Breakout Session Details

Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: A Powerful Force for Effective Teaching

7:30am - 9:00am / 9:15am - 10:45am PT
KEYNOTE: Nancy Mather, PhD

This session will focus on reading and spelling development and how instructional methods must align with recommendations from research in the context of the student’s specific developmental level. Examples of instructional methods designed to help students improve phonological awareness skills, reading decoding, spelling, and reading fluency will be presented.

In addition, the session will provide resources for technology applications that facilitate reading instruction. A key takeaway is the importance of enhancing classroom teacher knowledge of evidence-based reading instruction.

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

• Identify the four phases of sight word learning.
• Define and explain the differences among phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics.
• Explain how orthographic mapping can enhance word identification skills.
• Differentiate between spelling errors that result from poor phonological awareness and those that result from poor orthographic processing.
• Identify the most effective procedures for improving reading fluency.

Dr. Mather is a Professor Emerita at the University of Arizona in the Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies, specializing in reading, writing, and learning disabilities. She has conducted numerous workshops and presentations nationally and internationally on assessment, instruction, and issues affecting service delivery for individuals with learning disabilities. Dr. Mather is co-author, along with Dr. Fredrick A. Schrank and Dr. Kevin S. McGrew, of the Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities, co-author of Woodcock-Johnson IV: Recommendations, Reports, and Strategies, Essentials of WJ IV Tests of Achievement Assessment, and Essentials of Dyslexia: Assessment and Intervention.

Disclosure: Pending

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Could You Publish?

11:30am - 1:00pm PT
Marion Marshall, MS, BCET, FAET; Marci Peterson, MEd, BCET, C-SLDS; and Bonnie Massimino, MEd, BCET

"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." --Toni Morrison

Publishing work by educational therapists is critical to advancing and promoting the field of educational therapy. As professionals, we are responsible for sharing our expertise with peers and clients and mentoring those entering our field.

Participate in this panel discussion with three highly experienced, Board Certified Educational Therapists who have recently published books. The panel’s authors will discuss: 1) why they wrote their books; 2) their motivation(s) for publishing; 3) the intended audience; 4) their writing process; and 4) current research underpinning their work. Each author’s self-discoveries and insights into the publishing world will be shared and contrasted. This panel aims to inform and inspire you about writing and publishing. The panelists will present information about what and where you might publish. Perhaps a book is not the best medium for your work. Other professional possibilities exist. Let us help you explore them and take your first steps into successful publishing.

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

• Describe their motivation for sharing their work.
• Explain the importance of including relevant and current research on their topic in the publication.
• Develop an action plan for beginning the process of writing.
• Identify publishing venues that reach their intended audience.

Marion Marshall, a Board Certified Educational Therapist, holds regular and special education teaching credentials, is the former Director of the Holy Names University Educational Therapy Program, has been awarded multiple prestigious teaching honors, and is the author of two books: Assessment in Educational Therapy and Virtual Educational Therapy: A Case Study of Clinical Support and Advocacy.

Disclosure: Pending

Marci Peterson is a Board Certified Educational Therapist and a Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist certified by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction. Marci has a private practice in Northern California, specializing in dyslexia and other language-based learning disorders. As an active member of AET, Marci founded an AET study group in Sacramento, California, and serves as co-chair for AET’s annual national conference. She is the author of The Dyslexia Guide for Adults.

Disclosure: Pending

Bonnie Massimino is a Board Certified Educational Therapist, a certified special education teacher, and a reading specialist with over 25 years of experience working with children and adults with learning disabilities, attention disorders, and executive functioning challenges. She is AET’s Chair of Program Services and leads the AET Virtual Study Group. Bonnie co-authored Kid Confident #4: How to Navigate Middle School.

Disclosure: Pending

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Fluency: Related to Prosody – MUCH More than Speed and What is the Role of Syntactic Awareness?

11:30am - 1:00pm PT
Nancy Cushen White, EdD, BCET

Fluent reading, a combination of accuracy, prosody, and automaticity, supports reading comprehension. Appropriate pacing and other prosodic features are central to the definition of fluency. Fluency is demonstrated during oral reading through ease of word recognition, appropriate pacing, parsing of words into meaningful phrases, and intonation. Knowledge of how to chunk words into meaningful phrases is related to syntactic awareness. Fluency is a factor in oral and silent reading that can limit or support comprehension. To become a skilled reader, it is important to learn to be flexible rather than simply fast. Excessive focus on rate can interfere with, rather than augment, comprehension, and a slower reading rate is sometimes necessary to support understanding. Skilled readers vary reading pace depending upon the difficulty of the text and the complexity of the ideas they encounter.

This presentation includes video clips of group instruction demonstrating how to teach students syntactic awareness as a foundation for parsing sentences into meaningful phrases when reading connected text.

