FAQ
Q. What is educational therapy?
A. Below is taken directly from the Association of Educational Therapists Website
Educational therapy is the practice of providing personalized remedial instruction to children and adults with learning challenges, including but not limited to dyslexia, ADHD, executive functioning deficits, and language, visual and auditory processing issues. The ultimate goal of educational therapy is to foster development of self-confident, independent individuals who feel positively about themselves and their potential as lifelong learners.
Educational therapists understand the social, behavioral and emotional factors that can impact learning. They have extensive training and experience in administering academic assessments, developing intervention plans, and implementing strategies to address challenges with reading, writing, spelling, math organization, and study skills. A vital role of the educational therapist is to serve as a case manager, working in collaboration with family, teachers, and other professionals involved in the client’s life.
Q. What is the difference between educational therapy and tutoring?
A. Although content tutors and educational therapists (ETs) may both help clients achieve academic success, the training and role of content tutors and educational therapists are generally quite different. Educational therapists’ backgrounds include training in learning disabilities, case management, executive functioning, and the overall academic and emotional survival of formal classroom experience. In addition, educational therapists go beyond the scope of content tutors by helping students develop the underlying thinking skills necessary to become more efficient and autonomous learners.
Q. What is the difference between educational therapy and the work of a psychologist or psychiatrist?
A. Educational therapists differ from therapists and psychiatrists in their scope of practice. Educational therapists do not diagnose, assess, or prescribe medication for any conditions such as ADHD, depression, or other medical conditions. In addition, educational therapists do not administer psychological tests, intelligence tests, or practice psychotherapy.
Q. What is the difference between an educational therapist and a learning specialist?
A. Anyone can call themselves a learning specialist, whereas educational therapists have been approved by the Association of Educational Therapists as having met the highest level of professional preparation and experience qualifying them to provide personalized remedial instruction to children and adults with learning challenges. The registered service mark of Educational Therapist/Professional (ET/P) or Board Certified Educational Therapist (BCET) assures the public of the individual’s professionalism and competency.
Q. How long will my child need educational therapy?
A. Educational therapy is not a quick fix, nor is it a forever process. Termination is the goal for every client. This goal is reached when the client is able to assume responsibility for their learning, identify their learning style, and approach learning tasks with more self-awareness and confidence.
Q. My child doesn’t have a diagnosed disability; could MY CHILD still benefit from your services?
A. Educational therapy benefits a variety of students. In particular, educational therapy is a great fit for students with learning disabilities or other learning challenges, low self-esteem, school related anxiety, inhibited academic motivation, ADHD, and poor executive function skills. Students who have been called names like “lazy,” “stupid,” “unmotivated” and/or have a poor or inconsistent history of academic achievement are frequently good candidates for educational therapy.
Q. Can you evaluate my child for a learning disability?
A. Educational Therapists do not diagnose, but we can give accurate observations about what we see based on a student’s learning profile. If the etiology of a learning challenge is desired, the student will be referred for a full evaluation by a neuro- or educational-psychologist. An evaluation is not required for all students receiving educational therapy, but it can be beneficial to confirm the accuracy of a diagnosis, which may help generate more specific treatment options.