De Facto Leaders

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

When schools respond to “behavior problems” in students, the focus is often on the symptom, not the cause. Failing to look beyond the surface behavior does a disservice to students, which is why in this episode I share...

“We don’t need to work on decoding because students have access to assistive technology and accommodations.” “We don’t work on word-decoding in high school.” “Working on reading in high school is too little too late.”...

In this episode, I reflect on my conversation with my colleague Cassandra Williams as we discuss book and resource deserts, as well as how to engage with school communities. In the interview clip I share, Cassandra...

Ever feel overwhelmed being the only SLP in your district without a network of fellow clinicians for support? You're not alone; many in similar situations face these challenges. In this episode, I’m sharing a case study...

Ever feel like you should have language therapy figured out by now, but you're still struggling? Even experienced clinicians can feel that way. In this episode, I’m sharing a case study of a seasoned SLP who, despite...

What if choosing between language and executive functioning for your students wasn't an "either/or" decision? And how can we effectively balance academic content with broader cognitive skills? It's a complex challenge...

In this episode of De Facto Leaders, I’m joined by speech-language therapist Natalie Yona from Cognishine to explore one of the most nuanced conversations happening in today: Where does AI actually belong in therapy?...

One of my favorite “hooks” or titles to use when I’m talking about executive functioning centers around the idea that executive functioning intervention is about “more than just checklists”. I like this title so much...

Every time I give a session on executive functioning, I have clinicians and teachers ask me the same thing: “How can I motivate students who don’t seem to care or don’t want to try new things?” Or something like “How...

Students with executive functioning challenges often intend to complete tasks or meet expectations —but struggle to execute consistently. The reason? They aren’t mentally envisioning future scenarios, predicting the...

I’m often asked if I can create an “executive functioning lesson plan” that a clinician could do within a 20-minute therapy session with a student or group of students. I understand why people ask me for things like...

Executive function is often defined as “having good time management skills”. While this isn’t completely off-base, it’s a vast oversimplification. The REASON people are good at time management is because they have the...

In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Lane, founder of Data-Informed Impact, to unpack the critical role of data in K-12 education—and how to use it responsibly, effectively, and equitably. Jessica shares her...

In this episode, we’re joined by literacy expert Dr. Molly Ness, author of Making Words Stick, to unpack the science behind orthographic mapping and what truly effective spelling instruction looks like. If you've ever...

Ever feel like your school is trying all the “right” strategies—social skills groups, planners, behavior charts—but students still struggle with time management, motivation, and peer relationships? You’re not alone—and...

In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Dr. A. Jordan Wright, psychologist who brings both professional insight and lived experience to the conversation—having been diagnosed with ADHD in college. Together, we...

In this episode, I interview Connie, a student from the Language Therapy Advance Foundations program. She shares her practical experiences and results achieved with her students. Key highlights include: ✅ Engaging a...