What is Conductive Education?

Conductive Education was developed in Hungary in 1945 by Dr. Andras Peto and has since spread to other areas of Europe, Hong Kong, Australia and, most recently, North America. There are currently about 70 centers in North America, the only other presence in Michigan being Aquinas College in Grand Rapids.

The goal of a Conductive Education program is to enable a motor-disabled person to function independently, not only physically, but also academically and socially as well. Development is encouraged so that the children master their environment rather than environments be adapted to cater to their needs. This approach is carried out by specialists, called conductors, a profession created by Dr. Peto. Conductors are trained in a four-year program to provide all activities that foster rehabilitation. The main feature that differentiates conductive education from traditional therapies is that one to two conductors provide several types of integrated activities, such as education, gross and small motor development, and speech therapy, simultaneously. The Conductors are trained in education, anatomy, gross and fine motor development and psychology which enables them to provide a more comprehensive therapeutic program. Conductive Education is carried out in a group setting, in which the children are additionally motivated by each other’s progress.

To date, the program has produced wonderful and encouraging results. The parents are strongly committed to the success of this program for their children; as to the future, they can only hope that other children challenged by Cerebral Palsy and other motor disorders will benefit from their efforts.