What is Educational Therapy?

An Educational Therapist is a professional who combines education and therapeutic approaches for evaluation, remediation, case management, and communication/advocacy of behalf of children, adolescents, and adults with learning disorders or learning problems.

An educational therapist works in the educational domain with individuals who exhibit learning disabilities and learning problems. An educational therapist is skilled in:

• Formal and informal educational assessments
• Synthesis of information from schools, parents, and other professionals
• Develop and implement programs for academics, behaviors, and emotional aspects of learning
• Advocate for the client in learning settings and provide suggestions for classroom accommodations and modifications

A professional educational therapist has a college degree and graduate level courses, skills, training, and experience to address the following learning issues:

• Dyslexia
• Dyscalculia
• Dysgraphia
• Attention Deficit Disorders
• Reading, writing, language, and math disabilities
• Executive Function Deficits
• Low motivational levels
• Low academic self-esteem
• Poor social, organizational, and study skills

What is Academic Language Therapy?

A Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) is qualified to treat children and adults with learning disabilities. CALT's have completed extensive post graduate and practica in the theories and methods of remedial written treatment as well as the use of multisensory, structured phonetic, language based curricula.

The academic language therapist provides a variety of specialized services for individuals who have problems with:

• Reading: decoding and comprehension
• Handwriting
• Spelling
• Composition
• Learning Strategies

Academic Language Therapy is needed when students have difficulty learning to read and write despite having average or even above average intelligence and they have had sufficient opportunity to learn. Individualized programs are designed to meet the needs of those with learning differences.

Academic language therapists are specialist trained to work with students with dyslexia or reading disabilities. They have completed extensive accredited training in multisensory structured teaching. They are trained in the structure of the English language and how to teach that structure in a multisensory manner.

Therapy with a CALT is an intensive remedial approach that starts the student with the basics and rebuilds the learning continuum step-by-step. Remember, therapy is a process, not a product.

View our chart for more details on Educational Therapy.