Podcasts about speech pathology

If you're an SLP who's wondering how you can effectively address complex skills relating to both language and executive functioning in the school systems… The primary challenge is that BOTH language and executive functioning are incredibly complicated. Even just focusing on one or the other can be overwhelming. Layer on the challenges with the way related service providers are expected to provide interventions in the schools, and it seems impossible. Unfortunately, that challenge has resulted in debates on whether executive functioning is more important than language and vice versa, which isn't useful. You don't have to decide which is more important. They both are. We need to find a way to address them both. I help clinicians do that with a concept I call “cycling”. What I do is teach clinicians a set of core treatment techniques that fit within a set of foundational areas that support language and executive functioning.That's why in this episode, I share how to target both language and executive functioning in direct intervention with enough depth that you get results. In this episode, I reveal:✅ When it's appropriate to think of language intervention in terms of working up a hierarchy of skills, and when it doesn't.✅ Why using treatment cycles is more effective than trying to pin down a “scope and sequence” for language and cognitive intervention.✅ How to use intervention cycles to build a language therapy system, and eventually move on to layering in more robust executive functioning support. ✅ Why layering other service delivery models outside of direct intervention is essential for generalization, and how to make sure support is happening outside your sessions. Additional resources mentioned in this episode:Free Training: Three Shifts to Turning Your Clinical Expertise Into a Scalable Language Therapy System Link here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languageWhy language therapy works better in cycles than in a linear sequence Link here: https://drkarenspeech.com/why-language-therapy-works-better-in-cycles-than-in-a-linear-sequence/You think you need a language therapy hierarchy. That's why your system never feels stable. Link here: https://drkarenspeech.com/you-think-you-need-a-language-therapy-hierarchy-thats-why-your-system-never-feels-stable/How to target both language and executive functioning in therapy with enough depth to get resultsLink here: https://drkarenspeech.com/how-to-target-both-language-and-executive-functioning-in-therapy-with-enough-depth-to-get-results/In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a scalable framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapyI also mentioned School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers design scalable executive functioning interventions to ensure students get the scaffolding they need across the school day. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:Learn more about Renaissance:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We're proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you're a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We're also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

In this conversation, I sat down with Kim Jenkins from Empowering Speech Services (https://www.empoweringspeechservices.com/meet-kim)  to talk about how she's used the frameworks from Language Therapy Advance Foundations (https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/)  along with the gestalt language processing stages, for reluctant readers, and AAC users. We also talk about how important it is for clinicians to think flexibly with how they apply frameworks in therapy so they can pull from multiple sources to come up with their own personal protocols that work for their caseload. We also chat about other topics such as what “alter ego” we want to emulate when we're going through a challenge, social media strategies and mindset, our dogs, and how to draw parallels between language therapy, clinical practice, fitness, tips for learning how to do pull-ups, and other areas of life. Kim Jenkins is a neurodiversity-affirming speech therapist who is passionate about helping neurodivergent children and their families flourish.  Empowering Speech Services was built on the idea that authentic and meaningful communication can be achieved by focusing on a child's strengths, meeting their sensory needs, following their lead, and empowering family members in the process. Serving the Milton and Alpharetta areas of Georgia, she takes the time to truly get to know her clients, their joys, interests, unique strengths, and individual challenges. In this conversation, we discuss:✅ How Kim uses semantic features and syntactic study with AAC users✅ Using the “Essential 5” framework from Language Therapy Advance Foundations with students who use a lot of scripting and gestalts✅ Engaging a reluctant reader literacy and vocabulary work✅ Parallels between life, language therapy, fitness, and social media marketingLearn more about Kim's private practice on her website here: https://www.empoweringspeechservices.com/Visit her on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@empoweringspeechservices@UCSeGnUyaf6NBHJFBuoUFUTA Visit her on Instagram @empoweringspeechservicesConnect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-jenkins-a0288796/Check out her TeachersPayTeachers store here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/empowering-speech-servicesI mentioned the following previous De Facto Leaders Podcast interviews:EP 205: Using the Essential 5 to Build Vocabulary and Syntax in Secondary School (with Amy Baugh) here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-205-using-the-essential-5-to-build-vocabulary-and-syntax-in-secondary-school-with-amy-baugh/EP 140: Creating an Intentional Career and Life with Alter Egos (with Meg Niman) here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-140-creating-an-intentional-career-and-life-with-alter-egos-with-meg-niman/EP 154: Therapy Session Structure, Narrative Language, and Commentary on Gestalt Language Processing here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-154-therapy-session-structure-narrative-language-and-commentary-on-gestalt-language-processing/Also mentioned in this episode:”Stories that Stick” by Kindra Hall here: https://www.storiesthatstick.com/Sarah Brashears from Social Mogules: @socialmogulsIn this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a scalable framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:Learn more about Renaissance:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We're proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you're a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We're also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Send Dr. Li a text here. Please leave your email address if you would like a reply, thanks.In this episode, Dr. Christine Li welcomes Christine Sofiane, a licensed speech pathologist, vocal health and performance coach, and trained opera singer. Discover practical tools, science-based strategies, and mindset shifts to overcome vocal fatigue, boost your speaking confidence, and harness the true power of your voice in any professional or personal setting.Timestamps00:02:12 Dr. Christine Li welcomes Christine Sofiane00:04:09 Combining singing, teaching, and voice science00:05:02 Career timeline00:05:38 Challenges of operatic singing00:07:06 Common voice issues in non-singers00:08:47 Confidence and voice connection00:09:59 Science vs. psychology of voice use00:11:03 Addressing psychological barriers00:12:13 How voice science changed Christine Sofiane's singing00:13:33 Common vocal pitfalls00:15:10 Causes and solutions for vocal fatigue00:16:24 Benefits of vocal coaching and not delaying00:17:50 Women's voice expectations00:19:04 What an effortless voice feels like00:20:35 Why voice is often overlooked00:22:26 Episode closingTo get the free download that accompanies this episode, go to: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/vocalhealthTo sign up for the Waitlist for the Simply Productive Program, go to https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/SPFor more information on the Make Time for Success podcast, visit: https://www.maketimeforsuccesspodcast.comGain Access to Dr. Christine Li's Free Resource Library -- 12 downloadable tools and templates to help you bypass the impulse to procrastinate: https://procrastinationcoach.mykajabi.com/freelibraryTo work with Dr. Li on a weekly basis in her coaching and accountability program, register for The Success Lab here: https://www.procrastinationcoach.com/lab Connect with Us!Dr. Christine LiWebsite: https://www.procrastinationcoach.comFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/procrastinationcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/procrastinationcoach/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@procrastinationcoachThe Success Lab: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/lab                       Simply Productive: https://maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com/SPChristine Sofiane KatzenmaierWebsite: https://www.speechandvoiceworks.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speechandvoiceworksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweredvoicecoach/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmpoweredVoiceCoachLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-sofiane-katzenmaier-ms-ccc-slp-940ba911a/

