Meet The Villagers Who Help Your Player Level Up: Understanding Related Services

Amanda Evans
May 2
6 min read

Part of the “Understanding the IEP” Series

A Minecraft‑style illustration shows six villagers standing together in a bright village square. Each villager represents a different IEP‑related service: the Toolsmith (Occupational Therapist) stands beside sensory and fine‑motor tools; the Fletcher (Physical Therapist) holds a bow near a target and ladder; the Librarian (Speech‑Language Pathologist) reads from an open book; the Cleric (Behavior Analyst) points to a token board and visual schedule; the Shepherd (Counselor/SEL) holds a staff and journal beside a sheep and “Take a Break” sign; and the Cartographer (Special Education Teacher) studies a map surrounded by adaptive learning tools. The scene glows with warm light, symbolizing teamwork, accessibility, and support. — Each villager represents a related service that helps students move, communicate, regulate, and learn — the Toolsmith (OT), Fletcher (PT), Librarian (Speech), Cleric (Behavior), Shepherd (Counseling/SEL), and Cartographer (Special Education). Together, they form the IEP Village — a team that builds skills, not barriers.

If accommodations are the tools…

and modifications are the mission size…

and SDI is the guide who teaches the craft…

Then Related Services are the villagers — the specialists with unique professions who help your player access what they need to move, communicate, regulate, and participate in the world.

They don’t change the mission.

They don’t change the tools.

They don’t change the teaching.

They provide the specialized support that makes all of that possible.

And yet, this part of the IEP often gets explained like two villagers conversing in 'hrmm's', 'huh huh's,' and 'hmmmm' without first providing an option for subtitles.

So let’s translate it into something that actually makes sense.

🎮 What Are Related Services?

Related Services are specialized supports that help a student access learning by strengthening the skills that sit underneath academics.

They’re not “extras.”

They’re not “bonus features.”

They’re not “only if there’s time.”

They’re the villagers — the OT, PT, Speech, and Counseling professionals who each have a unique “profession” and offer specialized help your player can’t get from general teaching alone.

Just like:

the Toolsmith helps you craft and use tools effectively
the Fletcher helps you move safely and navigate terrain
the Librarian helps you communicate and learn new words
the Cleric helps you regulate and restore balance
the Cartographer helps you plan and adapt your learning path

Related Services help your child build the foundational abilities that make learning possible.

They don’t replace teaching.

They support the player so teaching can work.

🧱 The Big Villagers

Here’s what each “profession” actually does — in parent language, not edu‑jargon.

A Minecraft‑style Occupational Therapist villager stands in a cozy village square at sunset, surrounded by colorful craft and sensory items. The villager wears a brown apron and holds a tray of bright blocks. Around them are baskets of yarn, scissors, puzzles, a bead maze, and a small chalkboard with a simple maze drawing. The scene glows with warm light, symbolizing creativity, fine‑motor skill building, and calm support. — The OT Villager: Crafting calm and coordination, one block at a time

🧤 Occupational Therapy (OT): The Fine‑Motor & Sensory Villager

OT is the villager who helps your player use their hands, tools, and materials effectively so they can actually participate in the world.

In Minecraft terms, OT is the Crafting/Toolsmith villager —

the one who supports all the hands‑on parts of gameplay:

organizing inventory
manipulating small items
crafting with precision
managing sensory input
staying regulated enough to keep playing
participating in routines and tasks

OT isn’t about “fixing handwriting.”

It’s about helping your player build the motor, sensory, and functional skills that make learning possible — the same way a Toolsmith helps you get the right tools and use them well.

This villager supports the player’s ability to do things: hold, cut, build, craft, organize, focus, and participate.

A Minecraft‑style Physical Therapy villager stands confidently in a village square at sunset, wearing a green tunic and headband and holding a wooden walking stick. Around them are movement and balance items: a wooden balance beam, stepping stones, a ladder, a small hurdle, colorful stepping pads, a kettlebell, and a target block. The warm lighting and obstacle‑course setup symbolize strength, coordination, and safe movement support. — The PT Villager: Building balance, strength, and confidence — one block, one step, one climb at a time.

