Frequently Asked Questions about Education Therapy
1. What is Education Therapy (ET)?
Education Therapy (ET) is an intensive process of teaching and learning. Each student's program is designed to meet that student's individual needs. Education therapy strengthens a student's academic and processing weaknesses through specialized methodologies and teaching materials. Teaching is presented in an organized, structured, and sequenced approach
2. What is processing?
Processing is the way we think and learn. We all have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning. We learn by taking in information through our five senses. Some of us learn better by watching and some of us learn better by listening. This refers to visual and auditory processing. Attention and memory are also a part of processing.
3. How does attention affect learning?
As attention deficits are more accurately and more frequently diagnosed, their effects on learning are also more specifically identified. Attention deficits make a student less available for learning. This means that the student may not be paying attention and thus missing a good portion of any lesson in the classroom. Thus the student falls behind in academic subjects, not due to intellectual ability, but accessibility. Attention issues also affect organization and study skills. With the one-on-one attention that a student receives in Education Therapy, learning is much more successful.
4. What is Executive Functioning (EF) and how does it affect learning?
"Executive Function" is a term used to describe a set of mental processes that helps us connect past experience with present action. We use executive function when we perform such activities as planning, organizing, strategizing, and paying attention to and remembering details. People with executive function problems have difficulty with planning, organizing and managing time and space. They also show weakness with "working memory" (or "seeing in your mind's eye"), which is an important tool in guiding one's actions. As with other manifestations of Learning Disorders (LD), disorders in executive function can run in families. Problems can be seen at any age but tend to be increasingly apparent as children move through the early elementary grades; the demands of completing schoolwork independently can often trigger signs that there are difficulties in this area.
5. Do learning challenges affect socio/emotional development and success?
It is very common that students who have learning disabilities have difficulties with social skills too. Students with learning disabilities often have difficulties accurately perceiving what other people do, say, or demonstrate. They have difficulties with:
6. Who needs Education Therapy?
All students want to be successful in school. When a student continues to struggle despite parent-teacher interventions or private academic tutoring, he or she should be evaluated for underlying learning deficits. Students do not outgrow learning problems; learning problems often develop into social and emotional problems.
7. How is Education Therapy different from tutoring and classroom teaching?
Education therapy addresses underlying learning skills such as visual and auditory processing, attention and focus, and memory skills on an individual basis. Academic skills such as reading, writing, and math are taught through specific methodologies as weak processing skills are identified and addressed. The Education Therapist teaches skills necessary for learning to read, write, calculate, and problem solve. Tutoring focuses on re-teaching academic subjects and helps with homework. A teacher uses a text book to teach to a large group.
8. How much time does Education Therapy take?
Education Therapy sessions are one-on-one, with student and the Education Therapist working for one hour, with a minimum of 2 sessions per week. The length of time that a student may need Education Therapy depends on the type of processing issues involved, cognitive ability, cooperation and behavior, and many other factors.
9. Is Education Therapy only for students with learning difficulties?
All learners have strengths and weaknesses. Even students that excel at school may want to learn new and more efficient ways of producing academic work. Sometimes these students are not being challenged in the general education classrooms and are looking for enrichment material. An Education Therapist can provide new learning experiences for students both with and without special needs.
10. How old should a student be to begin Education Therapy?
Students may begin struggling with school at a very early age, however adults will benefit too (it's never too late!). Sometimes learning difficulties are not diagnosed until much later in the Education career. The earlier a student begins Education Therapy, the more education issues can be avoided. For students that have fallen behind significantly in school, Education Therapy can be provided on a more intensive basis to catch up to grade and age level expectations. Educational Therapists work with students starting at ages five and up through adults.
11. How does an Education Therapist assess my student's needs?
Many students come to EDUCATION-THERAPY with assessments completed by the school district or a private psychologist. A thorough review of these assessments reveals an abundance of information about a student's learning processes. If the student has not had previous testing completed, the student may be referred for testing to the school district, a clinical psychologist, an Education psychologist or a neuro-psychologist depending on need.
12. Can the Education Therapist assess a student?
Yes. Educational therapists have been trained in and may use a variety of assessments. Most importantly the ET will assess specific skills to determine the precise needs of a student, which is different from most psychological or psycho Education assessments.
13. What kind of learning issues does an Education Therapist address?
Learning issues are as distinct as the students who have them. Dyslexia is a common problem with reading and writing. Visualization, memory, and sequencing are often problems with math. Problems with attention (ADHD), organization, spelling, language processing, and grammar often interrupt the ability to write well.
14. Will the Education Therapist refer to other professionals?
The Education Therapist will refer to another specialist if she feels that another person would better suit your student's needs. Since Educational Therapists work closely with other professionals, including psychologists, psychiatrists, behaviorists, and therapists, many other referrals are available.
- What is Education Therapy (ET)?
- What is processing?
- How does attention affect learning?
- What is Executive Functioning (EF) and how does it affect learning?
- Do learning challenges affect socio/emotional development and success?
- Who needs Education Therapy?
- How is Education Therapy different from tutoring and classroom teaching?
- How much time does Education Therapy take?
- Is Education Therapy only for students with learning difficulties?
