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1. What is the difference between tutoring and educational
therapy?
While “tutoring” is often associated with one subject/content
area such as math or biology, “educational therapy” is broader,
emphasizing the therapeutic relationship between the educational therapist
and the student. Educational therapists provide students with strategies
to help them to learn how to learn most effectively, and they use students’
textbooks and homework as a scaffold for teaching strategies. Educational
therapists aim to capitalize on students’ individual strengths while
working on their areas of difficulty. The therapeutic relationship combined
with effective strategy teaching leads to successful outcomes for students.
2. What are the programs and techniques in which your staff
is trained?
Our staff specializes in teaching research-based, cutting edge strategies.
Our educational specialists are also trained in a variety of programs,
and each staff member has one or more areas of specialty. ILD has reading,
math, and writing specialists trained in programs such as Orton Gillingham,
Project Read, Wilson, Seeing Stars, LiPPS, WKRP, Visualizing and Verbalizing,
and Cloud Nine Math. Our educational specialists also work with students
around organization, planning, prioritizing, self-monitoring, and checking
their work. Educational specialists tailor their instruction to meet the
individual needs of the student. Therefore, several different programs
or approaches may be combined to meet a student’s educational needs.
3. How long will my child need these services?
The duration of educational therapy services varies from student to student.
Most students begin their work at ILD at the start of the school year
and continue to the end, especially if their educational therapy is focused
around their school curriculum. Other students work throughout the summer
and focus on particular areas of difficulty to prepare them for the coming
school year. Students typically work with an educational therapist until
they become independent learners and begin to apply strategies automatically.
4. Do you help children with homework?
Yes. Much of the strategy instruction given by educational therapists
revolves around students’ homework, tests, and projects. Educational
therapists work with students to help them organize, prioritize, and plan
their homework assignments and long-term projects. Students are also taught
strategies for note taking, organizing information, remembering information,
staying on task, and checking their work. Support and strategy instruction
around homework helps students to become more efficient, strategic, and
independent workers.
5. Do you offer standardized test preparation services?
We do not offer specific preparation courses for particular standardized
tests. However, many of the test-taking strategies taught by our educational
therapists can apply to all types of tests. Strategies for memorizing,
prioritizing information, cognitive flexibility, and checking all teach
students to take tests strategically and efficiently.
6. What is diagnostic educational therapy?
Diagnostic educational therapy services are available for students whose
difficulties or educational needs are not clear. The student attends six
to eight sessions that include both diagnostic testing and teaching, giving
the educational therapist the opportunity to assess specific areas of
difficulty and determine how the student learns best. When the six to
eight sessions are complete, a report is written that outlines the student’s
strengths and weaknesses, as well as recommendations for educational programming
or services. Also at this time, a parent conference is held to discuss
the educational therapy sessions and clinical findings.
7. How do I go about obtaining educational therapy services for my child?
First, call to schedule a consult with Dr. Bethany Roditi, the educational
director of ILD. She will assess your child’s needs and match him/her
with the appropriate educational therapist. The educational therapist
will then call you to schedule your child’s sessions.
8. How will I know if my child is making progress?
Every child is different. For some children, progress in reading is evident
within the first two months, and for other students, it might take longer.
Progress can be measured in many different ways and does not only manifest
itself in higher grades. Students may show increased self-confidence,
effort, and motivation in school. They may demonstrate a strong willingness
to attend their educational therapy sessions or a strong bond with their
educational specialist. Students may also show an increased understanding
of themselves as learners and become aware of new strategies and techniques
that help them learn better. Many students do show an improvement in school
performance, but more importantly are empowered with a sense of accomplishment
in their work.
9. How do I find out about my child’s progress?
Educational specialists check in with parents frequently on an informal
basis to continually monitor students’ progress. A parent conference
is usually held at the end of eight sessions so the educational specialist
can report on a student’s progress and assure that there is a good
match between her and the student. At the end of the school year or when
your child has finished his/her educational therapy sessions, the educational
therapist writes a report summarizing the content of the sessions and
your child’s progress. At this time, a parent conference is scheduled
to review the report and discuss recommendations for future services.
If you have any concerns about your child throughout the course of the
educational therapy sessions, parent conferences may be scheduled at any
time.
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