School of Speech

What's an Error Anyway? Reframing Persistent Speech Patterns

What counts as a “speech error,” and who gets to decide? Guests: Dr. Philip Combiths, PhD, CCC-SLP; Dr. Naomi Rodgers, PhD, CCC-SLP; Dr. Rick Arenas, PhD; Dr. Carlos Irizarry Pérez, PhD, CCC-SLP; Jessica Nico, MA, CCC-SLP, TSSLD, ASD-CS & Matt Phillips, MA, CCC-SLP Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD [https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/persistent-speech] Watch on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJNJsCPmXTk] The guests share what led them to question traditional, deficit-based labels and how their collaboration developed through shared interests in neurodiversity and lived experience. Drawing from ongoing interviews with adults with PSPs, they bring forward perspectives that are often missing from clinical decision-making and challenge long-held assumptions about what needs to change and why. About the Guests: Dr. Naomi Rodgers, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an assistant professor at the University Iowa. Her interdisciplinary, trauma-informed program of research centers on the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of stuttering experiences and therapy. Dr. Rick Arenas, PhD, is an associate professor at the University of New Mexico. His primary area of research is developmental stuttering. In his early career he focused on the neurobiological mechanisms involved in the variability of stuttering across contexts. Jessica Nico, MA, CCC-SLP, TSSLD, ASD-CS, is a New York and New Mexico–licensed pediatric speech-language pathologist with a decade of experience serving children and their families in clinic, school-, and home-based settings. Dr. Philip Combiths, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Iowa and Director of the Clinical Linguistics and Disparities Lab. Dr. Carlos Irizarry Pérez, PhD, CCC-SLP (he/his), is an Assistant Professor in the University of New Mexico’s Speech and Hearing Sciences Department. He received his PhD in Communication Disorders from the University of Texas at Austin. Matt Phillips, MA, CCC-SLP, is a person who stutters, a speech therapist, and a PhD student at Michigan State University. He is passionate about helping kids, teens, and adults who stutter become more confident and joyful communicators, which he does through his work at the Sisskin Stuttering Center using an Avoidance Reduction Therapy for Stuttering (ARTS®) framework.

Making Confident Caseload Decisions with Julia Yi

When is it appropriate to continue services, and when is it time to dismiss? Guest: Julia Yi, PhD, CCC-SLP Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD [https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/continue-or-dismiss] Watch on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoT2ZtCQocw] In this episode of School of Speech: Continue or Dismiss: Making Confident Caseload Decisions, Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Julia Yi, PhD, CCC-SLP, to tackle one of the most complex questions school-based SLPs face. Together, they unpack what ASHA and IDEA actually say about eligibility and dismissal, moving beyond surface-level guidance to examine how these decisions play out in real school settings. The conversation also explores the nationwide shift away from the speech or language impairment category as students get older, and what that means for caseloads, service delivery, and student support. About the Guest: Dr. Julia Yi is an Assistant Professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions’ Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in Boston, MA. She teaches courses in the MS SLP program on developmental language and literacy, evidence-based practice, and teaching English learners. Her research broadly focuses on adolescent language and literacy.

Demystifying Developmental Language Disorder - Part 2 with Wendy & Diane

Through a practical, school-based lens, this discussion helps you connect the DLD framework to real-world clinical practice so you can better identify needs, set meaningful goals, and support students as those demands grow more complex. Guest: Wendy Morgan MS, CCC-SLP & Diane Ogiela PHD, CCC-SLP Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD [https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/demystifying-dld-pt2] Watch on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x21LzJJ_Ju0] In this episode of School of Speech, Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Diane Ogiela, PhD, CCC-SLP, and Wendy Morgan, MS, CCC-SLP, to continue the conversation on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), a common yet often under-identified condition that impacts spoken language, literacy, and academic success across the lifespan. Building on Part 1, this episode focuses on how the profile of children with DLD evolves over time and what that means for your clinical decision-making. You’ll explore how language demands shift as children move through school and how to adjust your assessment and intervention to better support social communication, classroom participation, and academic outcomes. Show Notes: ASHA Letter [https://www.asha.org/siteassets/advocacy/comments/asha-letter-to-department-of-education-about-dld-012423.pdf]

Demystifying Developmental Language Disorder - Part 1 with Wendy & Diane

You will come away with a clearer understanding of how to identify DLD, advocate for appropriate supports, and integrate this framework into your clinical decision-making to better serve students in your care. Guests: Wendy Morgan, MS, CCC-SLP & Diane Ogiela, PHD, CCC-SLP Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD [https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/demystifying-dld-pt1] Watch on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDONF2Jl3uc] Developmental Language Disorder, or DLD, affects far more students than many clinicians realize, yet it often goes unidentified or misunderstood in school settings. In this episode, we break down what DLD is, why the terminology matters, and how it impacts spoken language, literacy, and academic success across the school years and beyond. Host Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Diane Ogiela, PhD, CCC-SLP, and Wendy Morgan, MS, CCC-SLP for a practical, school-based look at how DLD fits within existing educational frameworks. Together, they unpack how this diagnostic label aligns with eligibility criteria, service delivery, and compliance requirements in real-world settings. Show Notes: How We Fail Children with Developmental Language Disorder [https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2020_LSHSS-20-00003]

Rethinking Service Delivery in Schools with Janine Benner & Abbie Keibler

If you're feeling stretched thin by a growing caseload, this episode offers a clearer framework for understanding workload and practical ideas you can start using right away. Guests: Janine Benner, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, ASDCS & Abbie Keibler, MA, CCC-SLP Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD [https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/rethinking-service-delivery] Watch on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXjpm6qqG9w] From Caseload to Workload: Rethinking Service Delivery in Schools. Over the course of the conversation, they explore the difference between caseload- and workload-based service delivery and why a simple student count rarely reflects the full scope of what school SLPs actually do. From evaluations and documentation to collaboration and compliance, these responsibilities highlight the many that often go unseen in traditional caseload models. About the Guests: Janine Benner is a speech-language pathologist with 33 years of experience, including 26 years in pediatric settings. She is a Board-Certified Specialist in Child Language, credentialed by the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders (ABCLL), with a focus on autism and early intervention and a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS). Abbie Keibler is in her 19th year as a speech-language pathologist at Mississippi Bend AEA in Bettendorf, Iowa. She serves the preschool and elementary population. Abbie is the department lead for 57 SLPs and is the co-State Speech Lead for the Iowa AEA System. Abbie is an adjunct instructor at St Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, and has a special interest in comprehensive literacy for complex communicators and AAC. Show Notes: Speech Therapy PD On-Demand course referred to inside the episode [https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/caseload-to-workload]