Breakout Session Details

Presenter disclosures are available through a link located on the CE Credits page.

AI as Assistive Technology: Practical Supports for Neurodiverse Learners

Joan Green, MA, CCC-SLP

Educational therapists are uniquely positioned to guide neurodiverse learners in harnessing AI as a powerful, accessible layer of assistive technology, practically, ethically, and with student agency at the center. As AI becomes embedded in academic and professional life, helping students use it skillfully and responsibly is itself a future-ready skill. This session explores how AI tools can support students with dyslexia, ADHD, executive functioning challenges, language-based learning differences, and writing difficulties across key areas: reading comprehension, written expression, planning, notetaking, studying, task initiation, and self-advocacy. Participants will explore real student scenarios that illuminate key AI tools and features grounded in Universal Design for Learning principles. They will leave with concrete strategies for matching learner needs to the right supports and teaching students to use them responsibly, independently, and without sacrificing critical thinking.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Identify at least 4 AI tools that align with the IDEA definition of assistive technology and describe how each can support neurodiverse learners with specific challenges, including dyslexia, ADHD, executive functioning deficits, auditory processing difficulties, and language-based learning differences.
  • Match at least 4 AI-supported strategies to individual learner profiles across key skill areas including reading comprehension, written expression, notetaking, planning, studying, task initiation, and self-advocacy, using student scenarios as a guide for implementation.
  • Apply a practical decision-making framework for evaluating AI tools based on accessibility, data privacy, and ethical use, and explain how to communicate responsible AI practices to students, families, and school teams.
  • Articulate how teaching students to use AI tools skillfully and independently supports learner agency and prepares neurodiverse students for academic, workplace, and lifelong learning environments increasingly shaped by AI.

Joan L. Green, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist, assistive technology specialist, and founder of Innovative Speech Therapy. A nationally recognized speaker and course creator with nearly 40 years of experience, she authored Assistive Technology in Special Education (3rd ed.) and specializes in helping students, neurodiverse learners, and individuals across the lifespan utilize everyday technology and AI to enhance communication, learning, and independence. Joan also delivers professional development and leads the Tech Life Inner Circle membership community.

Rethinking Resistance: Understanding and Supporting Demand-Avoidant Learners

Kim Palmer, MA, MS

This session introduces educators to Pervasive Demand Avoidance (PDA), also known as a Pervasive Drive for Autonomy, a profile characterized by an intense need for control and resistance to everyday demands. Participants will explore how PDA differs from other neurodivergent presentations and how these differences can impact behavior, learning, and relationships in school settings. The presentation will highlight common misconceptions and reframe “avoidance” as a stress response linked to anxiety and autonomy needs. Attendees will leave with practical, strength-based strategies to reduce demand-related distress, build trust, and create more flexible, responsive learning environments that better support student engagement and success.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the characteristics of the Pervasive Demand Avoidance profile.
  • Apply strength-based, regulation-focused strategies to create supportive learning environments that reduce demand-related distress and improve educational engagement for learners with a PDA profile.
  • Design and implement their own autonomy-supportive instructional approaches for students with a PDA profile.

Kim Palmer is a dedicated educator with a career rooted in general education before transitioning in 2020 to exclusively supporting neurodivergent learners. Since 2024, she has specialized in working with individuals with autism and ADHD, providing educational support, parent consultations, and social skills development. In addition to her direct work with learners, Kim designs and delivers professional development programs that equip educators with practical strategies to better understand and support students with diverse neurological profiles.

Neuro Constructs & Learning Profiles: Utilizing Neurodevelopmental Constructs to Understand and Support Learning and Learners

Jose Chavez, EdD, BCET, ADHD-CE
Paul Yellin, MD, FAAP
Kim Carter, MA

Explore the vital role of neurodevelopmental frameworks in understanding individual learning profiles. Unlike traditional methods, this approach examines underlying factors like attention, memory, and language, which are crucial to educational success. By utilizing the All Kinds of Minds Learning® Framework, educational therapists gain a structured way to assess cognitive functions and environmental influences, forming a holistic understanding of student needs. This presentation will offer interactive activities, vignettes, and explicit instruction to effectively deliver the message, ensuring participants gain a practical understanding of the framework. This comprehensive approach empowers educational therapists to develop personalized strategies that leverage cognitive strengths and address challenges. By focusing on these constructs, the framework aims to foster balanced, effective educational outcomes and enhance student autonomy and academic performance.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Identify and describe the key components of the neurodevelopmental framework and how they contribute to understanding learning and learners.
  • Describe the processes for analyzing and evaluating cognitive functions, such as attention, memory, and language, that are essential for educational success, using the All Kinds of Minds Learning Framework.
  • Integrate a neurodevelopmental approach into their practice as educational therapists or interventionists in allied fields.

