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OTs Find Niche in Schools
Occupational therapy is available in a variety of settings, but OT is especially important in the educational setting.
While it is clear that occupational therapists are a vital part of life for many different professions, they are an especially critical part of the educational system. Occupational therapy is vital for the success of those students who have other obstacles with the potential to limit their success in school. Occupational therapists help to ensure that all students are equipped with the right tools for their educational success in grades K-12.
What Do Occupational Therapists
in Schools Do?
Occupational therapists work with instructors
to build lesson plans that cater to students
with particular disabilities who might be
barred from learning in the same way as
other students. They assist them in building
learning and social skills.
There are numerous facets to a successful
education for a child that include more than
reading, writing and math. Recess, sports
and other extracurricular activities are all
equally as important to the full school day
experience. Certain students may have just
as much difficulty in these areas as they do
with the academic portion of their education.
In this sense, occupational therapists provide
a broad scope of support for the students
and teachers who they work with, working
to overcome barriers to a full and engaging
academic experience for their students.
The demand for occupational therapists in
education is on the rise. School districts
across the United States are adding occupational
therapists to their educational teams.
Access to occupational therapy in schools is
required by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) that was introduced in
1974 and reauthorized in 2004.
Who Determines if Occupational
Therapy is the Right Option?
It is up to the instructors and school administrators
to decide whether or not a student
would benefit from occupational therapy.
Not every student with a disability requires
the help of a therapist to ensure a successful
and enriching educational experience.
Students who benefit from these services are usually those who would find it difficult or impossible to acquire the necessary skills to succeed.
Is Occupational Therapy Only
Available to Disabled Students?
Disabled students, such as those with
autism, are not the only ones who can
benefit from occupational therapy.
Students may have problems that disrupt
their educational experience. Injuries,
particularly to those involving the
dominant hand, can create problems
for otherwise healthy students. Handwriting
is one example of a skill that an
occupational therapist may address
because it is critical to student success.
Is One-on-One Therapy the
Only Option?
Personal therapy is not the only option for
students who are having difficulties that
would normally call for occupational
therapy. Occupational therapy can also
take place in small groups, or occupational
therapists may work in the interests of a
child in a less direct manner. Teachers
and occupational therapists often work
together to come up with a curriculum or
activities that best suit the needs of the
student having trouble. In such instances,
a student may benefit from the knowledge
of an occupational therapist even though
they do not work with them directly.
School based occupational therapy is
most successful when the student and
therapist are not the only ones involved.
The teacher and the parents should also
take an interest in the student’s progress
and be actively involved in his or her
therapy. With these combined efforts,
school-based occupational therapy can
vastly benefit any child in need.