Clinicians who are confidently delivering language and literacy interventions haven't found the perfect "therapy curriculum". They've learned how to build their own using three practices.In this episode, I share what those practices are, plus additional information on a free training I released that explains these concepts further. I cover:✅ The concept of "clinical containers", and how you can use them to design your language therapy system, informed by my doctoral research and experience working in the schools for 10+ years.✅ How to fill those linguistic containers over time using "asset stacking", so you're strategically adding layers of complexity one at a time.✅ How to structure your planning so it fits into a realistic schedule, so each block of "plan" time you get moves you towards building your complete language therapy system. In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a scalable framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapyI also mentioned my free training called “Three Practices to Turn Your Clinical Expertise Into a Scalable Language Therapy System”. You can register for the training here: https://drkarenspeech.com/language Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:Learn more about Renaissance:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We're proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you're a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We're also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

What is cultural distress? It is a negative response rooted in a cultural conflict where the patient lacks control over their situation. It results in more physiologic effects on the body resulting in allostatic overload. To prevent this, healthcare practitioners must use strategies such as cultural humility to help patients navigate healthcare. Come find the best ways to deliver culturally sensitive care in any setting.

Recess is often thought of as an “extra” activity in the school day. Sometimes it's even taken away from students as a punishment. But some schools think about recess as an integral part of the school day, where students get the opportunity to connect, practice important social and problem-solving skills they'll need for life.Others are taking it a step further and using it as a tool to help students feel more connected to their school experience, and to decrease chronic absenteeism and establish a school culture where kids feel like they belong at school. That's why I was so excited to connect with Elizabeth Cushing from Playworks.Elizabeth Cushing is CEO of Playworks, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of play to bring out the best in every child. Elizabeth joined Playworks in 2004 and was named President and COO in 2011 and CEO in 2020. She leads Playworks' Executive Team and is responsible for the organization's strategy, operations and fiscal health. During her tenure Elizabeth has played a lead role in designing Playworks' national scaling strategy including engaging national investors. Alongside founder, Jill Vialet, Elizabeth led the organization through a sustained period of growth from a San Francisco Bay Area-focus to a national organization with 14 teams across the country. As a result of strategic expansion, Playworks shares its unique brand of play and physical activity with 1,000 elementary schools reaching more than 1M children annually. For more than 30 years Elizabeth has served in leadership roles in nonprofit organizations focused on youth development, children's advocacy and women's issues. Elizabeth is a product of Oregon public schools, Stanford University and the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs.In this conversation, we discuss:✅ Simple ways educators can set expectations and rules to create structure and a sense of safety around recess✅ How to use play as a reset and a preventative measure, instead of something that's taken away from kids as a punishment✅ How training kids as peer coaches can help decrease disruptive behaviors and help kids discover their own leadership potentialYou can learn more about Playworks on their website at: https://www.playworks.org/Resources mentioned in this interview include:Comprehensive Game Guide that Outlines Games Across Grade Levels: https://www.playworks.org/indiana/game-guide/The sister website for Playworks with tools for assessing the health of your school's recess: https://www.recesslab.org/In this conversation, I mentioned School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers design scalable executive functioning interventions to ensure students get the scaffolding they need across the school day. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:Learn more about Renaissance:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We're proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you're a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We're also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Most schools say they “collaborate.” They hold team meetings. They talk about students. They review data.But without clear infrastructure, those meetings become updates instead of decision-making engines, and multi-tiered systems of support become an extra burden for educators. In this episode, I interview Kurtis Hewson from Jigsaw Learning to break down their Collaborative Response Team meeting format and explain why effective collaboration requires structure and not just good intentions. From who is in the room to how documents are used before, during, and after the meeting, they share the operational backbone that makes collaboration actually move student outcomes.Kurtis Hewson is an award-winning former administrator and teacher, as well as post-secondary teaching faculty. He is the co-founder of Jigsaw Learning and co-author of Collaborative Response: Three Foundational Components That Transform How We Respond to the Needs of Learners (Corwin, 2022). Kurtis works with districts and schools nationally and internationally to establish Collaborative Response frameworks and interacts with thousands of educators each year.If you care about MTSS, intervention systems, or building-level leadership, this episode will shift how you think about team meetings and collaboration. In this interview, we discuss: ✅ Why the Collaborative Team Meeting framework helps educators move from between “talking about students” to making strategic, forward progress that changes school-wide practice✅ How structured documents before, during, and after meetings create clarity and accountability and psychological safety✅ How to capture action items in real time and encourage innovative thinking✅ Why the Collaborative Team Meeting requires specific roles, and how these roles  determine whether a meeting moves forward or feels like busyworkIf you're leading multi-tiered supports in K–12 education or trying to strengthen how your teams collaborate, this episode offers practical insight into building the infrastructure that makes collaboration sustainable, focused, and impactful.You can learn more about the Collaborative Response Framework free resources here: https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/freeRead about the Overview of Collaborative Response here: https://bit.ly/CR-overview Read the Introductory Chapter of the text Collaborative Response – https://bit.ly/CR-introGet the Collaborative Team Meeting Starter Kit here: https://www.jigsawlearningonline.com/ctm-starter-kit-podcastLearn about the Layers of Collaborative Teams Here: https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/publications/blog-posts/scaffolding-our-collaborative-response-purposeful-layering-tLearn the Five Considerations to Transform Your Team Meetings here:  https://www.jigsawlearningonline.com/five-planning-considerations-to-transform-your-team-meetingsIn this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a scalable framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapyI also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers design an executive functioning implementation plan for their school teams. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:Learn more about Renaissance:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We're proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you're a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We're also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