Dr. José M. Chávez has been an educational therapist since 2012. He currently serves as the Educational Therapy Program Advisor and Coordinator and Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at California State University, Northridge. In this role, he teaches in the CSUN Educational Therapy Graduate Program. Additionally, Dr. Chávez oversees and provides technical and operational support to the Education Department at the Kaiser Permanente Watts Counseling and Learning Center, which offers free educational therapy services to families in Watts and the South Los Angeles community.

Dr. Paul B. Yellin is the founding Director of The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education in NYC, founded in 2007 to advance learning assessment models. Previously, he was National Director at All Kinds of Minds Institute. He is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Yellin has played active roles in the American Academy of Pediatrics, serving as NYC Chapter President. A neonatologist by training, he transitioned to learning and assessment influenced by personal experiences. Dr. Yellin holds degrees from Princeton University and the NYU School of Medicine.

Kim Carter is the founder and executive director of the Q.E.D. Foundation, promoting learner-centered systems and student empowerment. With 40+ years in education redesign, she has co-created learning communities and helped launch four schools, significantly impacting New Hampshire’s competency-based graduation movement. Recognized as New Hampshire Teacher of the Year (1991) and Leader of the Year (2021), Kim holds a master’s degree from the University of Arizona. Her work emphasizes student agency, equity, and community collaboration.

Forging a Therapeutic Alliance with Students with ADHD and Autism: Case Studies

Allison Mages

The center of educational therapy is rapport, but building rapport with clients with autism, ADHD, or both can feel especially challenging. Using case studies, we will explore strategies for rapport-building that apply across academic subject matter, including techniques for informal observation, effectively utilizing client interests, finding an inroad to empathy with a client, and respecting a client’s autonomy while getting work done. In so doing, we will uncover often overlooked aspects of autism and ADHD that bear strongly on academic work. We will see how the twin processes of understanding and connecting with clients reinforce each other to facilitate the development of a therapeutic educational approach.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Explain the central role of the therapeutic alliance in educational therapy.
  • Formulate clear, empathic hypotheses about clients with ADHD or those on the autism spectrum.
  • Apply strategies to connect with clients with ADHD or those on the autism spectrum.

Allison Mages is a teacher and educational therapist who holds a Certificate in Educational Therapy from UCSC Silicon Valley Extension. She has 14 years of experience helping neurodivergent students in subjects ranging from literacy to higher math. Herself ADHD and autistic, Allison has always specialized in autism and ADHD in her private educational therapy practice, one-on-one teaching at Headlands Preparatory School, and role as Program Manager of Education at Autistry Studios (a day program for teens and adults on the autism spectrum).

What is Subitizing and Why (and How) Should We Teach It?

Cristina Post, EdM, ET/P

Subitizing refers to the ability to directly perceive how many items are in a mathematical group, both on a perceptual level and a conceptual level. Deficits in subitizing skill can be associated with dyscalculia, as well as impairments in both counting ability and additive thinking. Conceptual subitizing can be taught, and mastery of this foundational skill can lead to improved facility with math fact fluency and the progression of mathematical reasoning. In this presentation, we will discuss several ways to assess subitizing skill and multiple ways to intervene, both in person and online.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Define both perceptual and conceptual subitizing.
  • Identify at least two ways that subitizing skill can improve math outcomes.
  • Assess baseline subitizing ability.
  • Intervene to improve subitizing ability using at least three games or activities, whether online or in person with a student.

Cristina Post, EdM, ET/P has a degree in Mind, Brain, and Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education, where her research focused on the cognitive effects of math anxiety on learning. She is an educational therapist, public speaker, and an experienced math and science teacher, having taught every grade from K-12, as well as a graduate-level course in Universal Design for Learning with CAST.org.

