De Facto Leaders

A while back, I heard someone refer to school administrators and other public sector leaders as “middle managers”, and it really hit home for me. As I’ve transitioned through different roles in my career, I’ve gotten into the trap of thinking that when I achieve the “next step”, I’ll finally have the influence I want. In my experience, telling myself that I’ll be satisfied with the level of impact I can make when I reach the “next step” is a recipe for disappointment.In reality, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fix all the things I want to fix, and I’m slowly coming to terms with that; learning to pick which battles are worth fighting.As I’ve talked with others who have transitioned to different administrative roles, this seems to be a common challenge faced by people in middle management positions. That’s why I invited Dr. Chris Jones and Chris Dodge to episode 173 of De Facto Leaders to talk about what it's like to be a middle manager in public sector systems like the schools. Chris Dodge has been a lead learner in elementary school settings for ten years and currently the principal at the Thorndyke Road School is Worcester, MA, Chris works to create collaborative structures and systems that bring stakeholder voice into school level decision making, as well as strategies that promote student success and achievement. His schools utilize these systems to promote a vision of serving the whole child, ensuring that students’ social-emotional and academic needs are being met. Most notably, in 2014, Christopher led the Dexter Park School in Orange, MA to become a MA Department of Education appointed Innovation School, awarded for its inclusionary practice work. Aside from the role as principal, Christopher has served on DESE’s Principal/Teacher Advisory Cabinet, Commissioner Riley’s Return to School Teaching and Learning Working Group during COVID19, as well as on the MSAA (Massachusetts School Administrators Association) Executive Board. He has been published in numerous blogs and publications such as “Rogue Leader” and “STOP Series: 100 No Nonsense Things Teachers and Leaders Should Stop Doing”, and is featured in podcasts such as “Seeing to Lead” and “Becoming Principal”. Passionate about supporting and mentoring leaders and educators, Christopher is also a consultant with Seaside Educational Consultants and an adjunct instructor at Assumption University in Worcester, MA.Dr. Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years. His experience in the classroom ranged from 8th – 11th grade working in an urban setting. A portion of this was spent opening a high school division for an expanding charter school. He has just finished his 15th year as a building administrator. Chris is also the Vice President of the Massachusetts State Administrators Association (MSAA). True to his “why” of improving the educational experience for as many people as possible, he is currently the Principal of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in Whitman, Massachusetts. He is the author of SEEing to Lead (https://drcsjones.blog/seeing-to-lead-podcast/), a book that provides strategies for how modern leaders can and must support, engage, and empower their teachers to elevate student success. Chris vlogs weekly about continuous improvement and is also the host of the podcast SEEing to Lead as a way to amplify teachers’ voices in an effort to improve education as a whole. His overarching goal is to positively model continuous improvement in all facets of life by being purposeful, acting with integrity, and building character.Chris is passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process. Chris is a teacher centered principal and his beliefs around the importance of a positive work environment, continuous growth, and a healthy family work-life integration can be seen in the presentations and workshops he has given for the Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA), Massachusetts Computer Using Educators (MassCUE), Massachusetts Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (MASCD), the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP); and his participation in the Better Leaders Better Schools Mastermind group.A finalist for the Massachusetts School Administrators Association’s Principal of the Year award and named the 2022 Massachusetts School Counselors Associaltion’s (MASCA) Administrator of the Year, Chris is described by his past Superintendent as being “…wholly invested in the success of the school…a creative problem-solver who is able to deliberate yet be decisive, be creative yet accountable…calm and clear-headed even under the most trying of times…has built a strong collaborative and collegial school culture…he is a positive influence on teachers, teaching, and learning.”Chris’ education includes a BA from Bridgewater State University, an MA from Salem State University, and a Doctorate from Northeastern University. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his wife, Mary (Bella) and two boys, Tommy and Scotty.In this conversation, we talked about questions like:✅What is it like to be a decision-maker who reports to other decision-makers? Are there times when it’s been difficult to give staff direction because you were waiting on a decision that was over your head?✅What is the best way for people on the front-line (e.g., teachers, therapists) to provide you with information you can bring to your leadership to help move initiatives along?✅How do you know when to escalate something vs. try to handle it on your own?✅When bringing questions/concerns to leadership, how do you provide enough information that you give adequate context without getting in the weeds and overwhelming them?In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here:  https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipYou can connect with Chris Dodge on Instagram @principaldodge1 : (https://www.instagram.com/principaldodge1/), on Twitter @PrincipalDodge1 : (https://twitter.com/PrincipalDodge1), and on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-dodge-a33343204/You can listen to my previous episode with Chris Dodge here: EP138: Increasing access to instructional programs in rural districts (with Chris Dodge): https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-119-teacher-centered-leadership-with-dr-chris-jones/You can connect with Dr. Chris Jones on LinkedIn here : https://www.li...