When schools talk about improving engagement, student wellness, or school climate, it often turns into assemblies, themed weeks, or standalone initiatives. When schools talk about community engagement, student wellness, or school climate, they often turn into assemblies, themed weeks, or standalone initiatives. In this episode, I invited Lauren Porosoff from The Teacher Nerd to unpack why a focus on engagement and wellness must be woven into the daily fabric of the school experience to have lasting impact.Lauren is an educational consultant who helps schools design learning environments where community values like equity, empathy, and creativity emerge from the instruction itself. She was a teacher for 18 years, most recently at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York. She's taught the 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th grades, mostly in English and history, and has also served as a diversity coordinator, a grade dean, and a leader of curricular initiatives. Lauren develops tools and protocols that transform the psychological experience of school for teachers and students. She's developed applications in instructional design, social-emotional learning, professional development, and anti-bias action.In this conversation, we discuss:✅ What “compensatory programs” mean in the context of wellness, belonging, and community engagement.✅ Why one-off events and initiatives aren't sufficient for supporting student mental health and well-being. ✅ How to embed protective factors like connection into instruction and routines.✅ The impact of technology on engagement and agency (plus a writing example)If you're a school leader, instructional coach, or support professional who wants to strengthen student engagement and well-being in a sustainable way, this episode will help you shift from programming for students to designing systems with them across the entire day.You can learn more about Lauren's products and services on her website at: https://www.theteachernerd.com/You can read her article on the trouble with compensatory programming here: https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-trouble-with-compensatory-programsGet her book, Teaching for Authentic Engagement here: https://www.ascd.org/books/teach-for-authentic-engagementConnect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-porosoff-2b728b75/In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a scalable framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapyI also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers design an executive functioning implementation plan for their school teams. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:Learn more about Renaissance:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We're proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you're a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We're also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Ever feel intimidated by AAC or unsure how AI fits into your clinical work?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Nerissa Hall and Dr. Michelle Boisvert to talk about two topics that can feel overwhelming but are full of possibility. We explore how AAC is not about waiting for prerequisites, but about giving individuals access to meaningful, independent communication. I share my own experience of feeling intimidated at first, and we break down simple, practical ways to get started that actually feel doable and even fun.We also dive into AI in speech pathology, and this conversation gave me so much clarity. We talk about how AI can help us “offload” tasks like creating materials, while still keeping our clinical judgment front and center. We discuss where AI fits, where it doesn't, and how to use it ethically and thoughtfully in your everyday work. If you've been curious but hesitant, this episode will help you take that first step with confidence.#autism #speechtherapyWhat's Inside:AAC misconceptions and mindset shifts that support autonomyEasy, practical ways to begin AAC implementationHow AI can support clinicians without replacing expertiseEthical considerations and simple ways to start using AIMentioned In This Episode:Easy Report ProTate BehavioralAAC CommunicareEarn CEUs with a community of peers. Join the ABA Speech ConnectionABA Speech: Home

In episode 255 of De Facto Leaders, I elaborate on the concept of using vocabulary as a large “container”, so you can design sessions efficiently without sacrificing quality.I talk about why more experienced clinicians often struggle to make their interventions scalable, and why this gets in the way of carryover.I also share the five “containers” I use in my Language Therapy Advance Foundations program that can support skills like reading, writing, spelling, and language processing in ways that can be reinforced outside sessions. If you have a ton of knowledge relating to language and executive functioning, but don't know how to organize it into a cohesive system…If you're getting results in sessions, but it takes a ton of effort on your part and consumes all your capacity…If you're able to scaffold and model “on-the-fly”, but struggle to explain your techniques to others so they can replicate them…Then you'll find this concept of “containers” really useful.In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapyYou can view this episode on the blog to see the screenshare here: https://drkarenspeech.com/five-clinical-containers-to-design-your-language-therapy-system/The handout referenced in this episode is the session handout for my “Three Shifts to Creating a Scalable Language Therapy System” session. You can sign up for this free online session here: https://drkarenspeech.com/language Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:Learn more about Renaissance:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We're proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you're a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We're also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Providing primary health care in a war zone presents some extraordinary challenges. This presentation delves into the complex world of healthcare delivery amid conflict and chaos.

Many experienced SLPs think they just need to plan better.Tweak the activity. Adjust the visuals.Try a new printable or protocol.But what if none of that is the real problem?What if your sessions are already so skillful that no one else can reinforce what you're doing?

“Education isn't a business” is a thing people say when they're upset about how the school systems are being run.But education actually IS a business. Saying otherwise isn't going to change reality.If you're frustrated about how the school systems work, you can continue to wish this wasn't the case…Or you can accept how things actually are and learn what to do about it. In this podcast episode, I share how that looks for school clinicians supporting language and cognition. In the episode, I share:Why people who have no classroom experience get hired into educational leadership positions.Why good teachers or clinicians struggle when they get into school leadership, even if they were amazing at working with students. The “business” skill you can learn that will boost generalization beyond your language therapy sessionsIf you're getting good results with students inside sessions but seeing little carryover, being good at “business” and leadership isn't a “nice to have”. It's a must have. ~Dr. KarenIn this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

While virtual learning has become more prevalent since 2020, the founders of Banyan Global Learning have been offering digital learning experiences for over 20 years.Some people are excited about the possibilities technology offers. Others are backpedaling or worrying that tech does more harm than good. Like most things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The outcomes depend on how experiences (both virtual and in-person) are designed and how learners are asked to engage. Passive consumption rarely leads to meaningful learning, but well-structured virtual experiences can support problem solving, perspective-taking, and authentic connection across contexts. Not as a replacement to in-person experiences, but as an additional option to provide opportunities that wouldn't otherwise be possible. That's why I invited Seth Fleischauer to De Facto Leaders to talk about how to use virtual field trips to connect with peers and learn about cultures and experiences worldwide.Seth Fleischauer is the President of Banyan Global Learning, which he founded in 2008 after teaching elementary school with NYC Teaching Fellows. Banyan pioneered daily international EFL distance learning and has since expanded to train teachers and educate K-12 students across three continents. His programs focus on teaching digital and cultural competencies through a global lens and have delivered over 40,000 live teaching sessions. Seth has also hosted over 100 podcast episodes, including Make It Mindful and Why Distance Learning?In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapyYou can learn more about Seth's company, Banyan Global Learning at: https://banyangloballearning.com/Listen to my previous interview with Seth on De Facto Leaders here: Ep 193: Using Distance Learning to Increase Access and Opportunity (with Seth Fleischauer) here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-193-using-distance-learning-to-increase-access-and-opportunity-with-seth-fleischauer/Banyan Global Learning's Global Learning Live kicks off in spring 2026.  Global Learning Live is led by Banyan teachers and blends live virtual field trips, collaboration, and reflection into an experiential journey for global competence. Students connect with real people and explore real places while building confidence through authentic global connection. Learn more about the Global Learning Live Spring ‘26 Pilot here: https://banyangloballearning.com/global-learning-live/Learn more about Banyan Global's live virtual field trips here: https://banyangloballearning.com/live-virtual-field-trips-2/Listen to the Make it Mindful Podcast at: https://feeds.transistor.fm/make-it-mindful-an-education-podcastListen to Make it Mindful Podcast Interview about Executive Functioning here: https://makeitmindful.transistor.fm/episodes/rewind-50-executive-functioning-with-dr-karen-dudek-brannanListen to the Why Distance Learning Podcast at: https://whydistancelearning.transistor.fm/Learn more about the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration here: https://www.cilc.org/ We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Have you longed to integrate your Christian faith into your patient care—on the mission field abroad, in your work in the US, and during your training? Are you not sure how to do this in a caring, ethical, sensitive, and relevant manner? This “working” session will explore the ethical basis for spiritual care and provide you with professional, timely, and proven practical methods to care for the whole person in the clinical setting. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qpah9kh1lttg6cm1jjop9/Bob-Mason-Ethics-of-Spiritual-Care-revised.pptx?rlkey=0emve2ja8282nv8xc4uinq1hg&st=9033htwx&dl=0

Those who hope to honor God and advance Jesus' Kingdom face powerful opposition from spiritual, physical, and psychological enemies. Successful launching and long term fruitfulness depends on recognizing and, in dependence on the Holy Spirit, waging war against those enemies.