From Stigma to Support: ADHD Conversations with First-Gen Families

Lizzett Cuervo-Losas, MA Ed, Certified TOSD

Many first-generation and culturally diverse families experience ADHD through the lens of stigma, misinterpretation, and school-system mistrust. This session equips educational therapists and allied professionals with culturally responsive, evidence-informed ways to discuss ADHD and executive function without blame or shame. Participants will learn a practical conversation framework to build trust, translate executive function challenges into accessible language, and collaborate with schools to support follow-through at home and in the classroom. Through brief case scenarios and guided practice, attendees will leave with ready-to-use scripts, a family-centered intake lens, and a simple home-school support plan that strengthens routines, time management, and student self-advocacy while honoring culture and family values.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Describe at least three cultural or systemic factors (e.g., stigma, language access, school mistrust) that can delay ADHD identification and support in first-generation families.
  • Demonstrate a stigma-reducing conversation approach by drafting two culturally responsive statements using the “Validate Values → Translate EF → Offer Choices” framework.
  • Develop a one-page home-school support plan that includes routines and strategies targeting time awareness, organization, task initiation, and emotional regulation.

Lizzett Cuervo-Losas, MA Ed, is a bilingual executive function specialist and coach and a former special education teacher with 15 years of experience in a Title I public school district. She founded Chispa Consulting LLC (NJ-certified MWBE), providing evidence-informed trainings and coaching on ADHD, executive function, and time management. She is also a co-founder of CircleMatch (a 501(c)(3) organization) and develops community engagement and executive function curriculum for parents and students in partner school districts, using practical, culturally responsive strategies.

Clinical Interviewing in Math

Amy Anderson, MEd

During this presentation, participants will learn what a clinical interview is and the history of its use in both psychology and mathematics. Brief video examples will illustrate the benefits and challenges of conducting a clinical interview with a student in mathematics, as well as the structure and steps involved in the process. The presentation will also provide examples of specific feedback to give during and after the interview, and a sample set of mathematics questions to ask your student during the session.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Define a clinical interview in mathematics and describe its essential components.
  • Explain the benefits and challenges of clinical interviewing in mathematics.
  • Design a clinical interview in mathematics: prepare a list of questions, structure the testing environment, and orient the student.
  • Evaluate student responses during the clinical interview in mathematics to identify misconceptions and to further inform instructional decisions.

Amy Anderson is an experienced former classroom teacher and current educational therapist specializing in supporting neurodiverse students in math through individualized intervention. Amy meets her students where they are and respects them as experts in their learning. In recent years, she has collaborated with Katherine E. Lewis, PhD, on research exploring instructional practices effective for students with dyscalculia. This work culminated in the publication of Exploring Dyscalculia: Learning from and Supporting Students, co-authored by Katherine Lewis, Amy Anderson, and Dylan Lynn, published by Corwin in August 2026.

Beyond Conversation: Developmental Classroom Observations for Educational Therapists

Jess Durrett-Hansher, MEd, ET/P

Educational therapists are trained to understand individual learners in depth, yet the classrooms where those learners spend most of their time are often observed only superficially or through a third party, if at all. This session introduces a developmental framework for classroom observation that moves beyond instructional evaluation to examine the full developmental landscape of a room: how the child is regulating, processing language, accessing the physical environment, and signaling needs that standardized assessments cannot capture. Drawing on nearly two decades of multidisciplinary educational training and school consulting experience, participants will leave with concrete observation tools, real case examples, and a framework for strengthening their role as case managers and school partners.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Distinguish between an instructional observation framework and a developmental observation framework and articulate why that distinction matters for educational therapy case management and school partnership.
  • Apply a multi-domain developmental observation framework to identify regulatory, motor, sensory, and language processing indicators across classroom settings and developmental levels.
  • Translate developmental classroom observation findings into concrete recommendations for learning plans, school partnership conversations, and family communication.
  • Analyze cases using the developmental observation framework to identify environmental modifications and supports that increase student access to learning.