How can districts reverse chronic absenteeism and gain a deeper understanding of why students don’t come to school? Can we measure how “connected” students are to their schools? How do we impact the level of connection they feel with potential mentors in their lives? I invited Jen Perry to episode 172 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss this topic and explore ways schools can assess student engagement and put meaningful programs in place to increase it. Jen Perry is Senior Manager of Learning Design and Whole Learner at Edmentum. Jen has worked over 30+ years with youth in educational and community settings. As a teacher, administrator, and trainer, her passion has been to help educators develop an understanding of the importance of social emotional learning and build trauma-informed responses and systems. This work has included supporting youth, administrators, and schools in understanding behavior and implementing transformational change through strength-based approaches.In this conversation, we discussed:✅Using positive youth development models to support youth involved with the legal system.✅Changing our assumptions about kids who have “risk factors” and resources. ✅Helping youth build developmental assets through community navigation and academic support.✅Research on the effectiveness of high-impact tutoring in increasing attendance and student engagement.✅How do we help kids connect academic work to meaningful life goals? ✅Giving students the language they need for self-advocacy and self-awareness.In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:“The Poverty Problem: How Education Can Promote Resilience and Counter Poverty’s Impact on Brain Development and Functioning” by Horacio Sanchez  Link here: https://www.amazon.com/Poverty-Problem-Resilience-Development-Functioning/dp/1071842927Maguillie, L, Perry, J., Aiello, J. (2019). The impact of an Alternative to Detention Program on Developmental Assets for adolescents involved in the juvenile justice or legal system. Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services.Link here: https://irp.cdn-website.com/45a58767/files/uploaded/2019-Alternative%20to%20Detention%20%28Maggiulli%29.pdfWhole Learner Foundations: Understanding Behavior and our Default SettingLink here: https://www.edmentum.com/intl/resources/webinars/whole-learner-foundations-understanding-behavior-and-our-default-setting/Jen Perry on Students and ConnectionLink here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EMkeKK96cJen Perry on Teacher Well-beingLink here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMuiiq56bsYTargeted Skills Instruction-Accelerate High-Impact Virtual Tutoring ServicesLink here: https://www.edmentum.com/products/virtual-tutoring/Learn more about where to connect with Jen on Linked here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-perry-8aaa99204/) or at edmentum.com. In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that 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🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Most discussions around social-emotional learning are about helping kids stay regulated, healthy, and adjusted, but we can’t forget about the adults. Being in any type of role that involves caring for others can be incredibly dysregulating; whether you’re a K-12 professional or a parent. That’s why in this episode, I’m highlighting past interview clips with guests that address emotional regulation and self-care in adults. In this episode, you’ll hear discussions on:✅How to teach behavioral expectations in class (and why this can help maintain safety and security among staff and students).✅How to use co-regulation strategies to manage challenging behaviors such as eloping or property destruction. ✅Supporting bus drivers, security guards, and other non-teaching school personnel who interact with students. ✅Administrators think that self-care is important for students and teachers; but are they taking care of themselves?✅Going beyond fluffy self-care tips (like wine and bubble baths) and creating sustainable habits.This episode includes clips from the following interviews:EP 152: The cost of caring: Compassion fatigue in education and healthcare (with Crissy Mombela) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-152-the-cost-of-caring-compassion-fatigue-in-education-and-healthcare-with-crissy-mombela/EP 111: Supporting self-regulation in K-12 kids (with Lisa Navarra)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-111-supporting-self-regulation-in-k-12-kids-with-lisa-navarra/EP 103: Self-care cabaret for teachers, therapists, and school leaders (with Dr. Theresa-Melito Conners)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-103-self-care-cabaret-for-teachers-therapists-and-school-leaders-with-dr-theresa-melito-conners/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that 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🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

