If every child learned in the same way, life might be easier for therapeutic preschool teachers, but it would also be much more boring. Since children all learn and process information differently, a low student-to-teacher ratio ensures that children receive more personalized instruction to fit their unique needs.
In a therapeutic preschool program, teachers provide additional support for pivotal developmental skills, such as speech and language, behavior, communication, feeding, and more. Children who are enrolled in a therapeutic preschool program may be as young as two years old, which is a pivotal time to develop behaviors.
If a child is struggling with a particular developmental skill, such as expressive language, their therapeutic preschool instructor may spend additional time with the child during class. In a therapeutic preschool setting with a low student-to-teacher ratio, it is possible for the teacher to really focus on building expressive language with the student one-on-one.
While some skills, such as communication or play skills, can be effectively taught in a group setting, other key developmental skills are best taught in a one-on-one setting. For example, if a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is enrolled in a therapeutic preschool program, they may have specific behaviors that require one-on-one attention from an instructor.
In a therapeutic preschool program, an ideal student-to-teacher ratio is 3:1, in order to provide the children with the support required for important developmental skills. With a low ratio, children are able to make greater gains in their therapeutic preschool program.
If a therapeutic preschool instructor is able to spend more one-on-one time with the kiddos in their class, they are able to spend more time with the children to understand the function of their behaviors. This is particularly important for children who are on the autism spectrum or experience developmental delays. Many therapeutic preschool programs incorporate applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy) into their classes, and understanding the function of behaviors is a critical first step in ABA. The low ratio allows teachers in a therapeutic preschool setting to more easily implement strategies from personalized treatment plans into the classes.
A low student-to-teacher ratio also allows students to be very active participants in the classroom. In a larger class, it might be easy for children who are shy to “hide” in larger group activities, but this is not the case in a small classroom, especially a therapeutic program that provides great support for kiddos.
Do you think your child could benefit from a therapeutic preschool program with a low student-to-teacher ratio? Contact CST Academy to learn more about the many services we offer for children in Chicago, including ABA therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and feeding therapy. Click the purple button below or call 773-620-7800.
