What is an academic therapist? Academic therapists (sometimes called educational therapists or academic language therapists) are specialists specifically trained to work with students with dyslexia and related reading difficulty.   They have completed extensive accredited training in multisensory structured language teaching.   They are trained in the structure of the English language and how to teach that structure in a multisensory manner.  They are trained to remediate problems in reading, spelling, and written language.  Not all students need academic therapy; some just need tutoring for help with a particular subject. What is the difference between tutoring and academic therapy? Tutoring is a support service that assists the student in specific areas with which he or she may be having difficulty as far as a subject or curriculum is concerned.  Tutoring supports the student in meeting the grade level in any necessary subject including basic study skills.  It involves instruction in subject content and/or in the total curriculum by a private instructor who works with the individual student or in a small group.  The focus generally is directed toward completing a curriculum or a specific area of work. Academic therapy is an intensive remedial approach that starts the student with dyslexia with the basics and rebuilds the learning continuum step-by-step.  Academic therapy starts from ground zero so that no gaps are left in the student’s grasp of and facility with processing information in reading, writing, spelling, and/or math.  It includes an adaptation of the content, curriculum, and materials based on the student’s skills and specific needs.  It is individualized, structured instruction which is written and planned for a particular student and is delivered by a thoroughly trained individual.
			The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Fact Sheet #78 – 07/01
				A.C.T.S. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES                        EDUCATIONAL THERAPY
	MULTISENSORY TEACHING                  OUR WORK                THERAPY PROGRAMS        LANGUAGE SKILLS METHODS THAT WORK                WHAT DOESN'T WORK        DYSLEXIA AND RELATED DISORDERS