🦵 Physical Therapy (PT): The Movement & Mobility Villager

PT is the villager who helps your player move their body safely, efficiently, and confidently through the world.

In Minecraft terms, PT is the Fletcher villager — the one who supports all the movement‑based parts of gameplay:

balancing on uneven terrain
climbing ladders and stairs
navigating long distances
building strength and endurance
coordinating big body movements
accessing playgrounds, hallways, and school routines

PT isn’t about “making kids athletic.”

It’s about helping your player build the gross‑motor and postural skills that make participation possible — the same way a Fletcher helps you aim, move, and navigate the landscape.

This villager supports the player’s ability to move through their world with stability, safety, and confidence.

A Minecraft‑style villager dressed in a red‑and‑white robe and glasses stands in a cozy classroom. He holds an open book at a wooden desk surrounded by communication tools — an hourglass, chalkboard with “Aa Bb,” shelves of books, and a bulletin board showing icons for speaking, listening, emotions, and connection. A lantern glows warmly beside him. Text at the bottom reads “Speech Language Pathologist (SLP).” The scene symbolizes how speech specialists help players find words, build communication, and connect with others. — This villager helps your player *find their voice* — building language, communication, and confidence one word at a time. Because every player deserves the tools to speak, connect, and be understood.

🗣️ Speech‑Language Therapy (SLP): The Communication Villager

Speech is the villager who helps your player understand, use, and navigate language so they can connect with others and access learning.

In Minecraft terms, Speech is the Librarian villager — the one who supports all the communication‑based parts of gameplay:

finding the right words
understanding directions
expressing needs and ideas
building social communication
strengthening articulation
learning new vocabulary and concepts

Speech isn’t about “fixing talking.”

It’s about helping your player build the language, communication, and social‑connection skills that make learning possible — the same way a Librarian helps you access the right words, books, and knowledge.

This villager supports the player’s ability to communicate clearly, confidently, and meaningfully.

A Minecraft‑style cleric villager in purple and white robes stands at a wooden desk inside a cozy classroom. He holds an open book and a pointer, surrounded by behavior‑support tools: a token board with green stars and a “Reward!” section, an hourglass, colorful blocks, jars of potions, a “Choice Board,” and a visual schedule showing “First,” “Work,” “Snack,” and “Play.” Behind him, an emotion chart displays faces labeled Happy, Calm, Frustrated, and Angry. The scene represents a Behavior Analyst (BCBA) helping players understand routines, build skills, and regulate behavior. — This villager helps your player understand expectations, build new skills, and stay regulated through structure, routines, and reinforcement. Not about “fixing behavior” — about giving players the support they need to participate, learn, and thrive

🔮 Behavior Analyst (BCBA): The Regulation and Skill Building Villager

Behavior is the villager who helps your player understand expectations, build new skills, and regulate their behavior through structure and support.

In Minecraft terms, Behavior is the Cleric villager — the one who supports all the regulation‑based parts of gameplay:

understanding routines
accessing reinforcement
learning replacement behaviors
navigating transitions
building independence
staying regulated enough to participate

Behavior isn’t about “fixing behavior.”

It’s about helping your player build the predictability, routines, and skill sets that make participation possible — the same way a Cleric uses potions and structure to restore balance and support growth.

This villager supports the player’s ability to self‑regulate, adapt, and engage.

A Minecraft‑style shepherd villager in a brown hooded robe stands at an outdoor wooden table, holding a staff in one hand and writing in a small book with the other. Around him are emotional‑regulation tools: an “Emotion Cards” board showing Happy, Sad, Worried, and Angry faces; a “Calm Down” checklist reading Breathe, Count to 10, Talk About It; colorful potion bottles; a candle; a journal; a heart plush; and small sensory items. Two sheep stand nearby, and a wooden sign behind him reads “Take a Break.” The scene represents a Psychologist / Social Worker supporting emotional skills, coping, and connection in a calm, nature‑based setting. — This villager helps your player understand feelings, practice coping skills, and find calm when the world gets overwhelming. Because emotional safety isn’t extra — it’s essential for learning, connection, and growth.