As a school leader, when is it best to make “top-down” decisions, and when should you make it a collaborative process?How can you tell which stakeholder input to prioritize?What’s the best way to communicate with your staff in a way that feels transparent, but doesn’t burden them with too much information? How can you make decisions confidently when you’re supervising staff in positions you’ve never held yourself? I invited Dr. Jen Schwanke to episode 170 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss these questions. Dr. Jen Schwanke is a longtime educator, teaching and leading at all levels. She is the author of four ASCD books, including the recently-released The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management, and has published hundreds of articles for various educational publishers. She has written and presented for multiple state and local education organizations, and has provided professional development to various districts in the areas of school climate, personnel, and instructional leadership. An instructor in educational administration at Miami University of Ohio and The Ohio State University, Dr. Schwanke currently serves as a Deputy Superintendent in Ohio. You can find her at jenschwanke.com.In this conversation, we discuss:✅Getting to the “root cause” of pain points: How can you tell what people really need from you? ✅Being decisive vs. being collaborative: The different types of decisions leaders need to make and the strategies for handling them✅When should we use our own expertise to solve problems, and when should we leverage the expertise of others?✅Shaking things up vs. maintaining the status quo: How this changes the way you leadYou can connect with Dr. Schwanke at her website at jenschwanke.com, on X @jenschwanke (http://jenschwanke.com), and on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/drjenschwanke/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that 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🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Today, I wanted to share some FAQs that people ask about how to teach executive functioning. Some of those common questions are:How do you teach self-talk, time-perception, and strategic-planning?How do you offer help without making kids prompt-dependent?​I understand that executive functioning intervention is more than just checklists and behavior charts, but what’s the right way to structure interventions?​How can I provide environmental scaffolding after students leave my therapy sessions? What exactly is “environmental scaffolding”? I understand I need to coach and train others, but how should that look in practice? One of the ways I answer these questions is through the concept of “scalable protocols”. This is an alternative to the way we traditionally think about lesson plans. It allows you to define the specifics of the “how”, which is why people are asking questions such as the ones I’ve listed above, and also enables clinicians to train others. In this episode, I share the audio of two video clips that help give an overview of how that could look, as well as the overview of a framework I use to support executive functioning in context. If you’re a clinician who wants to know how to do this in therapy AND coach others, it will help you through the first step in that process. If you’re a parent or teacher and you want to learn a strategy you can use to support kids, you can also use this strategy. In this episode, I mentioned this blog post https://drkarenspeech.com/whats-better-than-an-executive-functioning-lesson-plan/), where I include the full video clips that contain screen shares of some of the protocols I mentioned. I also mention this article about scalable protocols and how they fit in to your intervention model. Link here: https://drkarenspeech.com/executive-functioning-support-three-paradigm-shifts-for-school-teams/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that 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🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Almost every school leader that I know has said they didn’t realize what they were getting themselves into when they started their first administrative position. In this episode, I wanted to share clips from past “De Facto Leaders” guests to showcase some of the challenges faced by school administrators (or those hoping to move into an administrative role). You’ll hear discussions on:✅Qualities of a good principal: Protecting staff and removing barriers✅Navigating ambiguity and impostor syndrome as a leader✅Can teaching practices change if the system isn’t ready? ✅Investing in curriculums: The end user is the TEACHER, not the student. ✅Asking for help: How to make it an easy “yes” for the other person. This episode includes clips from the following interviews:EP 109: Can my principal evaluate me if they’ve never done my job?(with Eric Makelky)?  Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-109-can-my-principal-evaluate-me-if-theyve-never-done-my-job-with-eric-makelky/EP 151: Does your SYSTEM support your policy and your curriculum? (with Jalita Johnson) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-151-does-your-system-support-your-policy-and-your-curriculum-with-jalita-johnson/EP 112: How to “lead up” to your school administrator (with Jethro Jones) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-109-can-my-principal-evaluate-me-if-theyve-never-done-my-job-with-eric-makelky/In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations 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🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Discover innovative strategies to support students with executive dysfunction. Explore the need for collaboration among educators and therapists, shifting away from traditional therapy models. Learn how personalized approaches can enhance social skills development. Delve into the importance of integrating executive functioning support across various educational settings, ensuring skills are generalized and applicable in real life. Effective interventions aim to empower students through perspective-taking and self-advocacy techniques.

