

Dyslexia (or other reading challenges)
Dysgraphia (or other writing challenges)
Developmental Language Disability (or other word or discourse level language impairment)

Many of her clients also have additional factors adding complexity to their learning profiles.

ADD/ADHD
Executive functioning impairment
Autism spectrum disorders
Developmental delays
Central auditory processing disorder
Twice exceptional
Genetic syndromes
Brain injury
Anxiety
Stuttering
Articulation/phonology disorders
Pre-K and Kindergarten children at high risk for later school-ages language and learning challenges
English language learners
Learning disabilities in the area of math (dyscalculia)

Evaluations use a variety of formal (standardized and criterion referenced) and informal (language/writing samples, analysis of class work, dynamic assessment) information sources in order to answer the following questions:

What is the current level of skill?
What are underlying contributing factors?
What has been the pattern of change over time (when applicable)?
What are areas of strength and need?
What are the highest priority areas for intervention?
What would be a logical starting point for therapy?
What kind of approaches might be a good fit for this individual's learning profile and preferences?
Are referrals to any other specialists warranted to help build a more complete understanding of the areas of need?

During an evalution the following areas, if appropriate, may be assessed.

Basic Language Skills

Word level / Discourse level
Expressive / Receptive
Oral / Written

Higher Order Language Skills

Inferences
Figurative language
Multiple meanings
Cognitive linguistic problem solving
Morphemic awareness

Phonological Processing

Phonological awareness
Rapid automatic naming
Phonological memory

Memory

Immediate recall
Working memory
Auditory / Visual

Executive Functioning

Problem solving
Initiation
Organization
Self-monitoring

Articulation

Speech-sound errors
Oral-motor function
Phonological processes

Reading

Decoding
Sight-word recognition
Fluency
Comprehension

Writing

Spelling
Conventions
Organization
Vocabulary
Grammar
Idea generation
Written fluency

Early literacy skills

Alphabet knowledge
Print awareness
Word-play skills

Please note that some evaluation procedures may only be appropriate to perform in-person.

IQ testing is not a provided service. If such an assessment is needed a qualified local referral will be provided.

Therapy is:

Systematic, sequential, and cumulative
Research-supported
Individualized
Data-driven
Responsive to changing needs over time
Collaborative with families and other support personnel

Therapy sessions are offered in-person or remotely over a secure, HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platform.

Clients must be physically located in Washington state at the time of service.

Is my child a good candidate for teletherapy?

Teletherapy provides a safe and convenient option for many clients. With that said, it is not an appropriate modality for every client. Dr. Chao reserves the right to make a determination whether teletherapy is a viable option on a case-by-case basis, and will only recommend teletherapy if she believes that the quality of the services will be equivalent to traditional in-person treatment.

To have a successful teletherapy session, some minimum requirements must be met.

The client must have access to:

A computer with a web cam with audio/visual capabilities. A phone will not typically be an appropriate device for therapy.
Consistent high-speed internet connectivity.
Any low tech/no tech equipment (dry erase board, notebook and pencil, printed copies of materials, etc.) that Dr. Chao has requested you have available for the session.

The client must also have a work area that:

Is reasonably free of distractions (including pets, siblings, pop-up notifications on the computer, etc.)
Has adequate lighting
Allows for appropriate and comfortable seating during therapy (sitting on a couch with the computer on your lap is generally not conducive to therapeutic activities).
Is close to an available adult to troubleshoot technology issues if needed.

The client must be able and willing to:

Follow verbal directions (with visual supports as needed) to a reasonable degree.
Self-regulate and attend to the session well enough to benefit from instruction without physical prompting from the therapist (visual, verbal, and procedural support will be provided as appropriate).

Please note that for safety reasons an adult will still need to be in appropriate proximity to supervise a minor child during a remote therapy session, as the therapist is not physically there to intervene in case of an emergency.

It is the client's responsibility to verify that teletherapy is a covered by insurance. If insurance denies a claim for any reason, including unexpected changes to telehealth coverage, the cost of the session will become patient responsibility.

Policies

Procedures and Paperwork

Sessions are scheduled on a weekly recurring basis. An average of 80% attendance of scheduled appointments is expected, as consistency is the key to making progress. Failure to meet attendance requirements may result in discharge from services.

Your session time is reserved exclusively for you. As much prior notice of any changes to the regular schedule is appreciated. Any missed appointments or sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will result in a charge of the full normal session rate*. Missed appointment or late cancellation charges cannot be submitted to insurance, and are patient responsibility.

*Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours notice due to illness are not charged at the therapist's discretion. As a courtesy, please give as much notice as possible if you must cancel due to an illness. If you have recently experienced symptoms of or have had a known exposure to an infectious disease but still feel well enough to participate in therapy, please contact me to discuss whether temporarily changing your in-person appointment to a telehealth session would be appropriate.

We accept all major credit cards and HSA/FSA cards.

A valid credit card is required to be kept on file. Payment for services will automatically be charged to the card on file the day that services are rendered.

Language and Literacy Therapy, PLLC is not contracted as an in-network provider with any health insurance plan. Direct insurance billing services are not offered.

We are happy to provide you with a monthly “superbill” (Statement for Insurance Reimbursement) to self-submit to your insurance plan for direct reimbursement, according to your out-of-network benefit coverage. It is solely patient responsibility to contact your insurance company to determine out of network coverage and the process for submitting for reimbursement.

Please note that due to state and federal regulations, superbills may not be submitted to Medicaid plans.

Treatment records are required by the law and professional standards.

You have the right to view and/or receive a copy of your records.  Records will not be disclosed to third parties unless you give written consent or the law authorizes or compels us to do so.  This office is compliant with federal HIPAA rules for the privacy of personal health information.  This means that we will disclose the minimum necessary information to required entities for payment or other administrative services.

Notice of Privacy Practices

You have the right to receive a "Good Faith Estimate" explaining how much your medical care will cost.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees
Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more per session than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit the CMS website or call 1-800-985-3059.

Request a Good Faith Estimate