Therapeutic tutoring is an instructional approach designed to support students with learning differences, disabilities, or emotional challenges that impact their academic success. Unlike traditional tutoring, which focuses on content mastery, therapeutic tutoring integrates emotional, behavioral, and cognitive strategies to enhance learning. We designed this page specifically for teachers who would like to know more about our services, the philosophy underlying them, how we hope to work together, and how you can provide the feedback we rely on to improve.
Key Components of Therapeutic Tutoring
You’ll notice a lot of overlap between what we do and what you do in the classroom in the key pillars of our work:
- Understanding Student Needs
- Therapeutic tutors work closely with parents, counselors, and specialists to understand a student’s learning profile (e.g., ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety).
- We consider emotional and behavioral factors affecting learning, such as frustration tolerance and executive functioning deficits.
- Creating a Supportive Learning Environment
- Therapeutic tutors establish a structured and predictable routine to reduce anxiety.
- They use positive reinforcement to build confidence and motivation.
- They foster a growth mindset by encouraging effort over perfection.
- Individualized Instructional Strategies
- Therapeutic tutors use multisensory teaching techniques (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) to reinforce concepts.
- They break tasks into smaller, manageable steps to prevent overwhelm.
- They incorporate movement and brain breaks to sustain attention.
- Emotional and Behavioral Support
- Therapeutic tutors teach self-regulation strategies like mindfulness, deep breathing, and self-advocacy skills.
- They validate student frustrations and provide coping mechanisms.
- They set achievable goals and celebrate progress, no matter how small.
- Collaboration with Families and Support Teams
- Therapeutic tutors maintain regular communication with parents and school staff to track progress.
- They adjust strategies based on feedback and evolving student needs.
- They encourage family involvement in reinforcing learning strategies at home.
- Measuring Progress and Adjusting Strategies
- Therapeutic tutors use both formal (assessments, quizzes) and informal (observations, student reflections) methods to gauge learning.
- They adapt lessons based on student progress and changing needs.
- They encourage self-monitoring skills, helping students become independent learners.
How Teachers’ Feedback Can Improve Therapeutic Tutoring Services
Teacher feedback is invaluable in refining and enhancing therapeutic tutoring services. Educators interact with students daily and can provide critical insights into their academic, emotional, and behavioral needs. Here’s how teacher feedback can help improve services:
- Identifying Student Needs More Effectively
- Teachers can share observations on how students respond to different instructional strategies.
- Feedback on common learning challenges helps refine intervention techniques.
- Insights into classroom behavior can guide tutors in developing tailored support plans.
- Enhancing Instructional Strategies
- Teachers can suggest modifications to teaching methods based on student engagement and success.
- Feedback on which accommodations work best in the classroom can help tutors align strategies for consistency.
- Observations on student progress in class help adjust tutoring approaches to reinforce learning.
- Strengthening Collaboration Between Tutors and Educators
- Regular communication ensures tutoring aligns with classroom objectives.
- Teachers’ feedback can help tutors address gaps in curriculum understanding.
- Joint problem-solving allows for the development of more effective interventions.
- Improving Social-Emotional Support
- Teachers can provide insights into students’ emotional regulation and social skills.
- Feedback on classroom behaviors helps tutors incorporate social-emotional learning strategies.
- Understanding student stressors can help tutors create a more supportive learning environment.
- Measuring Program Effectiveness
- Teacher observations on student progress validate the impact of tutoring.
- Feedback on student confidence, participation, and independence highlights growth areas.
- Suggestions for additional support services can help expand and improve offerings.
- Adapting Services to Better Fit School Needs
- Teachers can provide input on scheduling, communication, and integration with school resources.
- Feedback on logistical challenges can help streamline tutoring implementation.
- Understanding teacher needs allows for professional development opportunities to support therapeutic tutoring in classrooms.
Actively incorporating teacher feedback is absolutely vital to help us become more effective, personalized, and aligned with student and school needs.
Thank you for your dedication to your students and for partnering with us in this important work. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any additional thoughts or suggestions. We look forward to continuing our collaboration to support student success! The following are two case examples of how we might collaborate:
Collaborative Support for Liam – A Student with ADHD and Anxiety
Liam, a 10-year-old fifth-grader, was diagnosed with ADHD (inattentive type) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). He struggled with staying focused in class, completing assignments, and managing anxiety during tests and group activities. His teacher, Ms. Reynolds, noticed that he often seemed overwhelmed and would sometimes shut down when given multi-step tasks.
Liam’s parents hired Mr. Jordan, a therapeutic tutor, to provide structured ADHD tutoring, including academic support and emotional coaching. To ensure consistency across settings, Mr. Jordan worked closely with Ms. Reynolds, collaborating on strategies to help Liam succeed both at home and in school.
Challenges
- Difficulty with attention and task completion: Easily distracted and struggled to stay engaged in lessons.
- Overwhelm from multi-step tasks: Became anxious and avoided starting work.
- Test anxiety: Would freeze or rush through tests, leading to poor performance.
- Low self-confidence: Felt he wasn’t as capable as his classmates.
Collaborative Approach
- Coordinating Classroom and Tutoring Strategies
- Mr. Jordan and Ms. Reynolds met biweekly to discuss Liam’s progress and adjust strategies.
- They developed a consistent structure between tutoring sessions and classroom routines, using the same techniques for breaking down assignments.
- Ms. Reynolds provided advance notice of upcoming tests and projects, so Mr. Jordan could help Liam prepare in a structured, low-stress way.
