School Readiness

Children succeed in school settings when they are exposed to and aware of what is to come. At Mobile Therapy Centers (MTC), the clients that enter our buildings gain awareness of a school setting by their surroundings. Mobile Therapy Centers preschool-like settings provide a natural environment mimicking a real school day. 

School Readiness

Children learn to understand sequencing of instructions and routine. They begin to get exposed to the basic levels of school readiness. Examples include hanging up their backpack in a cubby, changing their shoes, gathering their essential items for their day, and following a schedule. The coat room, circle time room, classroom, lunchroom, gym, therapeutic 1:1 space for Speech and Occupational Therapy, and other play-based spaces are tailored to help children learn and adapt to their needs. ABA, Occupational, and Speech Therapy management have collaborated on skills to incorporate in each room to help each child succeed. 

Language and communication skills are foundational learning outcomes that each child at MTC acquires. A Speech-Language Pathologist focuses on fun and engaging ways to build language skills through songs, puzzles, play schemes, vehicles, peer interaction, and much more. 

Prep readiness for school goes way past basic academic skills, it also includes physical skills, self-care, joint attention, emotional regulation, social skills, and executive functioning. 

Physical skills are taught throughout the day when teaching a child to be independent in their clean up, participating in a game within the gym, or completion of a monthly craft.

Self-care is encouraged when the child washes their hands before and after lunch. 

Joint attention is tested when a child needs to return from a break time choice to a structured activity with a therapist, whether that be tossing a ball back and forth or communicating back and forth with a communication partner. 

Emotional regulation is taught with self-coping skills as well as expression and identification of emotions. 

Social skills are rallied when your child’s group goes for a walk outside, a group game is played together in the classroom, or when greeting therapist/peers upon transitions. 

Executive functioning is a higher-level reasoning and thinking skill which educates clients with problem solving, understanding of causes, and predicting what could happen. 

Visual schedules with manipulative icons help transition clients from space to space also working on executive functioning and sequencing their day.  

MTC encourages children to be exposed to everything listed above to help with the overall awareness and learning of foundational skills for school readiness, as well as increase their quality of life in a variety of settings.

Mobile Therapy Centers is a Multidisciplinary Clinic and services include ABA Therapy for Autism, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, Feeding Therapy, Counseling, and our newest services Reiki and Craniosacral Therapy.

Call 800-977-9072 to speak with a therapist, email asktheteam@mtcus.com or visit www.mtcus.com for more info.

SCHEDULE SERVICES AT MOBILE THERAPY CENTERS OF AMERICA

If you have any questions regarding our services, please call us at 800-977-9072 to schedule a FREE consultation/screening

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Elaina Pagliarulo AACOTA/L, AAT Handler

Elaina is a part of our MTC Occupational Therapy Department and received an education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, McHenry County College, and Husson University. She has a strong passion for working with both animals and children. Elaina has always wanted to incorporate both of these passions into her career and is incredibly excited to bring Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) to Mobile Therapy Centers!

MTC's Therapy Dog: Rocky

Rocky is an Australian Mountain Doodle who loves to learn, play, and meet new people. Rocky joined our MTC team when he was just 8 weeks old and has been training to support the clients of MTC from day one. His kind and loving nature makes him the perfect match for Animal-Assisted Therapy, and Rocky can not wait to meet all his new friends through the MTC AAT program!