Have you met “Jessica” the virtual speech helper? I certainly remember hearing about it the first time.This concept raised a lot of questions in the clinical community. Are we trying to replace clinicians, and was that the intention behind this application?If you've had these questions too, you won't want to miss this conversation. This episode is the second half of my interview with Maura Connor from BetterSpeech, the company that created an AI “virtual speech helper” to enhance and extend work being done in therapy sessions. In this conversation we talk about:✅ How the “speech helper” was intended (and NOT intended) to be used✅ Discussion on why technology initiatives fail in schools✅ How can technology decrease work for educators (instead of adding more)?Maura Connor is an accomplished executive leader with deep expertise at the intersection of education and healthcare technology. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of Better Speech, where she is leading the launch of Streamline, an AI-powered special education management platform that helps districts reduce administrative complexity for providers and teachers, ensure compliance visibility, and strengthen support for students and families. With a career spanning executive roles in ed tech, health tech, and clinical operations, Maura has built a reputation for scaling organizations, driving innovation, and leading high-performing teams through periods of transformation. Her work focuses on uniting vision, strategy, and execution to deliver measurable outcomes for schools, clinicians, and the communities they serve. Maura is passionate about advancing solutions that enable educators and clinicians to spend more time on direct impact—helping children grow, thrive, and reach their potential—while ensuring that systems of care are more efficient, compliant, and sustainable.You can connect with Maura on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maura-connor-2508929/Learn more about BetterSpeech's telehealth platform and services here: https://www.betterspeech.com/Learn more about Streamline by BetterSpeech here: https://www.streamline-sped.com/why-streamline Streamline is an AI solution that automates evaluation, service tracking, and compliance workflows, freeing up time for clinical judgement and engagement. In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Medical missionaries often feel powerful emotional burden from moral injury, and it is a leading cause of departure from the mission field. But we have learned proven methods of preventing and dealing with moral injury. Use God’s powerful methods to protect yourself and your team, and to grow in wisdom and spirit!

When I first started working in the schools in the early 2000s, there was a push for integrating technology into classrooms and therapy sessionsIt was even a box that got checked on my employee evaluation.Now there's a defined space referred to as “EdTech”. It took me a while to realize that this was a thing, and I didn't even realize I was a part of it until someone referred to me as the “EdTech person” during a job interview (they were “FinTech” people, short for “Financial Technology”).In the work I do now creating a caseload management system, I often think about how important it is to define who the intended user of technology is. In product development, we refer to this as the “end user”.Sometimes the end user is an administrator pulling analytics or managing the budget. Sometimes it's a teacher or clinician collecting data, managing a schedule, tracking referrals, or trying to reduce the administrative burden of their jobs so they can focus on human connection instead of paperwork.Sometimes it's a professional providing virtual therapy to students to increase access to services. And sometimes, the end user is the student.  When we think about how technology is helping or hurting education, we have to look at each of these verticals separately. A common answer I get when I talked to district leaders about technology is this:“We know technology has caused problems and is often poorly utilized. But what we were doing before wasn't working either.” We had service deserts where therapy wasn't accessible. There were clinicians spending hours on paperwork or data collection. We had administrators without the data they needed to evaluate what's working or manage fiscal resources.That's why I wanted to have a conversation about how technology is being used, and what is and isn't working. I invited Maura Connor from BetterSpeech on to this episode to start the conversation. This episode is the first half of our interview. Maura Connor is an accomplished executive leader with deep expertise at the intersection of education and healthcare technology. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of Better Speech, where she is leading the launch of Streamline, an AI-powered special education management platform that helps districts reduce administrative complexity for providers and teachers, ensure compliance visibility, and strengthen support for students and families. With a career spanning executive roles in ed tech, health tech, and clinical operations, Maura has built a reputation for scaling organizations, driving innovation, and leading high-performing teams through periods of transformation. Her work focuses on uniting vision, strategy, and execution to deliver measurable outcomes for schools, clinicians, and the communities they serve. Maura is passionate about advancing solutions that enable educators and clinicians to spend more time on direct impact—helping children grow, thrive, and reach their potential—while ensuring that systems of care are more efficient, compliant, and sustainable.You can connect with Maura on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maura-connor-2508929/Learn more about BetterSpeech's telehealth platform and services here: https://www.betterspeech.com/Learn more about Streamline by BetterSpeech here: https://www.streamline-sped.com/why-streamlineStreamline is an AI solution that automates evaluation, service tracking, and compliance workflows, freeing up time for clinical judgement and engagement. In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy

Thinking of getting the snip? Heidi dives into the world of tongue ties with Lyndal Thomas, Pop Family's Head of Speech Pathology. Together, they explore their personal and professional journey of understanding and treating tongue ties, highlighting the impact on speech, eating, and overall health.  Lyndal shares her own experiences and insights from tongue tie surgery as an adult (aka a lingual frenectomy or tongue-tie release), offering a no-nonsense look at the challenges and triumphs faced by those with orofacial myofunctional disorders. Tune in for an enlightening conversation that blends personal stories with a peek behind the curtain of life as an orofacial myofunctional speech pathologist.   RESOURCES FROM TODAY'S SHOW Meet Lyndal Thomas: https://popfamily.au/team/lyndal-thomas  Download the free snapshot "How Tongue Ties Can Impact Everyday Life"

How this company is solving one of the sector's most persistent challenges: efficiently connecting preschools with high-quality, specialized talent.Paul Buckley is the Founder and Managing Owner of Ratio Staffing, a groundbreaking platform reshaping how preschools connect with substitute teachers, enrichment educators, and speech pathologists. A former preschool teacher with nearly 20 years of hands-on experience, Paul's mission is deeply personal: to help children thrive by supporting the educators who shape their early years.Before founding Ratio Staffing, Paul spent nearly a decade in biotech manufacturing leadership, where he trained global teams, revised over 300 SOPs, and earned a Six Sigma Green Belt. Today, he fuses that systems expertise with his passion for education to create a platform that offers true flexibility, transparency, and community impact.Ratio Staffing removes the predatory norms of traditional staffing agencies, allowing schools to choose their teachers and educators to negotiate fair rates. Paul's vision is simple yet powerful: better classrooms, better care, and a better future—for everyone involved.CONTACT DETAILS:Email: bookings@empathyfirm.com Business: Ratio StaffingWebsite: https://ratiostaffing.com/ Social Media:LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-buckley-ratio Instagram - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-buckley-ratio Remember to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss "Information That You Can Use." Share Just Minding My Business with your family, friends, and colleagues. Engage with us by leaving a review or comment on my Google Business Page. https://g.page/r/CVKSq-IsFaY9EBM/review Your support keeps this podcast going and growing.Visit Just Minding My Business Media™ LLC at https://jmmbmediallc.com/ to learn how we can help you get more visibility on your products and services.

In episode 101 of the Summits Podcast, co-hosts Vince Todd, Jr. and Daniel Abdallah are joined by Kaitlin Pennington and Sarah Blount of Cancer Rehab Group. Tune in as the cancer rehab specialists share their passion for whole-person care for those newly diagnosed with cancer, in active treatment, in remission, or managing long-term effects.

