What School Teams Need to Know Executive function shows up everywhere in school conversations. It’s in evaluations.It’s discussed in IEP meetings.It’s written into present levels and identified needs. More and more parents are requesting direct services to “work on executive function,” especially for students with ADHD. “Can the school provide direct services to work on…
Are We Limiting Our Own Scope? “How often have you heard a teacher say, ‘The student is struggling with their OT skills’?” Too often. Many school-based occupational therapists continue to be viewed (and sometimes function) within a scope shaped by outdated perceptions. We’re still frequently seen as the fine motor or sensory specialists, rather than as…
Clarifying the Role of Occupational Therapy In a recent article published in the Journal of School Psychology, Dr. G.A. Fabiano and colleagues presented a thorough critique of the current systems in place to support students with ADHD in schools. These respected researchers identified several systemic issues, including under-preparation of general education teachers, inconsistent implementation of…
It’s Integrated, Not Separate Many school based occupational therapy practitioners (OTP) struggle with their role in supporting executive functions in the classroom. Are executive functioning skills within our scope? How can we possibly add another area to support our already overburdened caseloads? Executive functions, fall squarely within our scope of practice. In fact, according to…