How does a tutor differ from an Educational Therapist?

As Sarah Cacciato, an educational consultant and therapist and co-owner of L&S Special Education tells us, “educational therapy and tutoring are often considered to be the same, when in reality, ET is significantly different.” She continues, “Educational therapy is an individualized program designed specifically for each child based on their individual strengths and learning profile. It’s about meeting a child where they are, and working from that point on specific skills, primarily academic and executive functioning skills.”

A tutor may not be trained to support children with learning and thinking differences, while an ET is experienced in noticing and assessing signs of learning differences and taking steps to address them. Because of this, ETs are well suited to understand and help interpret neuropsychological and psychological educational testing, and how these results relate to academics and behavior.

For more on Educational Therapy, see Educational Therapy 101.