Jess Durrett-Hansher is an educational therapist, school consultant, and founder of Down the Road Education, serving students and schools. With nearly two decades of educational experience across New York City, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Sacramento, and Milwaukee, she specializes in developmental classroom observation, multidisciplinary learning support, and whole-child school consulting. A former therapeutic teacher at The Parkside School and adjunct instructor at Bank Street College of Education, she currently serves as co-chair of the AET Conference Committee.

Expand Your Toolkit: Utilizing Laws Behind IEPs and 504 Plans

Ellen Chestnut, JD

This presentation is not designed to turn you into lawyers, but to strengthen your ability to recognize “hmm” moments. ‘Hmms’ can start prior to a student even being identified as needing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. If a student attends private school, who writes the IEP or Section 504 Plan? Does a public school have the responsibility to assess/evaluate a student attending private school? When should the public school pay for a private evaluation/assessment? Further, what in the world is the difference between an IEP and a Section 504 Plan? Does it really matter? Lastly, what does it mean to say a student is being discriminated against based on disability? Participants will leave with a clearer framework for collaborative, informed advocacy.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Identify junctures during the advocacy process where special education law may assist everyone's understanding of the situation at hand.
  • Utilize legal concepts in your advocacy efforts to improve student outcomes.
  • Collaborate knowing the 'whys' behind the 'hows'.

Ellen Chestnut's approach to special education law was influenced by a family member's struggle with a debilitating disease. When her sister was diagnosed with polio at age two, she saw what exclusion looked like. That experience shaped her path. For 30+ years, she has practiced special education law and partnered with families, educators, tribes, and communities to advance equitable education for children/adults with disabilities in schools.

Picture Book Read Alouds/Stories That Stick: Using Picture Books to Engage Reluctant Learners

Amanda Lepore, MS, ET/P

Picture books are a powerful, often underutilized tool for engaging reluctant learners across ages and ability levels. In this interactive session, educational therapists will learn how to use picture book read-alouds to create meaningful, low-pressure entry points into literacy and content learning. Through modeling with three carefully selected texts, participants will explore how to extend reading into purposeful, skill-building activities that support comprehension, expression, and critical thinking. Strategies are adaptable for individual, small group, and classroom settings, and are effective for students with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, intellectual disabilities, and socio-emotional challenges. Emphasis will be placed on practical application, with participants leaving equipped with ready-to-use lesson ideas, resources, and frameworks to immediately implement in their own practices.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Explain how interactive read-aloud strategies using picture books increase engagement and support comprehension for students with disabilities.
  • Explain the role of dialogic reading and structured facilitation in supporting meaning-making during picture book instruction.
  • Develop instructional frameworks that extend picture book read-alouds into other academic activities, such as writing, research, and critical thinking tasks.

Amanda Lepore is the founder and executive director of Evergreen Educational Therapy and an educational therapist/professional with over a decade of experience. She works closely with students facing school refusal, ADHD, and executive functioning challenges, providing individualized support and practical strategies. Amanda specializes in helping students transition from treatment programs back to school and partners with families to navigate the 504 and IEP process while building skills for long-term academic success.

Accommodations in Higher Education: How to Support the Transition to College

Emily Figueroa, MEd
Kara Scanlon, MEd, BCET, CPC

As educational therapists, we strive to enable our students to advocate for themselves and develop an awareness of their strengths and resources. During the transition to college, students are challenged to continue their academic journey at a school that is best for them. This presentation will provide actionable steps and resources to help your clients best prepare for the transition. The seven key factors students must consider when developing a college list will be explained. We will also clarify the key differences between accommodations in K-12 schools versus higher education. Participants will walk away with templates to use in their sessions to empower each client to achieve a successful college experience.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast K–12 and higher education disability laws (IDEA vs. ADA/Section 504) and explain how their differences impact the delivery of accommodations and student responsibilities.
  • Identify and assess at least five key factors (e.g., disability services offices, campus accessibility, academic supports) when helping students prepare for their transition to college.
  • Implement at least three evidence-based strategies and tools (e.g., reflection templates, communication scripts, accommodation request processes) to support students in developing self-advocacy and navigating the transition to college.

