Aug
14
Written by:
Jean Blosser
8/14/2009 11:04 AM
At the top of many therapists' and special education administrators' lists is a goal "to improve our colleagues' understanding of the roles and contributions of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists within the school setting." It is crucial that educators, parents, and teachers understand the goals of therapy and the link between therapy and classroom performance. Without really comprehending the complexity and breadth of the therapist's responsibilities, our colleagues may not fully appreciate the benefit of establishing meaningful partnerships with their therapist teammates. Successful therapy results in helping students reach measurable, functional outcomes so they can fully participate in learning, community, family, and work activities.
SCHOOL-BASED SLPs, OTs AND PTs WEAR MANY HATS
They diagnose, plan, manage, treat, collaborate, document, report, meet, provide resources, refer, counsel, and train others. In order to be most effective in the school setting, therapists have to possess expertise in their discipline as well as have in depth understanding of educational goals, the curriculum, and the school organization and culture. As members of the student support team, they must strive to provide intervention services that are educationally relevant and lead to improved participation and performance in the classroom.
Click here to see all the hats that Therapist wear!