When everything depends on your real-time decisions, you can't replicate the progress, scale the outcomes, or lead others through your process. Even when it's working.In this episode, I share what that looked like in my own career.As a speech-language pathologist in the schools, I had the training and instincts to support students with complex language and learning needs. But when referrals surged and our team looked to me for leadership, I realized I didn't have a framework. My sessions were effective, but my tools weren't replicable. There was no way to take what was working and make it repeatable at the team, building, or district level.What started as a need in my own practice and doctoral work led to a research-informed framework that has now supported thousands of professionals across the country through my Language Therapy Advance Foundations program. Here's what we explore in this episode: • What it really costs to rely on instinct alone • Why generalization stalls without scalable systems in place • How “therapy homework” often lives inside what you're already doing • Why leadership begins long before you speak up in a meeting • How vocabulary can serve as a container for essential, transferable language skillsIf you're doing great work in direct language therapy sessions but struggling with generalization, this episode is for you.If your therapy is working, but hard to explain, scale, or share with your team, Language Therapy Advance Foundations will help you change that. You'll build a 5-component system that strengthens vocabulary, supports critical thinking, and works across goals and grade levels. Start building your framework today: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy

In this episode, I'm sharing my top resources for clinicians to explain why we do what we do in language therapy, and how parents and colleagues can support skills outside of sessions.I share:How to answer the dreaded “Is there an app for that?” question. Why language therapy doesn't come in a standard curriculum (plus resources you can share to explain the essentials behind vocabulary intervention).How parents can reinforce language at home (and when and if tech actually helps)Plus I share an opportunity for therapists who want to learn the “Essential 5” framework and who are also interested in getting referrals for private clients. Resources mentioned in this episode:The Language Therapy Success Path article that shows how to cycle through a set of strategies to hit both higher level language (inferencing, problem-solving) as well as foundational language skills (vocabulary, syntax): https://drkarenspeech.com/the-language-therapy-success-path-for-slps/The Ultimate Guide to Language Therapy article that defines the "Essential 5" components (morphology, phonology, orthography, semantics, syntax) and explains why there isn't a boxed curriculum for language therapy: https://drkarenspeech.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-language-therapy/Semantic Feature Analysis for Adjectives article that shares two videos from Language Therapy Advance Foundations that provide a walkthrough of how to do word study with adjectives in a way that builds deep understanding: https://drkarenspeech.com/semantic-feature-analysis-adjectives/Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure: My free guide that explains the "how" and the "why" behind studying sentence structure in a way that's digestible for parents and professionals without a speech pathology background: https://drkarenspeech.com/sentencestructureIn this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy

When you're teaching storytelling with students, do your lessons feel kind of…random?I used to feel like this a lot when I was a school SLP, so if you've ever had a “throw spaghetti at the wall” therapy session that felt all over the place, I get it.The truth is, repetition and drill is not the enemy. If you ONLY focus on unstructured activities, you're probably seeing students getting overwhelmed, not remembering to apply important language skills (like syntax, vocabulary words, etc). But if you ONLY stick with structured activities, kids never get the chance to apply and practice. That's why leveraging books and story grammar as part of your “therapy toolkit” can be such a powerful tool to bridge this gap…even though many storytelling activities look like simple “cutesy” activities on the surface.(and if you understand the “why” it's much easier to apply for older kids who are kind of over coming to therapy). In this second half of my interview with my colleague Jane Gebers, we talk about how to use tools like dynamic assessment and narrative intervention to make therapy structured, rigorous, and functional. Jane L. Gebers is the author of the popular resource, Books Are for Talking, Too!, first published in 1990, and now in its 4th edition as of March 2023. A practicing speech-language pathologist for over 40 years, she has worked in public school, hospital, private, and clinical settings. She has been an adjunct professor at St. Mary's College of California and other universities where she taught Language Development, Assessment, and Intervention courses to students pursuing special education credentials. She currently holds a private practice in Northern California.You can connect with Jane on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-l-gebers-53856119/Email her at jane@soundingyourbest.comLearn more about her book, Books Are For Talking, Too! here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2SG8J58?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_RR4P3SB19A92WD6FPD3RLearn more about her storytelling resources and speech therapy services on her website here: http://soundingyourbest.com/In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapyI also mentioned the Art and Science of Narrative Language, my program that gives speech pathologists and educational professionals a process for evaluating and supporting narrative language. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/art-science-narratives-blog-297/ We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

What is a call? How does a person know if God is calling them to mission service? Join in a discussion as these and other questions are addressed.

Why are we so obsessed with “storytelling”?In education, we talk about it when we're working on language and reading comprehension. It's also referred to in sales and copy writing as a tool for generating more leads and customers. And of course, people writing books or films think about it all the time. We all know storytelling is an important life skill. But do we remember HOW MUCH it can impact our ability to communicate and function? And do we know how to support students who don't have this skill?I invited my colleague Jane Gebers to the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss this topic. If you're helping students build skills for functional daily tasks, challenging academic work, or in social situations, you won't want to miss this conversation. In this first half of the interview, we talk about the “why” behind teaching narrative discourse, plus specific examples of how we've both used narrative structure to build our own comprehension.Jane L. Gebers is the author of the popular resource, Books Are for Talking, Too!, first published in 1990, and now in its 4th edition as of March 2023. A practicing speech-language pathologist for over 40 years, she has worked in public school, hospital, private, and clinical settings. She has been an adjunct professor at St. Mary's College of California and other universities where she taught Language Development, Assessment, and Intervention courses to students pursuing special education credentials. She currently holds a private practice in Northern California.You can connect with Jane on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-l-gebers-53856119/Email her at jane@soundingyourbest.comLearn more about her book, Books Are For Talking, Too! here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2SG8J58?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_RR4P3SB19A92WD6FPD3RLearn more about her storytelling resources and speech therapy services on her website here: http://soundingyourbest.com/ In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapyI also mentioned the Art and Science of Narrative Language, my program that gives speech pathologists and educational professionals a process for evaluating and supporting narrative language. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/art-science-narratives-blog-297/ We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

