The LDA Podcast

Dr. Paul Morgan is a researcher investigating disparities in disability identification and treatment during childhood. His research has found that students of color are likely to be under-identified for special education services despite a prevailing narrative that over-identification is always the issue. Dr. Morgan discusses the methodology of his studies, the importance of investigating a fuller set of explanatory factors for reading difficulties, and why strong claims about special education being a wholly negative "dumping ground" are not supported by the evidence. Dr. Morgan also discusses why there has been resistance to accepting the data, and shares findings from his latest study on the prevalence of reading difficulties. 

Santina Taglialatela, a recruiting coordinator who was recently diagnosed with dyscalculia, shares her experience of living with dyscalculia as an adult. Santina discusses some lesser known challenges that are caused by dyscalculia, managing and advocating for your learning disability in the workplace, the grieving process that can occur after getting a diagnosis later in life, and more! 

Dr. Steven Feifer, a neuropsychologist who has authored 3 diagnostic achievement assessments, talks with us about the importance of understanding the different cognitive processes involved in reading, math, and writing to answer why a student is struggling.Dr. Feifer will also be a keynote speaker at our 63rd Annual International Conference in St. Louis, and shares how his presentation will focus on how anxiety can impact processes like comprehension and working memory, and will include practices to help mitigate anxiety. 

Dr. Angela Thompson and Dr. Julia Carroll join us to discuss their recent research paper: Seeing, Being Seen, and Being Able to See Dyslexia in English Schools: Parent and Teacher Perspectives. Dr. Thompson and Dr. Carroll discuss how parents and teachers perceive inclusion for dyslexic students differently, including of lived experiences and school structure in their research, and the importance of a diagnosis for identity and interventions. Read "Seeing, Being Seen" here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/dys.70003 

We talk with Stefan Bauer, the Co-Founder and CEO of Marker Learning, an AI support for psychologists and educators designed to help more students to receive an evaluation. Stefan discusses his own difficulty in getting an evaluation growing up, how his diagnosis of dyslexia provided him with a roadmap to success, and the highlights of being able to pay it forward by creating Marker Learning.

When teachers struggled to support her daughter with dyslexia, Kirsten Bronkovic became inspired to create an 3D experiential platform to build empathy and understanding about neurodiverse students. Kirsten, CEO and Co-Founder of EmpathEd, joins us to discuss obstacles educators face when trying to understand neurodiverse students, how misconceptions can cause harm, and how neurodiverse individuals helped EmpathEd to put teachers in their student’s shoes. 

Kelly Tanzi, a fourth grade writing teacher with a background in special education, shares how incorporating the arts into learning can create a powerful multi-dimensional learning experience for all students. Kelly discusses how incorporating arts projects can give students who struggle with reading and writing more agency in how they present their knowledge, and can hook the interest of reluctant readers. Along with examples of past artistic projects, Kelly shares resources for parents and educators looking to incorporate the arts into their student’s learning. Mentioned in the podcast:National Gallery of ArtFolger Shakespeare LibraryPhillips CollectionNational Building MuseumNational Women’s History Museum

Dr. Julia Carroll, the lead researcher of "Toward a Consensus on Dyslexia," discusses why a consistent definition of dyslexia is so important, and the findings of the study. Highlights of the study include involving individuals with dyslexia, the large role cognitive processing plays in dyslexia, the need for interventions tailored to the individual, and more. Dr. Carroll also discusses the importance of recognizing struggles in dyslexia beyond reading and identifies areas of dyslexia research that need more study.Read the "Consensus on Dyslexia" study here. 

Aaron Wolf is a neurodiversity advocate, actor, director, media host, cofounder of film production company Howling Wolf Productions, and the founder of I Am Able, a nonprofit dedicated to neurodiversity awareness. Aaron discusses his experience with neurodiversity, what led him to create I Am Able, and how his natural creativity drove him to become a storyteller of neurodiverse experiences. https://www.iamablefoundation.org/ 

“I think the most radical thing you can do in education is speak up, listen, and to make room for love because every learner has a powerful story, and it's one that can be told and received when we offer the right tools to do so.” -Caroline WeaverWe sit with LD advocate and researcher Caroline Weaver to discuss her interdisciplinary capstone project that creates an intersection of lived experience, art, advocacy, and research. Caroline’s project delves into how school systems can cause harm and deficit mindsets to neurodiverse students, the power of self-love, self-knowledge, and self-advocacy, the importance of including individuals with LD in LD research, and much more. Visit Caroline’s project at: https://cpweaver26.wixsite.com/advocacy2action