Three major types of service are educational consultation, assessment/screening, individual education service, and case management. In principle, Educational Therapist assess student's learning skills, design individual teaching plan, and teaches students according to the plan. In addition, Educational Therapist can explain the terminologies used in a report, communicate with allied professionals, and work with the people involved in the clinet's life.
Specific examples of the services provided are indicated below. Please ask if you have other related requests.
Educational Therapist will analyze and explain the test results of academic assessment and other testing related to learning. Implications of the test results for daily life will be also discussed.
Some clients have already received Individualized Education Program (IEP) from their schools. If they have any questions about their IEP, Educational Therapist can explain it to them in a simple manner. In addition, if they wish to hear suggestions from Educational Therapist, Educational Therapist can share their suggestions for next IEP meeting or an additional treatment plan.
"My child was diagnosed with a disability, but I'm not sure what it means." "I did my own research about child development, but I didn't understand it well." "Can you explain more about this syndrome and its characteristics?" - If you have such questions or concerns about learning or school, please feel free to discuss with Educational Therapist.
"Although my child studied hard, he/she cannot do well on a test." "Often make reckless mistakes." "I cannot build a good relationship with my teacher." "My child has low academic self-esteem." - If you have such questions or concerns, please feel free to discuss with Educational Therapist.
Academic assessment measures reading, writing, composing, critical thinking, memory, application, analyzing, math, computation, spatial, and other skills.
Based on the assessment results, the client's areas of strength and weakness are revealed.
Using the data, Educational Therapist can identify what are the underlying causes of difficulty and design a treatment plan.
Depending on the client's needs, Educational Therapist may give a short screening or reading assessment.
Educational Therapist and a client first discuss the goals of Educational Therapy and decide on short-term and long-term goals. They can change the individual teaching plan as needed.
If a client has problems with organizational skills or time-management, Educational Therapist can come up with the ideas to support those skills. For example, Educational Therapist may create a checklist with the client or teach how to categorize by group and make labels.
For example, Educational Therapist and a client may learn note-taking skill and go to a zoo or museum to use the learned skill. After the visit, they may review what the client has completed and find out how to improve the skill.
I'm particularly specialized in providing Educational Therapy to children with Japanese and English language skills. Bilingual students are often confused with the subtle nuance of words or the different usage of words in two languages. I will clarify the differences between the two languages and explain basic word/text structure. Phonics-based instruction is also available.
Besides individuals with autism or high-functioning autism, there are other individuals who struggle with communication skills. Educational Therapist can teach and practice communication skills with a client, including understanding what is appropriate in a given setting, practicing with expressive language, and listening skills.
Educational Therapist can assist with a client's homework, as a part of Educational Therapy treatment plan. Through the homework, Educational Therapist not only teaches the subject matter but also helps the client acquire new skills or practice learned skills.
Sometimes, students have academic difficulties due to their learning environment, habits, or method. For example, their rooms may not be structured best for learning, they may be placing important notes in a wrong place, or they may not be managing time effectively to do homework. Once Educational Therapist finds such problems, she will go over step by step with the client and suggest a better option.
Some students need instruction on test-preparation, test-taking, and test-reviewing skills. Educational Therapist address such needs of a client and teach those skills systematically. If a client has test-anxiety, Educational Therapist also helps him/her feel confident in their abilities.
If a client is not sure what he/she wants to do in the future, Educational Therapist can help him/her research and explore different careers while understanding their strength and needs.
If a Japanese parent has trouble understanding English at IEP meeting or parent conference, I can translate for him/her while understanding terminologies used at those meetings.
If a parent needs help with writing to school or teacher in English or Japanese, I can help them create the letter in either language.
Sometimes, a parent is confused with notice or report received from school. I can help them undestand it and how they are supposed to respond.
Progress report or test results from professionals can be difficult to understand for people without specialized knowledge. If such progress report or test results are related to the field of Educational Therapy, Educational Therapist can also explain.
Educational Therapist can summarize what she is working on with a client and write a referral to allied professionals. This helps allied professionals understand the strength and needs of the client and what they are working on.