If your therapy techniques only work when you're in the room, that's a problem.Many therapists unintentionally “gatekeep” their expertise and miss opportunities to boost carryover.It's the unexpected downside of being really good at direct clinical work. Don't get me wrong. Clinical judgment does matter. And some things can only be addressed by a trained clinician in a therapy room.But when every decision depends on your personal expertise and physical presence, you've made yourself the bottleneck.In this episode, I'll share how to make the shift towards clear, repeatable systems that others can follow. When you make your methods easier to teach, you make your work scalable, easier to delegate, and far more convincing to leadership.I'll tackle common misconceptions like:✅ “I can't delegate; I don't have direct reports.”✅ “I don't have time for consultation.”✅ “We never get enough time to work on skills.”Plus I share the three steps to making intervention “scalable” so your session plans can start doubling as consultation guides and training tools for others.In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapyI also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop scalable executive functioning strategies they can turn into schoolwide initiatives. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Where did arbitrary cut scores for norm-referenced language assessments come from, and why do they feel “safer” than relying on clinical judgement?I discuss this question and more in this third part of a three-part series, bilingual SLPs Destiny Johnson and Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz join me to continue our conversation about advocating for effective language evaluation practices in schools.Across these conversations, we explore:Sensitivity, specificity, reference standards, and diagnostic accuracyHow test development has evolved over time and why this matters Why the same cut-off score shouldn't apply across all testsThe math behind using two norm-referenced tests, and why it may complicate rather than clarify in some casesOther reasons we test beyond diagnosis (treatment planning, severity, monitoring progress)How do we do we to “sell” the concept of dynamic assessment to administratorsCase studies that show the pitfalls of over-reliance on standardized scoresMisconceptions clinicians often hold, and what they should know about assessmentDifferences in state eligibility standards, and what this means for service decisionsThis series is part myth-busting, part practical strategies, and part advocacy playbook—perfect for clinicians who want to move beyond compliance-driven evaluations toward assessments that truly reflect students' needs.Destiny Johnson, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech-language pathologist (English/Spanish) with a deep passion for culturally responsive assessment and treatment practices, as well as advocating for policy change. She has presented on dynamic assessment at the CSHA Convergence 2024, focusing on the importance of dynamic assessment in bilingual children. Destiny has experience working as a school-based SLP, in private practice, and in early intervention. She is also the founder and CEO of Multimodal Communication Speech Clinic P.C.Connect with Destiny on Instagram @destinyjohnsonslp, on her private practice website here, and on LinkedIn here.Listen to Destiny's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: EP 187: Dynamic Assessment: Evaluations are a process, not a test (with Destiny Johnson)Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz is a bilingual high school SLP from Southern California who has primarily worked in the school systems and has experience at both the elementary and secondary level. She's also a member of Language Therapy Advance Foundations, and is involved in state and local advocacy work relating to dynamic assessments and special education eligibility.Connect with Tiffany on Instagram @tiffany.shahoumianListen to Tiffany's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: High school language therapy: Do we still have time to make an impact? (with Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz)In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives SLPs and other service providers a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here.Additional Resources Mentioned in the episode:Daub, O., Cunningham, B. J., Bagatto, M. P., Johnson, A. M., Kwok, E. Y., Smyth, R. E., & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Adopting a conceptual validity framework for testing in speech-language pathology. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 30(4), 1894–1908. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00032Spaulding, T. J., Plante, E., & Farinella, K. A. (2006). Eligibility criteria for language impairment: Is the low end of normal always appropriate? Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 37(1), 61–72. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2006/007)DYMOND Norm-Referenced Dynamic AssessmentBilingual English-Spanish Assessment (BESA) We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

When we choose evaluation tools for language, are we clear on WHY we're assessing? Most people think of diagnosis, but that's not the only reason we assess students. I discuss this question and more in this second part of a three-part series, bilingual SLPs Destiny Johnson and Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz join me to continue our conversation about language evaluation practices in schools.Across these conversations, we explore:Sensitivity, specificity, reference standards, and diagnostic accuracyHow test development has evolved over time and why this matters Why the same cut-off score shouldn't apply across all testsThe math behind using two norm-referenced tests, and why it may complicate rather than clarify in some casesOther reasons we test beyond diagnosis (treatment planning, severity, monitoring progress)How do we do we to “sell” the concept of dynamic assessment to administratorsCase studies that show the pitfalls of over-reliance on standardized scoresMisconceptions clinicians often hold, and what they should know about assessmentDifferences in state eligibility standards, and what this means for service decisionsThis series is part myth-busting, part practical strategies, and part advocacy playbook—perfect for clinicians who want to move beyond compliance-driven evaluations toward assessments that truly reflect students' needs.Destiny Johnson, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech-language pathologist (English/Spanish) with a deep passion for culturally responsive assessment and treatment practices, as well as advocating for policy change. She has presented on dynamic assessment at the CSHA Convergence 2024, focusing on the importance of dynamic assessment in bilingual children. Destiny has experience working as a school-based SLP, in private practice, and in early intervention. She is also the founder and CEO of Multimodal Communication Speech Clinic P.C.Connect with Destiny on Instagram @destinyjohnsonslp, on her private practice website here, and on LinkedIn here.Listen to Destiny's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: EP 187: Dynamic Assessment: Evaluations are a process, not a test (with Destiny Johnson)Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz is a bilingual high school SLP from Southern California who has primarily worked in the school systems and has experience at both the elementary and secondary level. She's also a member of Language Therapy Advance Foundations, and is involved in state and local advocacy work relating to dynamic assessments and special education eligibility.Connect with Tiffany on Instagram @tiffany.shahoumianListen to Tiffany's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: High school language therapy: Do we still have time to make an impact? (with Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz)In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives SLPs and other service providers create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here.Additional Resources Mentioned in the episode:Daub, O., Cunningham, B. J., Bagatto, M. P., Johnson, A. M., Kwok, E. Y., Smyth, R. E., & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Adopting a conceptual validity framework for testing in speech-language pathology. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 30(4), 1894–1908. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00032Spaulding, T. J., Plante, E., & Farinella, K. A. (2006). Eligibility criteria for language impairment: Is the low end of normal always appropriate? Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 37(1), 61–72. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2006/007)DYMOND Norm-Referenced Dynamic AssessmentBilingual English-Spanish Assessment (BESA) We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Language assessments shape who gets services, how goals are written, and how progress is measured, but there are many misconceptions about how to follow best-practices when doing an evaluation. In this three-part series, bilingual SLPs Destiny Johnson and Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz join me to dig into the science, the myths, and the policies that shape evaluation practices in schools.Across these conversations, we explore:Sensitivity, specificity, reference standards, and diagnostic accuracyHow test development has evolved over time and why this matters Why the same cut-off score shouldn't apply across all testsThe math behind using two norm-referenced tests, and why it may complicate rather than clarify in some casesOther reasons we test beyond diagnosis (treatment planning, severity, monitoring progress)How do we do we to “sell” the concept of dynamic assessment to administratorsCase studies that show the pitfalls of over-reliance on standardized scoresMisconceptions clinicians often hold, and what they should know about assessmentDifferences in state eligibility standards, and what this means for service decisionsThis series is part myth-busting, part practical strategies, and part advocacy playbook—perfect for clinicians who want to move beyond compliance-driven evaluations toward assessments that truly reflect students' needs.You can listen to Part 1 of the series here.Destiny Johnson, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech-language pathologist (English/Spanish) with a deep passion for culturally responsive assessment and treatment practices, as well as advocating for policy change. She has presented on dynamic assessment at the CSHA Convergence 2024, focusing on the importance of dynamic assessment in bilingual children. Destiny has experience working as a school-based SLP, in private practice, and in early intervention. She is also the founder and CEO of Multimodal Communication Speech Clinic P.C.Connect with Destiny on Instagram @destinyjohnsonslp, on her private practice website here, and on LinkedIn here.Listen to Destiny's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: EP 187: Dynamic Assessment: Evaluations are a process, not a test (with Destiny Johnson)Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz is a bilingual high school SLP from Southern California who has primarily worked in the school systems and has experience at both the elementary and secondary level. She's also a member of Language Therapy Advance Foundations, and is involved in state and local advocacy work relating to dynamic assessments and special education eligibility.Connect with Tiffany on Instagram @tiffany.shahoumianListen to Tiffany's previous episode on De Facto Leaders here: High school language therapy: Do we still have time to make an impact? (with Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz)In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives SLPs and other service providers create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here.Additional Resources Mentioned in the episode:Daub, O., Cunningham, B. J., Bagatto, M. P., Johnson, A. M., Kwok, E. Y., Smyth, R. E., & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Adopting a conceptual validity framework for testing in speech-language pathology. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 30(4), 1894–1908. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00032Spaulding, T. J., Plante, E., & Farinella, K. A. (2006). Eligibility criteria for language impairment: Is the low end of normal always appropriate? Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 37(1), 61–72. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2006/007)DYMOND Norm-Referenced Dynamic AssessmentBilingual English-Spanish Assessment (BESA) We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Every few years, conversations about education in the U.S. circle back to the same refrain: Why can't we be more like Finland?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Chrishawn Finister from Your Joy Psychological, PLLC to unpack this comparison.We dig into the nuanced relationship between educational eligibility and clinical diagnosis, which often overlap but aren't interchangeable. From there, we widen the lens to explore the broader systems-level challenges that shape how students are identified, supported, and served.Some key themes we discuss:✅ Orthographic density and literacy: Why differences in written language systems matter when comparing reading outcomes across countries.✅ Population homogeneity and “education tracks”: When we look at instructional outcomes data, the students included in the education system and the numbers matter. Are the same individuals “counting” when we compare results across countries? ✅ Teacher pay and professional identity: What Finland's investment in teacher preparation and salary looks like compared to the U.S. (spoiler alert: Dr. Finister and I both think the US should be more like Finland on this one). ✅ Cultural perceptions of medicine vs. education: Why recommendations from evaluations are perceived differently depending on the setting and who is making decisions about services.✅ Housing instability and socioeconomic factors: We're educating students with complex needs in the US who have varying experiences outside of school. With this in mind, has the education system made more progress than what the media is saying? Rather than looking for a one-size-fits-all solution, we highlight why U.S. educators, policymakers, and clinicians need to understand the challenges and opportunities when designing systems of support.If you've ever wondered where the lines between clinical diagnosis and educational eligibility blur, this conversation will give you a grounded perspective.Dr. Chrishawn Finister is an Independent Practicing Licensed Psychological Associate and a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, possessing over a decade of experience in the role of School Psychologist. Recognized as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, she is committed to utilizing diagnostically sound assessments to identify learning barriers and implementing research-based interventions to amend challenging behaviors effectively. Dr. Finister is an advocate of culturally competent practices and is dedicated to training future practitioners in the field. She received her foundational training in psychological pedagogy and assessments at Texas Woman's University, where she completed her Master's degree in 2010. While working in a prominent North Texas public school district, she advanced her education by earning a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2019. Her contributions to the field extend to academia, where she has served as a guest lecturer at the College of Education at Texas Christian University.Places to connect with Dr. Finister:Her private practice, Your Joy Psychological, PLLCWebsite: https://yourjoypsych.com/Business Instagram: @yourjoypsychHer NonProfit, Texas Psychological Hive: https://thetexaspsychhive.org/Non-profit Instagram: @texaxpsychhiveAdditional Resources Mentioned in this episode:Steven Pinker: https://stevenpinker.com/Mark Manson: https://markmanson.net/Dr. Tim Shanahan: https://www.shanahanonliteracy.com/In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives SLPs and other service providers a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/ We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

