AET Fact Sheet

An Educational Therapist is a highly trained professional who works in the academic domain with neurotypical and neurodiverse children, adolescents, and adults who have been diagnosed with or exhibit learning disabilities, exhibit signs of learning differences, or demonstrate difficulties with learning.

Educational Therapists:

  • have educational and experiential backgrounds in special education or a related field, with specialized training to support individuals with learning disabilities/differences.
  • are skilled in:
    1. administering formal and informal educational assessments for which they are both qualified and trained to use, and/or interpreting assessment results;
    2. synthesizing information from the client, parents, teachers, allied professionals, and other members of the client’s team;
    3. developing and implementing appropriate interventions to support learning-related challenges in school or work-related environments;
    4. teaching strategies to address the social and emotional aspects of having a learning issue.
  • provide individualized intensive intervention for clients who present with a wide range of learning difficulties including: literacy-related challenges including dyslexia and writing difficulties, dyscalculia and/or other math-related difficulties, ADHD and/or attentional issues; and executive functioning.
  • create and implement an intervention plan that utilizes information from a variety of sources including the client’s educational, social, emotional, psychological, and neuropsychological contexts.
  • teach strategies for academic, social, emotional, behavioral, attentional, and metacognitive growth, including all aspects of executive functioning, to enhance learning within and outside of academic settings.
  • address the underlying issues that impede learning, and therefore should not be considered tutors.
  • facilitate communication between the client and other members of the client’s team across academic, workplace, and other related settings.
  • act as an advocate on behalf of the individual, often in collaboration with the family.
    should belong to Association of Educational Therapists, (AET), an international professional certifying organization, which has set the standards for the profession, defined the field’s scope of practice, and established the Code of Ethics for the practice of Educational Therapy.
  • are responsible for upholding the Code of Ethics and advancing AET’s Vision, Mission, and Core Values.

Educational Therapists DO NOT: 

  • diagnose
  • administer cognitive, intelligence, or psychological tests (unless otherwise qualified to do so)
  • practice psychotherapy
  • prescribe medication

AET certifies practitioners at the Educational Therapist/Professional (ET/P®) or Board Certified Educational Therapists (BCET®) levels. ET/Ps and BCETs must fulfill the academic, direct service hours, and other training requirements to use these designations. BCETs have also met additional rigorous requirements necessary to achieve this status.



 


©2023 Marshall, M. & Rotter, S.

Quick Access

Parents & Community

  • Find an Educational Therapist
  • How Educational
  • Therapy Can Help
  • Why Should You Engage With an Educational Therapist
  • FAQ & Tips For Parents
  • Resources For Parents
  • Testimonials

Allied
Professionals

  • When To Find An ET
  • Educational Therapist Careers
  • The Educational Therapist 
    - Featured Article

Member Center

  • The Educational Therapist Journal
  • Support For Your ET Practice
  • Ethical Dilemmas & FAQs
  • Study Group Resources
  • Member Directory
  • Board File Repository
  • Governance Documents