- How old should a student be to begin Education Therapy?
- How does an Education Therapist (ET) assess my student's needs?
- Can the Education Therapist assess a student?
- What kind of learning issues does an Education Therapist address?
- Will the Education Therapist refer to other professionals?
1. What is Education Therapy (ET)?
Education Therapy (ET) is an intensive process of teaching and learning. Each student's program is designed to meet that student's individual needs. Education therapy strengthens a student's academic and processing weaknesses through specialized methodologies and teaching materials. Teaching is presented in an organized, structured, and sequenced approach
2. What is processing?
Processing is the way we think and learn. We all have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning. We learn by taking in information through our five senses. Some of us learn better by watching and some of us learn better by listening. This refers to visual and auditory processing. Attention and memory are also a part of processing.
3. How does attention affect learning?
As attention deficits are more accurately and more frequently diagnosed, their effects on learning are also more specifically identified. Attention deficits make a student less available for learning. This means that the student may not be paying attention and thus missing a good portion of any lesson in the classroom. Thus the student falls behind in academic subjects, not due to intellectual ability, but accessibility. Attention issues also affect organization and study skills. With the one-on-one attention that a student receives in Education Therapy, learning is much more successful.
4. What is Executive Functioning (EF) and how does it affect learning?
"Executive Function" is a term used to describe a set of mental processes that helps us connect past experience with present action. We use executive function when we perform such activities as planning, organizing, strategizing, and paying attention to and remembering details. People with executive function problems have difficulty with planning, organizing and managing time and space. They also show weakness with "working memory" (or "seeing in your mind's eye"), which is an important tool in guiding one's actions. As with other manifestations of Learning Disorders (LD), disorders in executive function can run in families. Problems can be seen at any age but tend to be increasingly apparent as children move through the early elementary grades; the demands of completing schoolwork independently can often trigger signs that there are difficulties in this area.
5. Do learning challenges affect socio/emotional development and success?
It is very common that students who have learning disabilities have difficulties with social skills too. Students with learning disabilities often have difficulties accurately perceiving what other people do, say, or demonstrate. They have difficulties with:
- listening (understanding what someone has told them)
- talking (saying what they mean)
- noticing and interpreting facial expression and body language
- planning and controlling what they do
6. Who needs Education Therapy?
All students want to be successful in school. When a student continues to struggle despite parent-teacher interventions or private academic tutoring, he or she should be evaluated for underlying learning deficits. Students do not outgrow learning problems; learning problems often develop into social and emotional problems.
7. How is Education Therapy different from tutoring and classroom teaching?
Education therapy addresses underlying learning skills such as visual and auditory processing, attention and focus, and memory skills on an individual basis. Academic skills such as reading, writing, and math are taught through specific methodologies as weak processing skills are identified and addressed. The Education Therapist teaches skills necessary for learning to read, write, calculate, and problem solve. Tutoring focuses on re-teaching academic subjects and helps with homework. A teacher uses a text book to teach to a large group.
8. How much time does Education Therapy take?
Education Therapy sessions are one-on-one, with student and the Education Therapist working for one hour, with a minimum of 2 sessions per week. The length of time that a student may need Education Therapy depends on the type of processing issues involved, cognitive ability, cooperation and behavior, and many other factors.
9. Is Education Therapy only for students with learning difficulties?
All learners have strengths and weaknesses. Even students that excel at school may want to learn new and more efficient ways of producing academic work. Sometimes these students are not being challenged in the general education classrooms and are looking for enrichment material. An Education Therapist can provide new learning experiences for students both with and without special needs.
10. How old should a student be to begin Education Therapy?
Students may begin struggling with school at a very early age, however adults will benefit too (it's never too late!). Sometimes learning difficulties are not diagnosed until much later in the Education career. The earlier a student begins Education Therapy, the more education issues can be avoided. For students that have fallen behind significantly in school, Education Therapy can be provided on a more intensive basis to catch up to grade and age level expectations. Educational Therapists work with students starting at ages five and up through adults.
11. How does an Education Therapist assess my student's needs?
Many students come to EDUCATION-THERAPY with assessments completed by the school district or a private psychologist. A thorough review of these assessments reveals an abundance of information about a student's learning processes. If the student has not had previous testing completed, the student may be referred for testing to the school district, a clinical psychologist, an Education psychologist or a neuro-psychologist depending on need.
12. Can the Education Therapist assess a student?
Yes. Educational therapists have been trained in and may use a variety of assessments. Most importantly the ET will assess specific skills to determine the precise needs of a student, which is different from most psychological or psycho Education assessments.
13. What kind of learning issues does an Education Therapist address?
Learning issues are as distinct as the students who have them. Dyslexia is a common problem with reading and writing. Visualization, memory, and sequencing are often problems with math. Problems with attention (ADHD), organization, spelling, language processing, and grammar often interrupt the ability to write well.
14. Will the Education Therapist refer to other professionals?
The Education Therapist will refer to another specialist if she feels that another person would better suit your student's needs. Since Educational Therapists work closely with other professionals, including psychologists, psychiatrists, behaviorists, and therapists, many other referrals are available.
