ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 develops a conceptual framework for the decision-making practices of the educational therapist (ET), before, during, and after each intervention. In the educational therapy treatment plan, treatment is tailored to the individual client’s strengths and needs. The decisions of the ET utilize a set of diagnostic indicators that reflect the typical learning issues of our client population, such as attention and memory, executive function, acquired knowledge, language skills, and attitude. These indicators drive the selection of materials and methods, and the customization of instruction. The chapter discusses recurrent stages in treatment, and describes essential ET skills, such as skilled observation, task analysis, and interpretation of diagnostic data. A set of specific instructional procedures are presented that illustrate the kind of tasks having the highest diagnostic potential. Example cases highlight the scope of the initial skill set that the ET brings to the work, as well as the skills that are developed during the course of treatment as we problem-solve.