Emily Figueroa (Ms. Figgy) is an educational therapist and credentialed California teacher with experience supporting diverse learners across the Bay Area, Central Valley, and Los Angeles. She holds degrees from New York University and George Washington University and a teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University. Emily earned a College Counseling Certificate from UCLA Extension and is completing training in the Educational Therapy Certificate Program at UC Santa Cruz. Her work focuses on preparing students with learning differences for successful transitions to four-year universities.

Kara Scanlon holds a master’s degree in education with a certificate in Educational Therapy from Holy Names University. She is a Board Certified Educational Therapist through the Association of Educational Therapists and a member of the AET Board. A graduate of the University of San Francisco, Kara earned degrees in both Physics and Math. She opened her private practice in 2013, where she specializes in STEM educational instruction and executive functioning skills for middle school, high school, and college students, as well as adults who are neurodivergent.

Comparing Speech-to-Print and Print-to-Speech Approaches: Implications for Language-Based Literacy Interventions

Amy Brummel, SLPD, CCC-SLP/L, BCS-CL
Kassidy Hanson, CCC-SLP/L

Despite the importance of effective reading instruction for students with language and literacy disorders, uncertainty remains regarding which instructional model best supports reading outcomes. Following identification, interventionists must develop treatment plans that align with both reading development and the underlying language domains. This session examines two prominent frameworks, speech-to-print and print-to-speech, and their implications for literacy treatment. Evidence-based intervention strategies targeting phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, and orthography will be presented for each model. A clinical case will be used to demonstrate individualized, data-driven decision-making in selecting the most appropriate framework. Participants will leave with immediately applicable guidelines for planning and implementing evidence-based literacy intervention to support improved reading outcomes across clinical and educational settings.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Differentiate key features of speech-to-print and print-to-speech frameworks for literacy instruction.
  • Apply language-based assessment data (phonology, orthography, morphology, semantics, and syntax) to select appropriate instructional entry points for students with literacy difficulties.
  • Implement evidence-based intervention activities aligned with speech-to-print and print-to-speech frameworks to support reading, spelling, and written language outcomes.
  • Analyze a clinical case to explain how language domains guide the selection and implementation of speech-to-print or print-to-speech intervention activities.

Dr. Amy K. Brummel is a speech-language pathologist and literacy specialist with over 25 years of experience in pediatric practice, education, and research. She is the founder of Amy’s Academics: Speech, Language, and Literacy and a clinical faculty member at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Brummel specializes in language-based reading disorders, including dyslexia, and develops evidence-based interventions to support reading automaticity, bridging research, clinical practice, and educational outcomes.

Kassidy Hansen, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist specializing in pediatric language and literacy development. She provides evidence-based assessment and intervention for children with speech, language, and reading disorders, with a particular focus on early literacy and school-age populations. Kassidy is committed to individualized, language-based treatment that supports academic success. She collaborates closely with families, educators, and interdisciplinary teams to promote functional communication and meaningful educational outcomes.

Listening is Not a Behavior You Can See: A Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach

Elizabeth Sautter, MA, CCC-SLP

It’s time to shift from compliance to regulation and embrace the fact that all brains and bodies listen and learn differently. “Listen to me! Look at me when I’m talking to you! Sit still!” These common phrases reflect an outdated and harmful view of listening—one rooted in performance and conformity. The Whole Body Listening (WBL) model reinforced this limiting standard by prescribing one “right” way to show attention. However, insights from the neurodivergent community have revealed the ableism and exclusion embedded in this model. Listening is not a behavior we can always see—it’s an internal experience supported by regulation, connection, and safety. In this session, we’ll explore the origins of WBL, the unintended harm it has caused, and learn how we can reframe listening in a more inclusive and supportive way. You’ll leave with practical, neurodiversity-affirming tools and strategies for classrooms and homes that promote true engagement and connection for all learners.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Reframe traditional, compliance-based definitions of listening by introducing a neurodiversity-affirming model rooted in regulation and authentic engagement.
  • Explain the origins and evolution of the Whole Body Listening model, including shifts based on insights from the neurodivergent community.
  • Describe inclusive, regulation-supportive strategies to foster processing, comprehension, and meaningful participation across settings.