- Executive Function and Focus Strategies
- In the classroom, Ms. Reynolds:
- Allowed Liam to sit near the front with minimal distractions.
- Provided visual schedules and checklists to help him stay on task.
- Used cueing strategies (e.g., a discreet tap on his desk) to refocus him without embarrassment.
- In tutoring sessions, Mr. Jordan:
- Used the Pomodoro Technique (short study intervals with breaks) to improve focus.
- Taught Liam how to use a planner with color-coded tasks to break work into manageable steps.
- Practiced self-monitoring techniques, helping Liam recognize when he was getting off track.
- Managing Anxiety and Emotional Regulation
- Pre-test calming routines: Both Mr. Jordan and Ms. Reynolds encouraged Liam to use deep breathing exercises and positive affirmations before assessments.
- Flexible response options: Liam was given extra time and the ability to take tests in a quiet space when needed.
- Reframing mistakes: They both emphasized a growth mindset, encouraging Liam to see challenges as learning opportunities instead of failures.
- Encouraging Self-Advocacy and Confidence
- Mr. Jordan role-played conversations where Liam practiced asking for help in class.
- Ms. Reynolds reinforced this by praising Liam when he raised his hand or used classroom accommodations.
- Together, they helped Liam set small, achievable goals (e.g., completing one assignment without teacher prompts) to build confidence.
Collaborative Outcomes
- Liam became more engaged in class and started completing assignments with more independence.
- His test anxiety decreased, and he learned to pace himself instead of rushing.
- He began advocating for himself, asking for breaks or clarification when needed.
- With consistent support, he felt more capable and started seeing himself as a successful learner.
Conclusion
By working closely together, Ms. Reynolds (teacher) and Mr. Jordan (therapeutic tutor) provided a structured, supportive, and emotionally safe learning environment. This collaboration helped Liam develop the skills and confidence to manage his ADHD and anxiety, leading to academic and personal growth.
Collaborative Support for Sophia – A Gifted Student with Dyslexia and Low Self-Esteem
Sophia, a 13-year-old middle school student, was diagnosed with dyslexia in third grade. Despite being highly intelligent and excelling in verbal discussions, she struggled with reading fluency, spelling, and written expression. Over time, these difficulties led to low self-esteem, and she began to see herself as “not as smart” as her peers.
By seventh grade, she had developed avoidance behaviors, such as refusing to read aloud in class and procrastinating on writing assignments. Her teacher, Ms. Garcia, noticed that Sophia’s frustration often led to tears or giving up on tasks altogether.
To provide targeted support, Sophia’s parents hired Ms. Bennett, a therapeutic tutor, who worked closely with Ms. Garcia to implement academic interventions and confidence-building strategies.
Challenges
- Reading difficulties: Struggled with decoding words, leading to slow reading speed and avoidance.
- Writing anxiety: Avoided written assignments due to spelling struggles and difficulty organizing thoughts.
- Low self-esteem: Believed she wasn’t “good enough” and compared herself negatively to peers.
- Perfectionism: Would rather not try than risk making mistakes.
Collaborative Approach
- Teacher-Tutor Coordination for Academic Support
- Ms. Garcia (teacher) and Ms. Bennett (tutor) met monthly to align strategies.
- They developed consistent accommodations between the classroom and tutoring sessions:
- Use of audiobooks and text-to-speech software to support reading comprehension.
- Allowing oral responses for some assignments to bypass writing struggles.
- Using speech-to-text tools to help Sophia express ideas without spelling concerns.
- Previewing class materials: Ms. Bennett introduced new vocabulary and reading passages before Sophia encountered them in class, boosting her confidence.
- Strength-Based Learning to Build Confidence
- Highlighting strengths: Ms. Garcia encouraged Sophia’s strong verbal reasoning skills by incorporating verbal presentations and discussions into assignments.
- Project-based learning: Instead of traditional essays, Sophia was given opportunities to create visual presentations, videos, or oral reports.
- Success journal: Ms. Bennett had Sophia write down one academic success per day to shift focus from struggles to achievements.
- Emotional Resilience and Growth Mindset
- Reframing mistakes: Ms. Bennett taught Sophia to see errors as part of learning rather than failures.
- Positive self-talk: Both Ms. Garcia and Ms. Bennett used affirmations like, “You’re not bad at reading; your brain just learns differently.”
- Flexible assessment options: Ms. Garcia provided untimed writing assignments and alternative testing formats, reducing pressure.
- Encouraging Self-Advocacy
- Ms. Bennett role-played conversations where Sophia practiced asking for help when needed.
- Ms. Garcia reinforced this in class by acknowledging Sophia’s questions and efforts rather than just correct answers.
Collaborative Outcomes
- Sophia became more engaged in class, raising her hand and participating in discussions.
- She completed more writing assignments with the help of assistive technology.
- Her reading fluency improved, and she stopped avoiding books.
- She stopped labeling herself as “dumb” and instead started recognizing her strengths.
- With consistent support from both her teacher and tutor, Sophia gained confidence and academic resilience.
Conclusion
Through a collaborative approach between Ms. Garcia (teacher) and Ms. Bennett (therapeutic tutor), Sophia received academic accommodations, emotional support, and self-advocacy skills. By leveraging her strengths and providing structured interventions, she transformed from a discouraged student into a confident learner who embraced her unique abilities.
Final Thoughts
Therapeutic tutoring is a powerful tool for supporting students who struggle with traditional educational approaches. Combining academic instruction with emotional and behavioral support can help students overcome challenges and develop lifelong learning skills. Teachers are important in helping design, implement, and refine our strategies.