Language and executive functioning have a bidirectional relationship (Baron & Arbel, 2022; Larson, et al., 2019). This means that building language skills can impact executive functioning, and vice versa. A significant amount of executive functioning skills are required to comprehend language-based academic tasks like reading and writing. Yet strategic thinking (which is part of executive functioning) requires a significant amount of internal dialogue; which is very difficult to engage in without adequate vocabulary or ability to use and understand complex syntax (Fahy, 2014). Complex sentences are loaded with language that indicates cause and effect or temporal information; all which are essential for strategic planning. On top of that, many students continue to struggle with reading comprehension without direct work on foundational language skills; even if they’re taught comprehension strategies (Eberhardt, 2013; Scott, 2009; Scott & Koonce, 2014; Nippold, 2017).One might make the argument then (which I often do), that these underlying language skills are necessary to developing strong executive functioning skills. This makes both treatment planning, diagnosis, and determining eligibility for educational programming complicated; especially when it comes to legal guidelines as well as state and local policies. That’s why in episode 166 of De Facto Leaders, I’m sharing a Q & A session I did in my Language Therapy Advance Foundations member’s group to talk about the relationship between syntax, processing and higher level cognitive processes like executive functioning. In this episode, I share: ✅How to create a strategic plan if you need to build a system for language therapy and a system for executive functioning intervention?✅Should you focus on the students' needs or your own needs when planning your professional development goals?✅Common comorbidities and diagnoses to consider when focusing on language, executive functioning, and reading/writing.✅The impact of syntax on other language and cognitive processes.✅Common sentence types that are difficult for individuals with DLD and other diagnoses that impact language.✅Ineffective strategies used to comprehend difficult sentence types.✅Why do these difficult sentence types impact comprehension, processing, and our ability to engage in internal dialogue and strategic planning?In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/I also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership You can view the YouTube version of this episode with slides here: https://youtu.be/7-F0fjjJ0F8I also mentioned the following resources:Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure : https://drkarenspeech.com/sentencestructure​The 5 Component Language Therapy Framework: https://drkarenspeech.com/language​​Syntactic Development in the School-Age Years​​: https://drkarenspeech.com/syntactic-development-school-age-years/​K-12 Professional Learning: It’s about what the adults need, not just the kids: https://drkarenspeech.com/k-12-professional-learning-its-about-what-adults-need-not-just-the-kids/​De Facto Leaders EP 159: Comorbidities and Differential Diagnosis: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-159-comborbidities-and-differential-diagnosis-adhd-dld-dyslexia/​ 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🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Teacher preparation programs should equip reading teachers with the knowledge they need to provide explicit intervention for students who have dyslexia or other disabilities. But what if they don’t? Unfortunately, this situation is quite common. That’s why I invited Mary Saghafi and Shannon Betts from the Reading Teachers’ Lounge Podcast to episode 165 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about how reading specialists and other service providers can emerge as literacy leaders; whether it be in their current job or within a career transition. The Reading Teachers’ Lounge is a podcast where listeners can eavesdrop on professional conversations between elementary reading teachers. Shannon and Mary are passionate about literacy and strive to find strategies to reach all learners. Shannon and Mary are neighbors who realized they were “literacy soul sisters” at a dinner in their Atlanta Neighborhood. Once they started chatting about reading, they haven’t really stopped. Shannon is currently teaching part time as a reading resource teacher while she continues to create teaching materials on Teachers Pay Teachers and Boom Learning. Mary is a private tutor and dyslexia advocate. They began their podcast in 2018 and are currently finishing their sixth season.In this conversation, we share:✅How a litigious situation turned into a reading reform initiative and inspired Mary to make a career pivot.