Elizabeth Sautter, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist, author, trainer, and social-emotional learning coach with 30 years of experience supporting neurodivergent individuals and their families. She is the author of Make Social and Emotional Learning Stick, co-founder of The Connected Family Community, and a collaborator with The Zones of Regulation® and Everyday Regulation. As a neurodivergent adult and parent of two neurodivergent boys, Elizabeth combines professional expertise with lived experience to offer practical, neurodiversity-affirming strategies that support emotional regulation, executive functioning, and communication through everyday routines.

 

Have You Ever Tried? Brought to You Live! Self-Care Edition

Moderated by:
Bonnie Massimino, MEd, BCET

Not for ASHA CEUs.

Empowering the Whole Family: Partnering with Parents of Neurodivergent Learners

Caroline Towery, MEd, BCET

Educational therapists play a pivotal role not only in supporting students, but also in guiding parents who often feel overwhelmed, isolated, and unsure how to help. This presentation explores how to build collaborative, trusting partnerships with parents, turning them into allies and advocates in their child’s learning journey. Attendees will leave with practical frameworks, conversation tools, and boundary-setting strategies to foster family empowerment.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Identify and describe common emotional and behavioral responses parents may experience following a child’s diagnosis or ongoing learning challenges, including grief, stress, and advocacy fatigue, and explain how these factors influence collaboration.
  • Apply the Parent Partnership Pyramid framework to assess where parents are in the partnership process (Awareness, Collaboration, or Empowerment) and tailor communication and support strategies accordingly.
  • Demonstrate practical advocacy coaching strategies that help parents prepare for school meetings, communicate effectively with educators, and build long-term confidence navigating educational systems.
  • Implement clear boundary-setting practices that support sustainable, ethical, and effective partnerships with families.

Caroline Towery is a Board Certified Educational Therapist with over 15 years of experience and the founder/director of the Adapted Learning Center in Larkspur, CA. She also founded the Marin Parents Education Group and has expertise in bridging educational therapy support for the student with parent support and collaboration. Caroline works closely with parents to build effective home-school partnerships and empower them as informed advocates for their children.

Beyond the Session: Making Collaboration Work

Moderator:
Lori Dver, Moderator
Panelists:
Kaye Ragland
Erin White

Real collaboration is crucial in educational therapy, but it is sometimes challenging to achieve. To ensure this panel reflects what practitioners face day-to-day, we built every question around feedback from our June 2026 AET member survey. Instead of talking about best-case scenarios, we will focus on real experiences and common obstacles—like handling unresponsive school teams, figuring out how to bill for collaboration time, finding your footing alongside other specialists, and managing consent with young adult clients. Our panelists will share practical strategies from their own work, and you will have space to reflect on your own practice and build stronger connections to support your clients and families.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Describe at least three evidence-informed strategies for initiating and sustaining collaborative relationships with teachers, allied professionals, and school personnel.
  • Explain how to structure a fee or billing approach for collaboration time and communicate it clearly to families.
  • Demonstrate the use of at least one communication strategy for navigating a common collaboration barrier, such as an unresponsive school, conflicting professional recommendations, or limited parent buy-in.
  • Compare their own collaborative practices to the success factors identified during the panel discussion to inform areas for continued professional development.

 

Regulation Before Education: Accessing the Learning Brain Through CALM

David Palmer, EdD

Traditional, compliance-based behavior management models frequently fall short when applied to neurodivergent learners. In high-intensity therapeutic environments, educational therapists need tools that address the nervous system to truly access the learning brain. This workshop introduces the "Rewire the Response" framework, emphasizing that connection must precede academic intervention. Participants will move beyond standard behavioral charts and explore the 6 E’s of regulation—Embrace, Engage, Enhance, Equip, Empower, Embody. Furthermore, the presenter will demonstrate how to implement the C.A.L.M. protocol, a physiological intervention strategy designed to transition students from a state of survival into a state of active engagement. Attendees will leave equipped with actionable, connection-based techniques to stabilize their sessions and foster authentic educational growth.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Explain the six developmental stages of the "Rewire the Response" framework (the 6 E's) to establish physiological stability before introducing academic demands.
  • Contrast traditional, compliance-based behavior interventions with connection-first approaches when supporting neurodivergent students experiencing a threat response.
  • Apply the C.A.L.M. protocol as an immediate, in-the-moment physiological intervention to transition a student from dysregulation back to active learning.

