Cognition • Perception • Emotion • Academics

Welcome to Anchor & Wings

Educational Therapy Changes Lives!

Welcome to Anchor & Wings Educational Therapy. Many students with learning difficulties become adverse to putting effort into learning. This is not due to a bad attitude or laziness. This is because prior effort has been unsuccessful. Students now see learning in a negative light. For the most part students with learning difficulties work harder than their peers but receive less positive feedback and more negative feedback for that work. Student’s with learning difficulties are as intelligent as their peers. This disparity causes problems with negative self-image. Negativity leads to the use of strategies that do not enhance learning. Some might be finishing quickly, or asking for the answers, some might include an avoidance behavior.

Educational Therapy targets the student’s learning difficulty through observation, informal and formal testing. The therapist designs an intervention plan based on activities that target an individual’s weaknesses. We then teach the student how to strengthen their brain, just like a Coach teaches the student how to strengthen their body.

The difference between Tutoring and Educational Therapy is similar to the difference between a Sports Coach and a Fitness Trainer. The tutor teaches individual academic subjects, while the Educational Therapist addresses the building blocks of learning. The building blocks form a pyramid with 3 levels. The base level is Foundational. It includes environment, self-regulation, behavior, emotions, and resilience. The second level is Processing. This includes Phonological letters and sounds, Orthographic reading and spelling. Memory which includes long-term, short-term and working memory. Fine motor skills which addresses writing legibly. Efficiency and Automaticity which affects the student’s ability to complete tasks. The top level is Conceptual. This includes Verbal skills and precise language. Non-verbal skills include creating mental pictures. Executive Functions include planning, organization, strategies and metacognition or thinking about how you are thinking.

For children with learning disabilities learning is hard work. Our goal is to encourage each student, develop a positive mindset, and make learning sweet to the soul. We desire to instill in them curiosity and the love of learning. Each person everywhere is different. Our heart is to nurture self-acceptance. We offer the anchor of hope for a better future and the wings of eagles to soar into that bright future.