Every student has his or her unique take on eating habits, personal style, learning, you name it. This is particularly true when it comes to academics. There are students with learning disabilities who struggle in schools more so than others and under constant pressure from their parents and teachers alike to keep at the same academic levels as their peers. It’s understandable as those school or university tuition fees don’t come cheap.
It’s unfortunate that students suffering from recognized learning disorders or disabilities like dyslexia, in most cases, don’t have access to highly qualified teachers in their schools that will provide them with one-on-one attention.
Only Choose Tutors That Is Ideal For the Student
If a student is struggling in a particular subject area, say physics, a tutor can provide additional tuition that is needed for him to succeed. By using techniques that address his specific learning disability and by reviewing the materials repeatedly, he will be capable to retain the necessary information. In addition, tutors with specialized degrees can provide customized tutoring sessions to students.
Tutoring, outside the classrooms, can also assist students to prepare for tests better and improve their grades. However, not all tutors are well-qualified to work with students with learning disabilities or attention issues. In those special circumstances, an educational therapist or a special education teacher will deliver a better outcome than a traditional tutor. Most tutors are current or former teachers and many have specialization in specific fields of study.
Tutors Can Help With the Homework and Enhance Study Habits
Unlike most students, students with learning disabilities are easily frustrated by home-based assignments or projects. It’s one of the major reasons why these students lose interest in homework or in learning as a whole. A tutor can assist students to be motivated and encourage them to do their homework. A student is more likely to feel better about learning and about himself when he realizes that he can complete his homework without help from his tutors or parents.
Furthermore, a tutor provides tips and techniques to help students enhance their study habits. Developing effective and strong study skills as soon as possible, but it is still possible for older students to improve their study skills. Strong study skills encourage students with learning disabilities to attend college after high school.
A Tutor Can Build up Confidence
Tutoring isn’t about helping students with their academics and gets better grades; it is also helping students to become better students as well. A tutor helps boost the self-esteem of students with learning disabilities. Because the tutor is helping him improve his study skills using strategies that are customized for him, he feels more confident in his academic abilities. All of these make him more positive and optimistic about school and future.
What Does An Educational Therapist Do?
Educational therapists primarily help students with learning and attention issues. There is a misconception that educational therapists are also teachers. But that’s not true. Not every educational therapist you meet is a teacher. You’ll also find that psychologists, speech therapists, as well as occupational therapists also provide educational therapy services. The goal of an educational therapist is to work with the child’s parents and teachers to develop and implement a plan that will address the child’s educational requirements.
Although it is expected that an educational therapist will work on learning strategies that will make the student an effective learner, he or she will also prioritize on developing the skills of the students. These skills are imperative for the child, which will make him or her successful and independent learner.
An educational therapist learning strategies aren’t written on stone, and the therapist may make changes in teaching strategies from time to time based on the child’s overall progress.
An educational therapist will be of great help if your child has learning issues pertinent to dyslexia. If you’re finding it difficult to locate an educational therapist, a reading specialist may be qualified to help you. Just keep in mind, despite what others say, not all tutoring centers or tutors are able to deal with kids with dyslexia.
Executive Functioning Coach Vs. Educational Therapist
Many people assume that an “executive functioning coach” is equally as qualified to help students who have dyslexia improve their learning skills. But, it’s not the case, unfortunately. In technical terms, an executive functioning coach is more of a psychologist than a tutor. That’s doesn’t mean this kind of coaches isn’t able to help the child. By cultivating a trusting relationship with your child, an executive functioning coach can work with your child to enhance and harness his or her executive functioning skills. These include helping the child to plan ahead, setting goals, prioritizing, solving problems, organizing his workspace, etc.
Final Thoughts
Students with learning disabilities not also require considerate, compassionate tutors, they also need effective tutoring. A place and an environment that inspires the student to learn are also equally important. If all the strategies and techniques we mentioned above are implemented, it’s more than possible for students with learning disabilities to excel academically.