Introduction to the DOLLI

This course introduces a contemporary developmental language paradigm, the DOLLI (Gerber & Ricamato, 2023), which can be used to understand the typical language acquisition process, assess a child’s profile of strengths and challenges in the foundations of language, and generate goals for children at various stages of language and communication development.

Who is this course for

Practitioners from all disciplines

STARTING DATE AND TIME

April 12, 2026 | 1 - 3 pm eastern

Length of Course

3 sessions @ 2 hours each

Format

Instructor led; live online via Zoom

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Payment options
$219 - pay in full

IMPORTANT: Please read the "Payment, Withdrawal and Refund Policy" in the FAQs at the bottom of this page.
Schedule
Online class meets from 1 to 3 pm eastern time on:
  • Sunday, April 12
  • Sunday, April 19
  • Sunday, May 3, 2026
Bespoke team training
For customized, team-focused training for groups of eight or more, please contact us at training@profectum.org. We’d be happy to discuss tailored options to meet your organization’s learning goals.

Course overview

Regardless of your discipline, determining intervention priorities for children who have a range of speech, language, and communication challenges raises questions of how best to communicate with these children. Knowing what level of language to use to assure comprehension during clinical or educational interactions requires a deep understanding of the foundations of language. In addition, clinicians and educators are often faced with the parents’ questions about how best to facilitate their child’s development of communication.


Participants will be introduced to a contemporary developmental language paradigm (DOLLI, Gerber & Ricamato, 2023) which can be used to understand the typical language acquisition process, assess a child’s profile of strengths and challenges in the foundations of language, and generate goals for children at various stages of language and communication development.

The advantages of a protocol that goes seamlessly from assessment to intervention will be considered. Since all therapeutic/educational interactions involve communication and language, all professionals working with children with challenges in these areas can more successfully accomplish their goals with greater awareness of the language acquisition trajectory.

For practitioners who use the DIR® Model, some of the capacities discussed will be familiar. For those new to the DIR® model and/or contemporary perspectives on language acquisition and assessment, introduction to this paradigm will provide a cohesive framework for understanding and treating children with language challenges. Finally, the DOLLI (2023) checklist can be used to assess progress over time and therefore, is a valuable tool for collecting quantitative and qualitative data.

There are a few materials that participants will be asked to review before beginning the course. Additionally, participants will be asked to prepare one DOLLI (2023) assessment using a videotape provided by the instructors.

Learning objectives

As a result of this course, participants will:

  • Summarize the foundational capacities that underlie the ability to comprehend and produce language (Gerber & Ricamato, 2023).
  • Identify the key behaviors addressed in the contemporary assessment and intervention of language capacities (Gerber & Ricamato, 2023).
  • Determine how to summarize a child’s language and communication profile.
  • Differentiate priorities for language intervention that can be integrated into all educational and clinical interactions.
  • Discuss strategies that can be used to address goals in the six foundational capacities.

Criteria to take the course

There are no prerequisites. There are a few materials that participants will be asked to review before beginning the course. Participants will be asked to prepare one DOLLI assessment using a videotape provided by the instructors.
Instructor

Sima Gerber, PhD, CCC

Sima Gerber, PhD, CCC is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Communication Disorders at Queens College of the CUNY. Dr. Gerber has presented nationally and internationally on developmental approaches to assessment and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders. She is on the faculty of Profectum Foundation and previously, ICDL. Dr. Gerber is a Fellow of the American Speech Language Hearing Association.
Instructor

Michele Ricamato, MA, CCC-SLP

Michele Ricamato, MA, CCC-SLP is a licensed speech and language pathologist, who works primarily with children diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. She is one of three founders of Soaring Eagle Academy, a school for children with special needs that utilizes developmental language intervention and the DIR® Model. Michele has a passion for curriculum development and adaptation to support comprehension and meaningful learning for children with unique learning needs. She developed the Literacy Concept Curriculum for Soaring Eagle Academy to support language learning through literature. Michele has a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Northwestern University (1995).

Frequently asked questions

How much time will I need to spend on the course?

Three 2-hour live online sessions
Materials to review prior to the first session
One DOLLI assessment to be made using a videotape provided by the instructors

How will this knowledge help me in my practice?

The advantages of a protocol that goes seamlessly from assessment to intervention will be considered. Since all therapeutic/educational interactions involve communication and language, all professionals working with children with challenges in these areas can more successfully accomplish their goals with greater awareness of the language acquisition trajectory.

What are the requirements to receive a certificate of completion?

All live online sessions must be attended in order to receive a certificate of completion. Zoom logs will be referenced for attendance.

Payment, withdrawal and refund policy

The fee is $219. Payment is due in full prior the start of the course.

If you submit payment and withdraw from this course at least 10 working days (Mon-Fri) BEFORE the start date, you will receive a refund minus a cancellation fee of $25. If requests to withdraw are received after this, no refund is given and you are responsible for full payment of the course.

Requests to withdraw must be sent via email to training@profectum.org.

In the event that a course is canceled, you will be notified immediately via email and a credit will be issued toward a rescheduled course or the entire submitted fee will be refunded without further liability on the part of the organizer.

Contact training@profectum.org if you have questions.

Cancellation policy

We strive to accommodate start times and international time zones for our participants and, therefore, reserve the right to adjust course start dates and times as needed. A minimum number of participants are required to run each course group. We reserve the right to cancel or postpone a scheduled group if the required number of participants is not achieved.

Contact training@profectum.org if you have questions.

In the event that a course group is canceled, you will be notified immediately via email and a credit will be issued toward a rescheduled course group or the entire submitted fee will be refunded without further liability on the part of the organizer.

If you have questions, contact training@profectum.org.

Technology requirements

Profectum uses video streaming and video conferencing as our standard technology tools. 
A computer with a monitor, keyboard, and a mouse or a laptop.Speakers, either built into your computer or external (plugged into your computer).
Camera, either built into your computer or external (plugged into your computer).
An internet connection, either wired or wireless, DSL or better.
The Zoom application.
A PDF viewer, such as Adobe.
A printer or access to a printer (to print materials, if desired).

Special accommodations

If you require ADA accommodations or have a special needs request, please email training@profectum.org at least two weeks before the program start date so arrangements can be made.