Category Archives: Inside Therapro

Stay connected with everything happening at Therapro—from product launches and company news to conference highlights, community involvement, and special events we attend or host.

Executive Function Strategies for Students: Seminar Recap

Events & Conferences,

Sarah Ward, MS, CCC-SLP presented the final Saturday Seminar of 2014 on Fostering Executive Function Skills. Sarah is the Co-Director of Cognitive Connections in Concord, MA. She is an expert in the assessment and rehab of traumatic brain injury, particularly in the treatment of executive functioning.

Sarah is a charismatic national and international speaker. A throng of 125 therapists, educators, parents, and paraprofessionals squeezed into the Therapro showroom to hear Sarah share her expertise in developing practical strategies for addressing executive function skills in school-age children and teens. The strategies she shared were readily applicable to anyone in the school and home setting.

Sarah provided many examples of situations where executive function skills are needed in order for a student to execute a plan that results in a successful outcome. Since children have an unrealistic view of time, they need non-verbal working memory, using self-directed talk to execute a task. She illustrated this by presenting various scenarios where a student is asked to perform a task like cleaning his room, getting ready for school or soccer practice, etc. In order to complete the task, he needs a sequential plan. For a student with poor executive functioning, he may have difficulty with making a “mental dress rehearsal” of what he needs to do to in order to accomplish the task, and may get side tracked easily. Sarah recommended a good place to start is for us as the “executive coach” to use a visual word (“see, imagine, visualize, etc.”) and direct the student to put on his “future glasses” to increase awareness. Sarah explained the Get Ready, Do, DONE Model for getting a task completed.

The goal of intervention with a student who has poor executive function skills is to help him become more independent in this area of functioning. Sarah suggested that using therapeutic intervention strategies will improve the following: situational awareness and forethought; task planning, initiation, and transition between tasks; and finally, active self-management of the factors related to time passing. The objective is to help the student learn to manage the organization and time demands of school assignments, home and after-school tasks successfully.

Take a look at a few of the glowing testimonials from attendees about this seminar:

“This was the best, most practical seminar on executive function skills I could have imagined. I came away with lots of strategies that I feel ready to implement at home.” – John G.

“Wow, wow, wow! I loved it! I want to share this info with everyone.” – Jessica E.

“So incredibly practical and helpful – so many amazing tools.” Michele M.

“Sarah provides strategies/practices that can be implemented immediately, across all settings for all ages…and they make sense!” – Kate V.

Thank you, Sarah!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L

18th Annual Great Beginnings Conference -Recap

Events & Conferences

Therapro proudly participated as an exhibitor at the 18th Annual Great Beginnings Conference, hosted by Criterion Child Enrichment on October 24, 2015, in Worcester, MA. This highly regarded event attracted professionals from early intervention, early childhood education, pediatric healthcare, and family support services. The conference theme—“Culture: Yours, Mine, and Ours”—highlighted the importance of understanding and integrating cultural perspectives into care for children and families.

At the Great Beginnings Conference, workshops featured expert presentations from professionals across disciplines, including a physician, speech-language pathologist, attorneys, and an educator. Topics ranged from the role of personal belief systems in clinical and educational settings, to best practices for using interpreters and cultural mediators, immigration-related challenges, and the impact of culture on early language development and second language acquisition. These sessions reinforced the need for culturally responsive practices in early childhood settings.

Lollacup a featured product at the Great Beginnings Conference

As part of the event, Therapro showcased a wide variety of therapy tools and educational products that support children’s development. Attendees had the opportunity to explore popular favorites such as the Push Pull Puzzle, Talk It Rock It CDs, and the Baby Buzz’r, along with new and innovative products like the Lollacup, Fills and Spills Fishbowl, and the Chewy Skool Kid Stretchy Pendant. Visitors appreciated the opportunity to test out materials that could immediately benefit their clients, students, or children.

The Great Beginnings Conference serves as a powerful reminder that culture plays a crucial role in how services are delivered and received. Criterion Child Enrichment is to be commended for fostering a professional learning environment that encourages dialogue, reflection, and growth.

Therapro remains committed to supporting professionals who help families thrive through culturally informed, evidence-based practice.

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L

Product Reviews- Handwriting lined paper designed for fine motor development by Therapro

Product Reviews

Company News & Announcements,

We’re thrilled to share recent Therapro product reviews that highlight how our tools are making a difference in classrooms, therapy sessions, and homes. From educators to occupational therapists, customers consistently report how Therapro products support individuals with a variety of learning and developmental needs.

Product Review- Therapro Stage Rite Raised-Line Paper

If you’re looking for a handwriting tool that offers both tactile and visual support, Therapro’s Stage Write Raised-Line Paper delivers. Designed to promote proper letter placement and spacing, this paper features raised lines that provide physical guidance for young writers or individuals with fine motor or visual challenges. Check out this review to see how this effective tool helps students build foundational handwriting skills with greater confidence and control.

“I have (very) low vision and bought this paper to help me take notes when I go to a meeting or such and need to record details. The wide raised dark lines help me write more legibly so that when I get my notes home I have a better chance of being able to decipher what I wrote when put under my CCTV. I am going to try the next smaller stage next time I order as I think I am getting better at writing this way! I am so pleased with my progress. I thought without the money to buy a tablet and with a crummy memory, I was stuck, but I am pleased to have struck upon my creative solution to my problem! I cannot wait to report back at the next meeting at the Support Group I attend for those of us who are adjusting to our new lives.” – Anne M
Raised line paper

More Product Reviews- Wide-Lined Raised Paper

If you’re seeking a handwriting tool that offers both tactile and visual support, Therapro’s Wide-Lined Raised-Line Paper delivers. Designed to promote proper letter placement and spacing, this paper features raised lines that provide physical guidance for young writers or individuals with fine motor or visual challenges. Check out this product review to see how this effective tool helps students build foundational handwriting skills with greater confidence and control.

“Great tool for students who need to feel the lines to stay in them. I am a teacher and use this paper for my special needs students in my classroom. I would definitely recommend it.” – Litter of Pups

Wide Lined paper

Looking for more handwriting solutions? Explore Therapro’s full collection of adapted writing paper designed to support writers of all ages and abilities: Writing and Math Paper. Whether you need raised lines, visual cues, or specialty formats, you’ll find the right tools to meet your students’ needs.