Supporting Students with PDA: A Customized Approach

In this episode I spoke with Chris Wenger - AKA "Speech Dude" - a speech language pathologist with extensive experience accommodating PDA teens in a public school. I loved our conversation, and I hope you will too!

We talked about:

• Practical ways to communicate about PDA in a public school setting (in this case a high school).
• How to write PDA-specific goals/supports in an IEP (Institutional Educational Plan here in the United States).
• Supporting PDA teens to feel safe, engage in learning, and make social connections in creative ways that don't feel demanding.
• The role that autonomy plays in PDA teens' success.

Here is more about Chris!

Chris Wenger is a neurodivergent high school speech-language pathologist of over 20 years, international speaker, and creator of the Dynamic Assessment of Social Emotional Learning, a strengths-based assessment for autistic students. He is also the founder of NeuroAffirm, a first-of-its-kind worldwide interactive directory connecting providers and families. Globally known as Speech Dude, he has amassed nearly one million social media followers, sharing inspiring and educational content, always with a humorous twist.

Mentioned in this episode:

Paradigm Shift Program