Internet Special Education Resources
Special Education & Learning Disabilities Resources: A Nationwide Directory
Is Your Child Struggling with Learning Problems?
Educational Therapy can help.
by Dr. Lynn Popp, nationally Board Certified Educational TherapistHere are some facts about learning disabilities:
Here are signs of learning disabilities:
- A child with learning disabilities processes information differently.
- A child with learning disabilities often has normal or above average intelligence.
- A child with learning disabilities can develop lifelong learning skills.
Types of learning disabilities:
- A child has trouble learning new vocabulary.
- A child has trouble understanding what he or she reads.
- A child has trouble staying organized and meeting deadlines.
- Dyslexia involves difficulty with language processing and its impact on reading, writing, and spelling.
- Dysgraphia involves difficulty with writing.
- Dyscalculia involves difficulty with math skills and impacts math computation.
If your child is struggling with learning problems, educational therapy can help. According to the Association of Educational Therapists, educational therapy offers children and adults with learning disabilities and other learning challenges a wide range of intensive, individualized interventions designed to remediate learning problems. In Lynne Popp’s practice, Lynne M. Popp Educational Therapy, Inc., the goal is to enable each client to obtain a firm academic skills foundation so that he/she is able to be successful in school (and in the workplace).
Lynne's first consultation with a parent of a client and/or a client involves questions about struggles with learning and often frustrations with daily life. Educational therapists understand there is a connection between learning and social/emotional functioning. They work with clients with a wide range of learning disabilities and learning differences, including: dyslexia, ADHD, academic difficulties, language processing problems, poor motivation, low academic self-esteem, poor social, organizational and study skills.
Based on the answers in the first consultation, the next step is an educational assessment to determine which scientifically researched teaching methods or combination of teaching methods would fit the client. These tests will show areas of strengths and weaknesses for that individual client.
After testing, educational therapy is done in a one-to-one setting using scientifically researched teaching methodologies to teach the student how to use his or her unique style of learning. This is an important part of educational therapy because the student begins to understand he or she can learn, but just learn differently.
Educational therapy prepares the student for success when he goes back to class or work by building a firm academic foundation. The student also learns whether or not she may need accommodations in the classroom or workplace based on the individual's learning differences. Accommodation means allowing the student to learn the same information-just in a different manner such as books on tape or oral tests.
As a nationally Board Certified Educational Therapist, Lynne Popp educates parents and students about educational rights and how to advocate for their children. If the student has been tested at Lynne M. Popp Educational Therapy, Inc., Lynne will attend school meetings with the parent or client.
Building public awareness about learning disabilities is also the role of an educational therapist so teacher training and learning disability workshops for the general public are available. Contact Lynne M. Popp Educational Therapy, Inc. at slpopp1@cox.net or call 402-498-8708 for more information.