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Educational Therapy is a form of therapy used to treat individuals with learning differences,

disabilities, and challenges. This form of therapy offers a wide range of intensive interventions that

are designed to remediate learning problems. These interventions are individualized and unique to

the specific learner.

This type of therapy helps the student strengthen the ability to learn. The student engages inactivities that help academics as well as teach processing, focusing, and memory skills. The

difference between traditional tutoring and educational therapy is dramatic. Traditional tutoring

deals specifically with academics. Educational therapy deals with processing of information as well

as academics. The educational therapist uses a variety of methodologies and teaching materials to

help the student reach academic success.

Processing is the way students think and learn. All students learn differently and process

information in a unique manner. Information is taken in through thefive senses. Some students

learn better by watching (visual learning) while others learn better by hearing (auditory learning).

The students who seem to do worse in the traditional school setting learn best by doing(kinesthetic

learning). If these students are taught to strengthen their weakest learning systems, then learning

becomes easier and more efficient.

Some students have focusing problems.Attention deficits make the student less available for

learning. If the student isnt attending to the information being presented, then the student isnt

learning. Traditional methods involve medicating the student, but educational therapists are able to

work with students and teach them how to focus and attend. Students today are expected to hold

vast amounts of information in their memory banks. Many students are weak in this area as well.

Memory skills can be strengthened like any skill, which in turn affects academics in a positive

manner.

Cross lateral kinesthetic exercises may be used to strengthen proprioception skills. These physical

exercises are thought to strengthen cognitive skills.[1]

By addressing the processing of information, focusing issues, and memory skills, as well as

academics, the educational therapist is better able to treat the underlying problem of the learning

difference that is keeping the student from succeeding in the academic arena. This sometimes

seems illogical to people, as they feel that the only way to fix an academic problem is to offer more

academics. This rarely is a long term solution to the problem of poor academics, since piling on

more academics only fatigues and burdens an already frustrated student. Educational therapy is

better equipped to deal with the problem of processing information. This in turn leads to stronger

academics.

Educational therapy addresses the underlying learning skills that affect academics. These skills

would include visual and auditory processing, attention, and focusing as well as memory skills. Thestudent only receives the skills that he/she is weak in. Each student is different and has unique

strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, educational therapy is best equipped to deal with helping

students with learning differences reach their highest potential.

In the UK in the 1960s Irene Caspari, Principal Psychologist at the Tavistock Centre,London,

became a leading trainer and exponent of a more psychoanalytic version of educational therapy,

leaving money for the establishment of a 'Forum for the Advancement of Educational Therapy'. It

was Caspari's belief that a child might learn more effectively when an academic learning program

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_differenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_differenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_learninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditory_learninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesthetic_learninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesthetic_learninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesthetic_learninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_therapy#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_processinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_differenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_learninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditory_learninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesthetic_learninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesthetic_learninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_therapy#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_processing

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went hand in hand with 'expression work' which tapped into a child's deeper feelings, and that it

therefore behoved the therapist to be aware of, and to work with, such feelings as well as with

his/her own relationship with the child as a learner.[2]

Educational Therapy has been used to treat:

Dyslexia[3]

Non-Verbal Learning Disorder

Reading and Writing Difficulties (dysgraphia)[4]

Math Disabilities (dyscalculia)

Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Aspergers Syndrome

Fragile X

Tourette Syndrome

Language Processing Problems

Visual Processing Problems

Poor Motivation

Low Academic Self-esteem

Poor Organizational and Study Skills

School and Test Anxiety

Poor Social Skills

School Placement and Retention

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_therapy#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_therapy#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyslexiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_therapy#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysgraphiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_therapy#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyscalculiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_Deficit_Disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_Deficit_Disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger%E2%80%99s_Syndromehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragile_Xhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourette_Syndromehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_therapy#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyslexiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_therapy#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysgraphiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_therapy#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyscalculiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_Deficit_Disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger%E2%80%99s_Syndromehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragile_Xhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourette_Syndrome