What Makes an ET Different From a Tutor
What is the Difference Between an Educational Therapist and a Tutor?
While a tutor generally focuses on teaching a specific subject matter, an educational therapist’s focus is broader. Educational therapists collaborate with all the significant people concerned with the student’s learning. They focus not only on remediation, but also on building underlying learning skills to help the clients become more self-aware, self-reliant, efficient learners.
Differences in Training
An educational therapist has extensive training and experience in learning disabilities and intervention strategies specific to learning differences.
A tutor’s background does not necessarily Include training in learning disabilities, specific syndromes, assessments, appropriate interventions, or case management. Tutors are generally skilled in a specific subject matter.
Differences in Goals and Strategies
An educational therapist sets goals and develops an intervention plan that addresses not only academic difficulties, but also psycho-educational and socio-emotional aspects of life-long learning through an eclectic combination of individualized intervention strategies when needed. Their training and experience enables them to select from a wide variety of methods and materials.
A tutor frequently focusses on improving grades and commonly uses traditional teaching methods to reach academic goals, thus, teaching the way they were taught.
Differences in Services Provided
An educational therapist conducts formal and informal assessments, utilizes specific, and when appropriate, alternative teaching strategies. In addition, an ET provides case management by coordinating with the student’s team of teachers, parents, and allied professionals.
A tutor typically provides individual assistance with homework or instruction in a specific subject matter.
Educational Therapy Is…
- intensive individual intervention for students with learning challenges that may be a result of neurological, cognitive, developmental, language and emotional issues.
Educational Therapists…
- Apply specialized training in learning disabilities and use strategies that teach to the student’s strengths while remediating the individual weaknesses;
- Foster communication and collaborate with all significant participants In the client’s learning context;
- Recognize that emotional, behavioral and learning problems are Intertwined.
- Attend to social and emotional needs in addition to academic goals.
When Selecting an Educational Therapist, Ask About…
- Educational background, training, and experience;
- Areas of specialization;
- Short-term objectives and long range goals;
- Approaches and techniques for intervention;
- Fee structure and policies;
- Associate, Professional, or Board Certified membership In the Association of Educational Therapists.
AET sets standards for the qualifications of Associate, Professional, and Board Certified Educational Therapists. Clients can be confident that professionals bearing these endorsements have met rigorous training and supervision requirements.