About Us
We are highly experienced, certified speech-language pathologists who specialize in
evaluating and treating a wide range of speech-language and cognitive issues for
young children, school age children, adolescents and adults. We focus on helping
individuals learn the skills to enjoy reading, writing and verbal communication through
highly individualized programs that are based on the most current research. To
maximize effectiveness and independent carryover of learned skills, we use therapy
approaches that develop an individual’s “meta-skills” and “executive function skills”.
Metalinguistic and metacognitive skills refer to an individual’s ability to think about
his or her own language and thinking skills. Executive function skills is a term used
to describe difficulties associated with goal setting, carrying out organized steps and
modifying a plan to complete a task successfully. These skills are important for
learning from past experiences and applying the knowledge in new experiences.
Attention, memory, impulse control, organization, planning, and hierarchical thinking
problems often described by parents and teachers are the executive function
difficulties that can interfere with an individual’s ability to benefit from some traditional
speech-language therapy approaches. Young children rely on these skills to follow a
sequence of instructions for daily tasks, while older children need these skills to
“break a task down” into a sequence of steps and organize a time line as the
demands for independent learning increase. However, one therapy plan cannot
effectively help all children so the evaluation process is important.
We are highly experienced, certified speech-language pathologists who specialize in
evaluating and treating a wide range of speech-language and cognitive issues for
young children, school age children, adolescents and adults. We focus on helping
individuals learn the skills to enjoy reading, writing and verbal communication through
highly individualized programs that are based on the most current research. To
maximize effectiveness and independent carryover of learned skills, we use therapy
approaches that develop an individual’s “meta-skills” and “executive function skills”.
Metalinguistic and metacognitive skills refer to an individual’s ability to think about
his or her own language and thinking skills. Executive function skills is a term used
to describe difficulties associated with goal setting, carrying out organized steps and
modifying a plan to complete a task successfully. These skills are important for
learning from past experiences and applying the knowledge in new experiences.
Attention, memory, impulse control, organization, planning, and hierarchical thinking
problems often described by parents and teachers are the executive function
difficulties that can interfere with an individual’s ability to benefit from some traditional
speech-language therapy approaches. Young children rely on these skills to follow a
sequence of instructions for daily tasks, while older children need these skills to
“break a task down” into a sequence of steps and organize a time line as the
demands for independent learning increase. However, one therapy plan cannot
effectively help all children so the evaluation process is important.
 | Evaluations |
- It is our mission to know each individual’s specific language strengths and challenges in order to provide the most effective,
appropriate plans for therapy and/or academic accommodations that will maximize communicative functioning.
Comprehensive evaluations are conducted to establish baselines that may include a combination of any of the following
methods: standardized and non-standardized testing, parent, teacher and child interviews, clinic and classroom
observations, and academic work analysis. To see if you or your child is appropriate for an evaluation, please contact us.
| Clinical Therapy Services |
- Therapy services are offered within individual sessions, family sessions or small groups depending on the needs of the
individual. The frequency and duration of services will depend on the levels of functioning and individual needs that are
identified during the evaluation. Our speech-language pathologists often collaborate and work in conjunction with school
based therapists, teachers and educational specialists in order to maximize carryover across educational settings. Ongoing
diagnostic therapy sessions are conducted regularly to monitor progress. We offer expert remedial services with a vast
number of professional resources available in order to address the following skills:
- Auditory Processing and Listening Comprehension
- Students learn attention and processing strategies, such as Think Ahead. Students learn visualization and
organizational strategies important in processing verbal information for new learning.
- Vocabulary, Word Retrieval and Verbal Organization Skills
- Students learn semantic and organizational strategies that maximize verbal learning and retrieval.
- Language Syntax, or Grammar, Skills
- Project Read
- Problem Solving and Executive Function Therapy
- The speech-language pathologists are helpful for teaching the language and cognitive tools for developing the “inner
speech” that students rely on when attending to a problem, analyzing a cause, understanding consequences,
generating and carrying out a solution, and evaluating outcomes.
- Study and Academic Learning Skills
- Students learn specific homework, note taking, test taking, project management skills, as well as organization of
time, space and materials. The executive function and self-evaluation processes are integrated into all aspects of
study skill training.
- Communication
- Students learn how to use language in various communication contexts, also referred to as pragmatics. Verbal and
nonverbal skills important for effective communication are taught within a range of scripts, which are then generalized
to maximize a student’s flexibility to apply and create scripts for novel situations.
- Math Skills
- Cloud 9 Program
- Literacy Program
- Aims to improve phonological and orthographic skills critical for word recognition, fluent reading and spelling at
grade level. Programs such as Wilson Reading Program, Orton Gillingham, Lindamood LiPS, and Project Read are
some of the therapy programs that are used in the center.
- Writing and Executive Function Program
- Augmentative Communication
| Education and Trainings |
- We provide lectures, in-services and workshops for teachers and parents on a wide range of topics. Specific expertise is
available through lectures on ways to identify and manage organization and executive function difficulties your child may be
experiencing in class and at home. The purpose is to enhance understanding as well as assimilate strategies easily into
home and class routines. Please contact us if you are interested in more information or would like to schedule a lecture.
| Corporate Consulting on Communication |
- Corporate seminars and workshops are helpful for improving communication and organizational skills within professional
contexts.
| Legal Expert Services |
- Advocacy and speech-language expertise is available to support your child’s recommended therapy and educational plan at
team meetings, mediations and court hearings.
| Diagnoses |
- Expertise in evaluating and/or treating language and underlying cognitive skills related to the following diagnoses:
- Asperger’s Syndrome
- Attention Deficit Disorder (with and without Hyperactivity)
- Auditory Processing Disorders
- Autism
- Dyslexia
- Dyscalculia
- Executive Dysfunction
- Expressive Language Delays/Disorders
- Language Learning Disability
- Nonverbal Learning Disability
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Organization Deficits
- Self-Regulation Deficits
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Working Memory Deficits
| Referrals |
- Individuals are commonly referred by neurologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, teachers and parents who
have concerns about any symptoms that may be related to the diagnoses described above, which may be
negatively impacting a student’s academic and communicative functioning.
Copyright © 2007-2010 The Center for Executive
Function Skill Development. All rights reserved.
Function Skill Development. All rights reserved.
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| The Center for Executive Function Skill Development 160 Lincoln Road, Suite 206 PO Box 224 Lincoln, MA 01773 Phone: 781-453-0841 Fax: 866-773-7517 info@executivefunctiontherapy.com |