❤️ School Counseling / Social‑Emotional Learning (SEL): The Emotional-Skills Villager

Counseling is the villager who helps your player understand their feelings, cope with challenges, and build healthy relationships.

In Minecraft terms, Counseling is the Shepherd villager — the one who supports all the emotional‑well‑being parts of gameplay:

naming emotions
practicing coping strategies
navigating conflict
building self‑awareness
strengthening self‑advocacy
developing resilience

Counseling isn’t about “fixing emotions.”

It’s about helping your player build the emotional and social skills that make learning possible — the same way a Shepherd weaves patterns, creates calm, and nurtures the flock.

This villager supports the player’s ability to feel, cope, connect, and thrive.

A Minecraft‑style cartographer villager stands in a warm, wood‑paneled classroom holding an open book. Behind him, a “Learning Goals” board lists Read, Write, and Try My Best. A large “Learning Path” map shows a route from Checkpoint to Goal. To the right, an “Adaptive Tools” board displays Visual Aids, Audiobooks, Speech Device, and Fidgets. The desk in front of him is filled with teaching tools: books, a globe, a timer, colorful blocks, YES/NO dice, flasks, and a tablet labeled Word Bank. The scene represents a Special Education Teacher guiding individualized learning paths with adaptive supports and accessible materials. — This villager maps out learning paths, adapts materials, and builds the supports your player needs to access the curriculum. Not watering down the mission — making sure every player has a way to reach it.

📜 Special Education Teacher: The Learning Path Villager

Special Education is the villager who helps your player navigate the curriculum through individualized paths, supports, and strategies.

In Minecraft terms, Special Education is the Cartographer villager — the one who supports all the planning‑and‑mapping parts of gameplay:

breaking down complex tasks
adapting materials
providing accommodations
teaching strategies explicitly
monitoring progress
guiding individualized learning routes

Special Education isn’t about “watering down work.”

It’s about helping your player build the accessible learning pathways that make education possible — the same way a Cartographer maps routes, marks obstacles, and charts the safest path forward.

This villager supports the player’s ability to learn, navigate, and succeed on their own map.

🧭 How Related Services Fit Into the IEP

Related Services are added when a student needs specialized support to access learning — not because a diagnosis says so, not because it’s “nice to have,” and not because someone “thinks it might help.”

They’re included when:

a foundational skill affects learning or participation
the student needs direct support from a specialist
the service connects directly to IEP goals
the support helps the student access the curriculum

They’re not random add‑ons.

They’re targeted, purposeful, and tied to the student’s needs.

🧠 Related Services vs. SDI vs. Accommodations (Quick Parent Guide)

Accommodations = tools
Modifications = mission size
SDI = the guide who teaches the craft
Related Services = the villagers who provide specialized support

Each part of the IEP has a clear role — and villagers finally give Related Services a metaphor that fits.

❤️ Parents, Here’s the Heart of It

Related Services aren’t about “fixing” your child.

They’re about supporting the skills that make learning possible.

They say:

“Your child deserves access.”
“Your child deserves support.”
“Your child deserves specialists who understand their needs.”
“Your child deserves a team that builds skills, not barriers.”

And just like in Minecraft, when players get the right villagers in their world, they:

explore more
try new things
take on bigger missions
communicate more clearly
move more confidently
regulate more effectively

Not because they were “fixed,”

but because someone provided the specialized support they needed to grow.

🧱 The Big Takeaway

Related Services are the villagers of the IEP — the specialists with unique professions who help students build the foundational abilities needed to learn, communicate, move, and participate.