Learning Support Specialist

Learning Support is an area distinct from other educational or instructional fields. A Learning Support Specialist is experienced and trained to focus on the process of learning and how to facilitate learning  by addressing different processing areas (visual processing, memory, auditory processing, etc.) utilizing multisensory methods and programs. Often, this work is focused on reading or math, but it can also effectively address comprehension, language processing and writing skills. The goal of working with a Learning Support Specialist is to improve foundational academic skills to the point where a student is meeting his/her academic potential and able to work more independently. The Learning Support Specialists always begins at the student’s current level of function and moves forward to help facilitate learning and further skill development. Developing confidence with new skills and abilities is an important part of Learning Support. Often, the methods utilized by a Learning Support Specialist can help when other methods seem ineffective. Learning support specialists are flexible enough to deal with anything, creative enough to address every student’s needs, and have the ability to make even hard work enjoyable. The relationship between Learning Support and other therapies is ideal in a multidisciplinary therapeutic environment because collaboration and knowledge of other professional disciplines is integral to success.

In general, learning support specialists work with students of all ages to improve their reading, math, writing, comprehension and language processing skills through the use of multi-sensory processing methods. The focus of treatment is on the development of confidence, necessary to identify and use the child’s strengths, even when facing challenging work.