In this episode of First Bite, host Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, wraps up October's AAC Awareness Month with one of her favorite guests, Stephen Kneece, MS, CCC-SLP! Stephen, founder of Speech and Language Songs on Instagram, is an AAC guru with Forbes AAC, a seasoned school-based SLP, and former Department Chair of Speech-Language Pathology at Columbia College. Did we mention he's also a vocalist and guitarist too?!?Tune in (pun intended) as Stephen guides us through the clinical decision-making process for AAC selection for the little ones on our caseloads, provides easy step-by-step directions for the evaluation-to-funding process, and shares alternative funding options when insurance denies.If you're new to AAC or to Forbes AAC, this episode will be sure to answer questions you didn't even know you had!Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/strategies-for-starting-aacAbout the Guest: Stephen Kneece, MS CCC-SLP, is an experienced Speech-Language Pathologist with a deep-rooted passion for enhancing communication through technology. With a background that began in media arts and music, Stephen's journey led him to discover his true calling in speech-language pathology. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts with a minor in Music from the University of South Carolina and went on to obtain his Master of Arts in Speech Pathology and Audiology from South Carolina State University. Stephen's professional path took shape during his nine years as a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist in South Carolina's public schools. It was here that he discovered his passion for working with Augmentative and Alternative Communication, finding immense fulfillment in helping children with complex communication needs express themselves. This experience sparked his dedication to AAC, laying the foundation for his future endeavors in the field. Before assuming his current role, Stephen served as Chair of the Speech-Language Pathology Program at Columbia College. He also served as a Lecturer and Clinical Supervisor. During his time there, he taught courses such as Phonetics, Language Acquisition & Development, Language Disorders, Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Technology, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication, while also guiding and mentoring students through their clinical practicums. In addition, Stephen spent four years teaching the Augmentative and Alternative Communication course at the University of South Carolina. His dedication to teaching and mentorship has left a lasting impact on the next generation of SLP professionals. In addition to his work in academia, Stephen's innovative approach to therapy includes the creation of Speech and Language Songs, a platform that merges his love for music with speech therapy. His contributions to the field have been recognized both locally and nationally, including receiving the Louis M. DiCarlo Award for Outstanding Clinical Achievement in 2024.Follow First Bite: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36kfA1xbU156vHPilALVoJ?si=0be088bb08894091Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-bite/id1399630680