David A. Palmer, EdD, is an educational consultant and creator of the "Rewire the Response" framework. With extensive experience in school psychology and neurodevelopment, Dr. Palmer specializes in emotional regulation and physiological interventions for neurodivergent learners. He is a co-author of Building Bridges and a TEDx speaker. His work focuses on moving from compliance-based behavior models to connection-based regulation strategies that support both educators and families in high-intensity environments.

Invisible Challenges, Visible Voices: Motivating Learners Through Student-Centered Assessment

Diane Montgomery, PhD, ET/P
Melissa Bishop, PhD

Students with invisible learning challenges are often overlooked or mislabeled as unmotivated, careless, or disengaged. When difficulties such as anxiety, executive functioning struggles, attention differences, or learning disabilities remain unseen, support is often prolonged and confidence declines. Compounding this issue, educators are asked to meet diverse needs with less time, making time a matter of equity. This presentation explores how student-centered holistic assessment can surface hidden barriers while addressing temporal constraints. When students identify their strengths, challenges, and effective supports, they become active partners in learning. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this session offers practical tools that foster autonomy, competence, and belonging while improving intake, intervention planning, and learner engagement across academic settings.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Identify realistic approaches for reclaiming time as a tool for learner success, especially in reading, writing, math, executive functioning, and study skills intervention.
  • Apply ready-to-use strategies for integrating student voice into intake processes, progress monitoring, and intervention planning across reading, writing, math, and study skills contexts.
  • Transform “unmotivated” learners into empowered students who better understand themselves and are more willing to engage in growth.

Dr. Diane Montgomery is an educational therapist and sessional instructor teaching inclusive education practices to pre-service and in-service educators. She helps students understand how they learn, so they want to learn. Her research interests include inclusive education, assessments, and educational leadership. Dr. Montgomery instilled a theory-to-practice approach to develop a holistic student-directed online assessment tool that helps teachers identify and support the diverse needs of students in inclusive classrooms while increasing student motivation.

Melissa Bishop, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Cape Breton University and former elementary and kindergarten teacher. Her research explores educator identity, curriculum as lived experience, and rural teaching contexts. Her recent work examined geographic disparities affecting Early Childhood Educators in Atlantic Canada through collaborative dialogue and reflection. She aims to bridge theory and practice by centering educators’ voices. Her research interests include early childhood education, literacy, play-based pedagogies, and reflexive inquiry.

The Neuropsychology of Learning Disabilities and Elevated Anxiety: From Negative to Positive Interactions toward a Positive Cycle

Charles A. Ahern, PhD

Educational therapists have reported a significant surge in both the frequency and intensity of anxiety symptoms among students with learning disabilities. This presentation offers a neuropsychological framework for understanding the spiral in which processing deficits and anxiety exacerbate one another. At the heart of the spiral is the student’s phenomenological experience of being overwhelmed. For a student with a learning disability, the onset occurs the moment processing demand exceeds their processing capacity—the functional sum of their attentional resources and working memory. Accordingly, the most profound intervention an educational therapist can provide is the lived experience of stress-free learning. The ET’s objective is to facilitate conditions in which the processing demand on a student is never overwhelming.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Design low-stress learning episodes that deliberately minimize processing demand, providing the student with a vital baseline of calm that can be systematically extended into more complex tasks.
  • Educate parents on the "dual-processing bottleneck," shifting their perspective from viewing the child as unmotivated to understanding the child as prone to being neurologically overtaxed.
  • Advocate for instructional modifications that prioritize the integrity of the student’s processing capacity, ensuring school accommodations target the root of processing overload.
  • Translate the student’s internal experience of overwhelm into a coherent neuropsychological narrative that can be shared with the student to reduce self-blame, build self-advocacy, and lower anxiety.

Dr. Ahern is a neuropsychologist with over 30 years of experience in providing neuropsychological assessments and learning interventions. He trained in neuropsychology at Wake Forest Medical School and completed his postdoctoral training at the UCSF Medical Center, then joined the staff there. Prior to 2023, Dr. Ahern served on the faculty of the Holy Names University Educational Therapist Program. His publications include the book Beyond Individual Differences (Springer, 2011).