✅When there’s conflict between schools and parents; should you be a united front with your school team, even if you resonate more with the parent’s point of view? ✅The parent advocacy perspective: How parents can advocate for their kids AND the school staff at the same time. ✅Should schools be using the “dyslexia” label (and what do the laws require vs. allow)? ✅Will voicing your opinion have a negative impact on your career (plus Shannon’s experience with being the squeaky wheel on her team)? You can find Shannon’s Teachers Pay Teachers store here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Rdng, and her Boom Learning resources here: https://wow.boomlearning.com/author/rdng?collection=Decks&sort=publishDate&order=-1Connect with Shannon and Mary on their Patreon community for literacy professionals here: https://www.patreon.com/readingteachersloungeFollow the Reading Teacher’s Lounge Podcast on Instagram @readingteacherslounge https://www.instagram.com/readingteacherslounge/, on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/readingteacherslounge, or on their podcast website here: https://www.readingteacherslounge.com/podcast-homeListen to the Reading Teacher’s Lounge Season 6, Episode 13 (Link here: https://www.readingteacherslounge.com/season-6-episodes/s6-e-13-the-intersection-of-speech-reading-and-language)  where I was a guest, and we discussed the partnership between speech-language pathologists and reading teachers here.I mentioned the following resources in this episode:EP 141: No, kids do not learn to read and write naturally with (with Melanie Brethour) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-141-no-kids-do-not-learn-to-read-and-write-naturally-with-melanie-brethour/EP 159: Co-morbidities and Differential Diagnosis (ADHD, DLD, Dyslexia) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-159-comorbidities-and-differential-diagnosis-adhd-dld-dyslexia/Williams, V. (2023) Letter from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services on the use of “Developmental Language Disorder” for special education eligibility. Office of Special Education Programs. Retrieved from: https://www.asha.org/siteassets/advocacy/comments/OSEP-Response-Letter-to-ASHA-on-DLD-5.30.23.pdfYudin, M. K. (2015). Letter from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services on the use of “Dyslexia” for special education eligibility. Office of Special Education Programs. Retrieved from: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/policy_speced_guid_idea_memosdcltrs_guidance-on-dyslexia-10-2015.pdfIn this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations 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🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Is it functional to work on parts of speech?Is sentence diagramming useful? How do we improve word-retrieval in kids with developmental disabilities, and is it similar to what we’d do for an adult with a brain injury?How can we make therapy academically relevant and functional beyond just getting a good score on a standardized test? I invited speech-language pathologist and Language Therapy Advance Foundations student Katy Wyatt to the show to share answers to these questions. I’m always excited to connect with people who are using the frameworks I teach; because I’m always amazed at some of the creative ideas they come up with to expand on what I’ve given them.If you’re a Language Therapy Advance Foundations student, and you want some practical ways to use the tools I’ve given you, you'll really enjoy this interview. And if you’ve been lurking and considering whether the program is for you, this will give you an idea of what you’ll learn if you do decide to join. Katy Wyatt graduated from California State University, Los Angeles in 2017, with a Masters of Arts in Communication Disorders. After moving to North Carolina, Katy has worked in head starts, homes, schools, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities with clients ages 11 months to 99+ years. Katy is a board-certified cognitive specialist, and has also been certified in the SOS approach to feeding. Katy currently works in the schools full time with Kinetic Physical Therapy and Wellness; she works with students to improve their language, articulation, and fluency skills, develop alternative means of communication, and improve their social and academic functioning. Katy also serves as the compliance coordinator and SLP-Assistant supervisor with Speech Inspirations PLLC.In this conversation, we discuss:✅The parallels between therapy for aphasia and child language disorders.✅Why therapy focused on vocabulary and background knowledge can ALSO address executive functioning skills like the ability to self-question, generate and evaluate ideas, and plan/executive them. ✅Parts of speech and sentence diagramming: How to embed this kind of work into structured but contextualized activities.✅Syntax as a vocabulary skill: How to help kids understand what words MEAN and what words DO.✅Why it’s impossible to define what vocabulary skills are “age-appropriate” at each grade level; and how to reframe the way you think about scaffolding across grade levels and varying student needs. ✅Generalization: How to focus on explicit instruction of content and strategy in direct therapy while ALSO giving students retrieval tools they can use outside sessions. The Language Severity Rate Scale and Classroom Communication and Learning Checklist from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) can be found here: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/documents/ec/speech-guide/downloadKaty's Semantic Feature Analysis Song Video can be found here: https://youtu.be/Qdw3M1ZiaSMI mentioned this conversation in this interview: EP 148: Unlocking success through sensory processing and team collaboration (with Maude Le Roux) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-148-unlocking-success-through-sensory-processing-and-team-collaboration-with-maude-le-roux/Katy is a member of 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: 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🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.