Most of us know that it's important to work on vocabulary in language and literacy intervention? But how do we know what words to pick? Should we be working on specific words, or should we be focusing on strategies?If we DO work on words, how can we possibly keep up with the pace of the curriculum (and should we even try)?I get these questions ALL the time from SLPs and other professionals supporting language and literacy, which is why this is something I help you navigate in both my Vocabulary Foundation and Language Therapy Advance Foundations program.In episode 240 of De Facto Leaders, I share how I answer these questions about prioritization, vocabulary selection, and word-learning strategies. In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs and other service providers create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can check out the Vocabulary Foundation and other programs in my language therapy suite on my products and services page here: https://drkarenspeech.com/products-and-services/ We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Full conversation with Melissa Davis, MS, CCC-SLP and Jenna Nassar, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, for "Intraprofessional Practice: Strategies for Effective Collaboration Between SLPs" an episode of the First Bite podcast.Hosted by: Michelle Dawson MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-SEarn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/intraprofessional-practice-strategiesIn this episode of First Bite, we're exploring what effective intraprofessional practice really looks like for SLPs in pediatrics. When colleagues collaborate well, everyone benefits—especially the little ones we serve.Join Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, as she interviews Melissa Davis, MS, CCC-SLP, owner of Speech Therapy for Kids and co-owner of Kids Therapy Spot in Starkville and Columbus, MS, and Jenna Nassar, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, clinician and instructor in the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Together, they share how they make intraprofessional collaboration work for optimal continuity of care.Tune in to learn what a typical day looks like for a pediatric medical SLP in different settings, discover strategies to strengthen your clinical skills across those settings, and gain practical ideas for communicating effectively—even across hundreds of miles—so that the little ones on both your caseloads thrive.About the Guest(s): Melissa Davis, MS CCC-SLP, is the owner of Speech Therapy for Kids and co-owner of Kids Therapy Spot located in Starkville and Columbus, MS. Melissa received her bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Middle Tennessee State University in May of 2000 and her master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Mississippi University for Women in May of 2002. Melissa worked for two rehabilitation companies from 2002 to 2009, providing speech therapy services in homes and daycare centers for children in the early intervention program. In January 2010, Melissa went into private practice. She now has two outpatient clinics in Starkville and Columbus, MS, in addition to contracting speech therapy services at three Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Facilities and the private schools in Starkville, MS. In addition to owning a private practice, Melissa continues to be a treating SLP primarily focusing on treating children with pediatric feeding disorders at her two outpatient clinics, in addition to the PPEC in Starkville, MS. She also consults on patients with PFD at the PPECs located in Meridian and Columbus, MS. Melissa is an active volunteer with Feeding Matters and was on the 2023 and 2024 ASHA PFD topic committee. She consistently speaks to undergraduate and graduate students at various universities about PFD and has also had numerous speaking engagements, presenting information on opening and operating a private practice.Jenna Nassar, MS CCC-SLP, BCS-S, is a pediatric speech pathologist and an instructor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Cancer at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. In addition to these roles, she also serves as the pediatric outpatient team leader, clinical Internship coordinator for the Department of Speech Pathology, and as a member of the cleft and craniofacial team. She specializes in pediatric swallowing and feeding disorders and serves patients both inpatient and outpatient at Batson Children's Hospital. She holds Board Certification in swallow and swallowing disorders through the ABSSD. She is trained in a variety of treatment approaches for feeding and swallowing disorders. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association, SIG 13, and Feeding Matters. She was awarded the 2023 Clinical Achievement Award from the Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Association's Honors in 2025. In 20024, she served on the Pediatric Feeding...

Every time I look into research on the summer slide, I get more confused. It's no wonder professionals and families are scrambling every May as they think about how kids should be spending their time in the summer. I've intended to do a deep dive into the research and gain a better understanding of how significant the “slide” is, for who, and what, exactly, is sliding. At the time I'm writing this, I still don't feel I've done that. What I can do is speak to what I DO understand, which is why I wanted to share my commentary and a clip from my interview with my colleague, David Schipper, as we discuss our conclusions on the “summer slide”. At the end of the interview, I ended up with more questions than answers, but we both came to the conclusion that kids who are already behind will benefit from consistent, explicit intervention, and that we'd both want to take advantage of time available to close gaps in students who are already behind at the end of the school year. David Schipper is the director of Strategic Learning Clinic, a position he has held since 2013. David obtained a B.A. in English Literature from Concordia University in 1998 as well as a B.Ed. in Secondary Education (English and History) from McGill University in 2002. After some work as a local teacher in Montreal, David founded 2Torial Educational Centre in 2007. Aside from his ability to put both parents and students at ease, David is able to help families get to the root of the problem(s) and propose the most suitable programs to resolve these issues. As a father of two children, David knows how to relate to the concerns of parents and as an experienced educator and passionately understands the struggles of students. His passion and dedication to teaching and learning is second to none.Here are some questions and discussion points from this episode:✅ Why we need to think about the summer in the preceding fall, not in May.✅ Looking at cumulative gains over the entire year rather than focusing on ONE time period.✅ Some students are already behind when summer starts. So how much time should we spend debating if a “slide” exists”? In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadershipI also mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives SLPs and other service providers a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can connect with David on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-schipper-1537972a/You can learn more about Strategic Learning Clinic on their website here: https://strategiclearning.ca/, on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/SLCStrategicLearningClinic, or on Instagram @strategiclearningclinic (https://www.instagram.com/strategiclearningclinic/). We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

The idea that exposing kids to enriching literacy and play-based experiences will effectively teach them to read and write sounds nice on paper.Unfortunately, it's not in-line with the large and growing body of evidence that suggests that kids need direct, explicit instruction to learn to read, write, and spell. Sure, a select group of fortunate students will learn to read and write implicitly through exposure alone. But curricular decisions shouldn't be based on what benefits a small percentage of their student population. That's why in this episode, I share a clip and my commentary on my interview with Dr. Pamela Snow. Pamela Snow is a Professor of Cognitive Psychology in the School of Education at the Bendigo campus of La Trobe University, Australia. She is also Co-Director of the Science of Language and Reading (SOLAR) Lab. Pamela is a registered psychologist, having qualified originally in speech-language pathology and has taught a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate education and health professionals. Her research has been funded by nationally competitive schemes such as the ARC Discovery Program, ARC Linkage Program, and the Criminology Research Council, and concerns the role of language and literacy skills as academic and mental health protective factors in childhood and adolescence. She has conducted research on the profiles and needs of high-risk groups such as youth offenders, children and adolescents in the state care system and flexible education systems, as well as research advancing evidence in the language-to-literacy transition in the early years of school. In this conversation, we discuss the need for nuance as it pertains to practices such as play-based instruction and project-based learning, and why these methods should be used in conjunction with direct reading instruction, not instead of. Dr. Snow also explains the difference between biologically primary and biologically secondary skills, and why this distinction matters when it comes to literacy instruction.Discussion points from this episode:✅ Play-based learning vs. early reading instruction: Why they aren't in opposition.✅ Using explicit instruction to build skills needed for problem-solving and successful project-based learning.✅ Whose job is it to work on reading? How much is the responsibility of the schools, and what is the parent's job?You can listen to my original interview with Dr. Snow on the De Facto Leaders podcast here: EP 158: Literacy and background knowledge: Essential skills for life (with Dr. Pamela Snow) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-158-literacy-and-background-knowledge-essential-skills-for-life-with-dr-pamela-snow/You can connect with Dr. Snow on X (formerly Twitter) @pamelasnow2 (https://twitter.com/PamelaSnow2) or on her blog at: http://pamelasnow.blogspot.com/You can also learn more about her work on her La Trobe University page at: https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/pcsnowYou can learn more about the Science of Language and Reading (SOLAR) lab at: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/school-education/about/spotlightIn this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs and other service providers create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/ We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments