SLP Learning Hour

What if speech-language therapy gave students a reason to communicate that extended beyond the therapy room?Guest: Erin Milewsk, MS, CCC-SLPEarn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PDWatch on YouTubeIn this episode of the *School of Speech* podcast, host Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, welcomes Erin Milewsk, MS, CCC-SLP, to discuss how project-based learning (PBL) can turn everyday therapy goals into meaningful communication experiences built around students' interests and strengths. From creating books and films to running school newspapers, coffee carts, and interviews, Erin shares practical examples of projects that encourage students to communicate with purpose. She explains how these activities can be designed to address speech, language, literacy, social communication, AAC, and self-advocacy goals while giving students opportunities to collaborate, solve problems, make decisions, and share their ideas.About the Guest: Erin Milewsk, MS, CCC-SLP, i is an elementary school-based speech-language pathologist with a passion for strengths-based, student-centered practice. She earned both her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Marywood University and holds a Trauma-Informed Practice Certificate from Elizabethtown College.Show Notes:First Steps to Incorporating a Strengths-Based Approach Into School SessionsHow an SLP Supports Students With Classroom-based InterventionGetting Younger Students Involved in the IEP ProcessAn SLP and Music Teacher Integrate Strategies and Skills in Elementary Schools

Put identity at the heart of communication.Guest: Christina Royster, EdD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CLEarn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PDWatch on YoutubeIn this episode of The Gestalt Get-Together podcast, host Corinne Zmoos welcomes Christina Royster, EdD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, to discuss the importance of cultural representation and customization in pediatric augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). They examine how biases and barriers within AAC apps and programs can limit representation for children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and why personalization matters when creating meaningful communication experiences.AAC should do more than support communication. It should also reflect the identity, experiences, and culture of the person using it. Christina shares practical ideas for customizing AAC systems to better represent a child's language, family, cultural background, and everyday life, helping SLPs think beyond standard vocabulary and system features.Corinne also connects these considerations to the communication needs of multilingual and multicultural gestalt language processors, highlighting how thoughtful AAC selection and customization can better reflect each child's unique identity and communication needs.About the Guest: Dr. Christina Royster is the owner/founder of Play on Words Therapy (MD/DC). She has been practicing for fifteen years, specializing in working with individuals with various language differences and AAC. She is a Board Certified Specialist in both AAC and Child Language. Christina currently works in a variety of settings, including private practice, schools, adult group homes, and academia. She has also run an award-winning, language-based summer program for the past ten years. Christina advocates for increased diversity and inclusivity in the SLP field through DiverCity SLP and DiverseAAC.Show Notes:Contact Corinne Zmoos: Instagram, LinkedIn, LinktreeContact Christina Royster: LinkedInPractical Resources for Provision of Services to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Users of AACTraining Partners in AAC in Culturally Diverse FamiliesLending LibrariesUniversal Core VocabularyDiverse AAC

How do food access, caregiver stress, and everyday challenges affect children with PFD?Guests: Amy Delaney, PhD, CCC-SLP, and Ivonne M. Maldonado-De la Rosa, PhD, MLS, CCC-SLPEarn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PDWatch on YouTubeIn this episode of First Bite host Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, FNAP, welcomes Amy Delaney, PhD, CCC-SLP, and Ivonne M. Maldonado-De la Rosa, PhD, MLS, CCC-SLP, to examine how social determinants of health (SDOH) influence pediatric feeding care and outcomes. From food insecurity and family resources to healthcare access and systemic barriers, the discussion highlights the real-world factors that can affect a family's ability to participate in feeding interventions. Drawing on emerging research and clinical experience, Michelle and her guests discuss why understanding each family's circumstances is essential to providing individualized, compassionate, and equitable care.About the Guests: Amy Delaney, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in Speech Pathology and Audiology at Marquette University. She is the Director of the Neurodevelopmental Feeding and Swallowing Lab, which focuses on identifying a normative reference for feeding development to establish diagnostic criteria and assessment tools for the early and accurate diagnosis of pediatric feeding disorder (PFD).Ivonne M. Maldonado-De la Rosa, PhD, MLS, CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at A.T. Still University and a bilingual speech-language pathologist. Drawing on her background in speech-language pathology and legal studies, her teaching, clinical practice, and research focus on pediatric feeding disorders, dysphagia, social determinants of health, culturally responsive care, and preparing future clinicians to deliver equitable, evidence-based services.Show Notes:Family Guided Routines Based InterventionFeeding and Swallowing MilestonesHitos de la alimentación y la degluciónNeurodevelopmental Feeding And Swallowing LabMacSwallowIt’s Not Picky EatingASHA-PACThe Feeding Innovation Lab@unleranwithmetheslpIDDSI Around the WorldSmells From the Kitchen, Lessons From the Field, Part 1: Creative Dysphagia StrategiesHispanic Caucus Find ResourcesLove Money: Support Feeding Matters

How can SLPs, educators, and caregivers of autistic individuals intentionally model more sensitive language related to gender and sexuality?Guest: Dr. Kelly Coburn, PhD, CCC-SLPEarn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PDWatch on YoutubeIn this episode of The Gestalt Get-Together, Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, interviews Kelly Coburn, PhD, about their research on communication patterns among autistic adults whose genders have been underrepresented in the literature. Dr. Coburn discusses how patterns of language use may contribute to camouflaging, which can play a role in missed or delayed autism diagnoses.Corinne and Dr. Coburn also discuss the current debate surrounding gestalt language processing (GLP) and Natural Language Acquisition (NLA). As a clinician, Dr. Coburn has used some of these principles in practice and has seen clients make progress. As a researcher, however, they share concerns about the lack of peer-reviewed, data-based evidence supporting GLP as a distinct language processing profile and NLA as a framework for intervention.Dr. Coburn also discusses what clinicians can learn from research published in the 1970s and 1980s and how future research could examine different language processing profiles to identify sound intervention strategies.About the Guest: Dr. Kelly Coburn (they/them) is an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist and an Assistant Professor in Speech and Language Therapy at the University of Limerick, Ireland. Clinically, they specialize in augmentative/alternative communication (AAC), autism, and developmental disabilities. Kelly’s research addresses communication by autistic people, with a focus on adults whose genders have been under-represented in prior literature. Kelly’s interest in autism is both professional and personal, motivated by their experiences as a pediatric clinician and as a member of autistic families. They take a neurodiversity-affirming approach to research, teaching, and clinical practice. Kelly particularly enjoys qualitative and mixed-methods research, mentoring student researchers, and collaborating with community partners.Show Notes:Contact Corinne Zmoos: Instagram, LinkedIn, LinktreeContact Dr. Kelly Coburn: LinkedInQuantitative Analysis of Narrative Discourse by Autistic Adults of Underrepresented GendersSelf-Diagnosis of Autism: What Is the Speech-Language Pathologist's Role?Thematic Analysis of Personal Narratives Spoken by Autistic Adults of Underrepresented Genders

Tiny cues. Meaningful connections. A more responsive approach to infant feeding.Guest: Ramya Kumar, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-SEarn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PDWatch on YouTubeIn this episode of Making Sense with Madi, Madi Metcalf, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Ramya Kumar, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, a board-certified swallowing specialist and neonatal feeding specialist, to discuss trauma-informed care in infant feeding therapy.Ramya shares how responsive feeding approaches can support infants while honoring their cues, comfort, and individual needs. She and Madi discuss why caregiver involvement is such an important part of infant feeding therapy and how clinicians can build trust and support families throughout the process.The episode also explores what it means to provide trauma-informed care for both infants and caregivers, including how past medical and feeding experiences can shape feeding interactions. Clinicians will learn ways to approach infant feeding with greater sensitivity to the family's experiences while supporting responsive, relationship-centered care.About the Guest: Ramya Kumar, MS, CCC‑SLP, BCS‑S, is a board‑certified speech‑language pathologist and neonatal feeding specialist with more than 13 years of experience caring for medically complex infants and children across NICU, inpatient, and outpatient settings. She holds advanced certifications in swallowing disorders, neonatal therapy, lactation, developmental care, and trauma‑informed practice, and is recognized for her expertise in infant feeding, nutrition, and developmental care. Ms. Kumar has served as a NICU Developmental Specialist at a Level 3 NICU in Arizona, where she led multidisciplinary developmental care initiatives, supported quality improvement and benchmarking efforts, and provided neuroprotective, family‑centered care for hospitalized infants. She is also the Director of Arizona NICU Follow‑Up Specialists, where she provides specialized feeding and developmental services for NICU graduates and collaborates closely with physicians, dietitians, and allied health professionals to support infants and families across the hospital‑to‑home transition.Show Notes:Contact Madi Metcalf: LinkedIn, Instagram, Function FirstContact Ramya Kumar: LinkedIn, InstagramSAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach Beyond Behaviors, Second Edition: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral ChallengesBrain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient KidsPediatric Feeding Disorder: Consensus Definition and Conceptual FrameworkB.D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. HandoutsFeeding Problems in Young Children: A Cross-Sectional Study in SwedenThe Worry Cycle of Feeding: Part I for Adoption MonthManual and alternative therapies as non-pharmacological interventions for pain and stress control in newborns: a systematic reviewThe relationship between chronic paediatric feeding disorders and caregiver stress“I was so worried about every drop of milk” – feeding problems at home are a significant concern for parents after major heart surgery in infancy

Invitada: la Dra. Gloriana Cruz Rivera, ClinScD, CCC-SLPGana 0.1 ASHA CEU por este episodio con Speech Therapy PDWatch on YoutubeEn este episodio de SLPs en Acción, la presentadora Damaris Sánchez Rivera, MS, CCC-SLP, conversa con la Dra. Gloriana Cruz Rivera, ClinScD, CCC-SLP, sobre los fundamentos de la relación entre la vibración, la voz y el nervio vago, y cómo la estimulación vibratoria puede influir en la producción vocal y la regulación del sistema nervioso. A partir de la evidencia disponible y de la experiencia clínica de la Dra. Cruz Rivera en vocología, abordan mecanismos fisiológicos relevantes, mitos frecuentes y posibles aplicaciones de técnicas vocales y vibratorias en la evaluación, la intervención y la orientación clínica.Este episodio ofrece a los patólogos del habla y lenguaje criterios para considerar e integrar estas estrategias de manera consciente, fundamentada y centrada en las necesidades de cada persona.Show Notes:Contacta a la Dra. Gloriana Cruz Rivera, ClinScD, CCC-SLP en InstagramReferencias:Titze, I. R., & Johnson, E. C. (Eds.). (2025). Sing and shout for health: Scientific insights and future directions for vocology. National Center for Voice and Speech.Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018). Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Frontiers in psychiatry, 9, 44. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044Saibene, A. M., Fuccillo, E., Felisati, G., Pipolo, G. C., Chiesa, V., Canevini, M. P., Maccari, A., De Gasperis, M., Pizzorni, N., & Schindler, A. (2020). Vocal Outcomes in Vagus Nerve Stimulation: A Laryngeal Pattern-Based Objective Analysis. Journal of Voice, 36(5), 719–725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2020.07.033

Encouragement, perspective, and practical guidance for taking that first step to becoming a clinical supervisor.Guest: Katherine Mendez, MA, CCC-SLP, and Justine Springs, MA, CCC-SLPEarn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PDWatch on YouTubeIn this episode of First Bite, Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, FNAP, is joined by Katherine Mendez, MA, CCC-SLP, and Justine Springs, MA, CCC-SLP, from the University of Memphis to talk about the heart of clinical supervision and the important role supervisors play in shaping the next generation of speech-language pathologists. With honesty and humor, Katherine and Justine share what keeps them coming back to supervision year after year, the qualities that help make a great clinical educator, and how they navigate some of the challenging moments that come with supporting student clinicians.About the Guests: Justine Springs is a clinical instructor and former Co-Director of Clinical Education at the University of Memphis. Having held multiple positions at the university, she has always enjoyed working as a clinical educator. She has eight years of clinical supervision experience. Her passion lies in working clinically with graduate students and seeing their growth alongside the aphasia patients they serve together.Katherine Mendez is Co-Director of Clinical Education in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Memphis. Her clinical work focused on language, literacy, and executive function, but she is also passionate about clinician education. She began serving as a clinical educator as soon as she was eligible to after completing her CF, and she is now in her 12th year of supervising students. In her current role, she supports clinical faculty and off-site clinical educators in their efforts to provide high-quality, enriching, and inspiring clinical education experiences.Show Notes:Supervision in Practice CoursesAnderson J. L. (1988). The supervisory process in speech language pathology and audiology. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.Clinical Supervision in Speech-Language Pathology. (2026). ASHAWeb. https://www.asha.org/policy/tr2008-00296/McCrea, E.S. & Brasseur, J.A. (2019). The Clinical Education and Supervisory Process in Speech-Language Pathology.O’Connor, L. (2008). A Look at Supervision in the 21st Century. The ASHA Leader, 13(5), 14–18. https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.ftr2.13052008.14Supervision. (2026). ASHAWeb. https://www.asha.org/practice/supervision/Love Money Cause: University of Memphis NSSLHA

What looks like “bad” behavior might be learning in action.Guest: Mick Olds, OTR/LEarn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PDWatch on YoutubeIn this episode of The Gestalt Get-Together, host Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, talks with Mick Olds, OTR/L, known as “The Occuplaytional Therapist,” about schema play and the ways autistic children and gestalt language processors (GLPs) may use repeated patterns of play to learn about their world.Corinne and Mick discuss eight common play schemas: connecting, orienting, transporting, trajectory, positioning, enveloping, enclosing, and rotation. Through examples, Mick explains how behaviors that adults may view as challenging or “bad” can actually reflect a child experimenting with objects, cause and effect, movement, space, and their environment.The episode also looks at what these patterns can tell us about a child’s interests and development, and how recognizing schema play can help clinicians better understand and support a child’s play rather than redirecting it. Corinne and Mick connect these early play experiences to the development of skills children can build on throughout everyday life.About the Guest: Mick Olds, OTR/L, also known as “The Occuplaytional Therapist,” is an occupational therapist who shares every day with thousands of people online—parents, teachers, fellow professionals, and adults healing their own childhoods—about the power of play in children's lives. Mick has worked with kids in all kinds of settings: from rural Oklahoma, to an Air Force base in England, to their current home in Geelong, Victoria. Their experiences across different countries and systems give them a unique perspective on how healthcare and education shape childhood.Show Notes:Contact Corinne Zmoos: Instagram, LinkedIn, LinktreeContact Mick Olds: Instagram, The Occuplaytional TherapistWhat are play schemas and why do they matter?Schematic Driven Pedagogy (SDP): The Potential Impact for Autistic ChildrenPiaget’s Schema & Learning Theory: 3 Fascinating Experiments12 Important Early Childhood Play Schemas

The episode connects emerging research with clinical practice, offering SLPs and audiologists a deeper understanding of the factors that shape development in children who are deaf or hard of hearing and how this knowledge can inform more individualized, evidence-based support.Guests: Ryan McCreery, PhD, Beth Walker, PhD, CCC-A/SLP & Beth Heinrichs-Graham, PhDEarn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PDWatch on YouTubeIn this episode of School of Speech, Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Ryan McCreery, PhD, Beth Walker, PhD, CCC-A/SLP, and Beth Heinrichs-Graham, PhD, to discuss why language and cognitive development can vary so widely among children who are deaf or hard of hearing, even with access to early hearing detection and intervention. Drawing from recent research, the guests examine factors that may contribute to these individual differences, including auditory experience and variability in the neural patterns that support language and cognitive processes. They discuss what researchers are learning about the relationship between hearing, brain development, language, and cognition, and why looking beyond hearing access alone may help clinicians better understand each child's developmental trajectory.About the Guests: Ryan McCreery, PhD, is the Vice President of Research at Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. He also serves as a Senior Scientist and Director of the Audibility, Perception, and Cognition (APC) Lab.Beth Walker, PhD, CCC-A/SLP, is a Professor at the University of Iowa where she directs the Pediatric Audiology Lab. She investigates how limited access to sound affects the development of children with hearing loss by examining the consistency of auditory-linguistic input for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Strengthening collaboration to improve access, connection, and opportunities for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.Guests: Tena McNamara, AuD, CCC-A, Laura Parnell, AuD, CCC-A, and Kim Fiorentino, AuD, CCC-AEarn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PDWatch on YouTubeIn this live episode of First Bite, Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, FNAP, celebrates Educational Audiology Week with Tena McNamara, AuD, CCC-A, Laura Parnell, AuD, CCC-A, and Kim Fiorentino, AuD, CCC-A, for a joyful conversation about the power of collaboration in supporting children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Together, they explore how educational audiologists, SLPs, early intervention providers, educators, and families can work together to create strong, supportive pathways as children transition across settings.About the Guests: Dr. Tena McNamara is the coordinator of the Cultural and Informational Hearing Center in Peoria, IL. She retired as an associate professor from the Communication Disorders and Sciences Department at Eastern Illinois University and as an educational audiologist with the Special Education Association of Peoria County. She has been a practicing audiologist for over 40 years and has held dual certification in speech-language pathology for 33 years.Laura Parnell, AuD, CCC-A, is an educational audiologist at the University of Texas at Dallas Callier Center for Communication Disorders. She is a contracted services provider for the Plano Regional Day School Program for the Deaf, which serves deaf and hard of hearing students in a center-based program. She coordinates Educational Audiology Awareness Week for the Educational Audiology Association.Kim Fiorentino, AuD, CCC-A, is the Implantable Device Program Coordinator at the University of Texas at Dallas Callier Center for Communication Disorders. She provides comprehensive audiological care for children who use cochlear implants and bone anchored hearing devices.Show Notes:Educational Audiology Association: www.edaud.orgPractice Standards & ResourcesIEPs, 504s & School LawEarly Hearing Detection & Intervention Pediatric Audiology Links to ServicesAmerican Board of Audiology: Certificate Holder—Educational Audiology® (CH-EdAud)www.infanthearing.orgLove Money Cause: Support EAA