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

• Summarize research that supports an evolving definition of reading fluency that includes prosody – parsing sentences into meaningful phrases during reading – as a significant component.
• Explain how syntactic awareness is foundational for reading with prosody.
• Describe the contribution reading prosody makes to reading comprehension.
• Within a sentence, classify single words, phrases, and dependent clauses as syntactic elements with a single grammatical function.

Nancy Cushen White, Clinical Professor-Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, UCSF, has taught general and special education classrooms, provided psycho-educational assessment and literacy intervention, trained pre-service and in-service teachers, developed curricula, and been involved in policy. She piloted a San Francisco USD special day class for 2e students, taught young adults in a pre-trial diversion program through San Francisco Superior Court, worked as a literacy intervention consultant and case manager in Dubai, and continues to train teachers in the Slingerland Multisensory Structured Language Approach. She publishes, presents workshops, and participates on advisory boards, including the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD), the Northern CA Branch of IDA, and the CA State Literacy Team.

Disclosure: Pending

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The Cultural-Linguistic Impact on Cognitive Scores for English Learners and Diverse Students

11:30am - 1:00pm PT
Larry Pristo, PhD and Samuel O. Ortiz, PhD

Research has demonstrated that cultural and linguistic influences can affect performance on cognitive tests for English Learners (EL) and diverse students. These influences may result in depressed scores mistaken for disability instead of difference.

This presentation will introduce a new method of domain-level analysis of cultural and linguistic factors using Excel-based histograms to form explicit, easily understandable visual representations of the impact of cultural-linguistic factors within the context of normal ability. Participants will learn how the Cultural-Linguistic Interpretive Matrix (C-LIM) and the later evolved measure of Diverse Student Normal Ability Performance (D-SNAP) are used to evaluate the impact of cultural-linguistic factors on test performance. Methods for addressing test score validity will be discussed within a framework similar to the typical presentation of graphed evaluation results.

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

• Summarize the development of the Cultural-Linguistic Interpretive Matrix and the Diverse Student Normal Ability Performance Measure and explain their purpose and methods.
• Apply comparisons of expected scores versus scores obtained through evaluation.
• Distinguish between diversity and disability as demonstrated within the presentation.

Dr. Larry Pristo, a school-certified and board-licensed psychologist, is the director of a contract agency in Arizona providing special education support services to school districts. He also supervises interns in Phoenix at the Washington School District. Dr. Pristo co-authored the district’s specific learning disabilities (SLD) identification model and developed a local format to assist in SLD determination. He strongly advocates for the appropriate assessment and interpretation of evaluation results for diverse populations.

Disclosure: Pending

Dr. Samuel Ortiz is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the School Psychology Program at St. John’s University, Queens, New York. Dr. Ortiz trains and consults nationally and internationally on topics ranging from nondiscriminatory assessment to contemporary evaluation of learning disabilities. He combines practical and research-based experience with specialized education and training in working with culturally and linguistically diverse children and parents.

Disclosure: Pending

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Mastering Goal-Directed Persistence and Metacognition: A Pathway to Academic Success

1:15pm - 2:45pm PT
Eric Kaufmann, MEd, ET/P

Have you noticed your clients struggling to find motivation, repeating the same mistakes, and lacking self-awareness? Many adolescents and adults struggle with two executive functioning skills: goal-directed persistence and metacognition. In this presentation, participants will learn how goal-directed persistence and metacognition allow students and adults to make positive changes. Participants will discover the steps of a methodology that can be used in session or the classroom to help clients or students set and achieve their goals. The approach incorporates weekly self-reflection as an essential tool for tracking progress and identifying roadblocks, thus advancing metacognition. Finally, common barriers that arise when helping clients develop goal-directed persistence and metacognitive skills will be addressed, and strategies for overcoming them will be provided.

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

• Define and explain the importance of two executive functioning skills: goal-directed persistence and metacognition.
• Summarize the research supporting the importance of goal-directed persistence and metacognition.
• Demonstrate and apply a method that guides and supports their clients in developing goal-directed persistence and metacognitive skills.
• Predict challenges that may arise and modify individualized educational therapy or psychotherapy sessions when their clients are struggling to reach their goals.

Eric Kaufmann is an Educational Therapist/Professional in private practice. His passion for working with children, adolescents, and adults was sparked by teaching snowboarding and surfing as a high school student. A former middle school teacher, Eric specializes in ADHD, ASD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, auditory processing disorder, and anxiety. He uses individualized and data-driven approaches to guide his clients in overcoming their academic and personal barriers.

Disclosure: Pending

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Numeracy is as Important as Literacy: Why You Should Include Math in Your Educational Therapy Practice

1:15pm - 2:45pm PT
Nancy Knop, PhD, ET/P

Numeracy and literacy are equally important, and neither instructional domain has escaped controversy. Just as there are debates about teaching reading, there are “math wars” about the best way to teach math. Research supports direct instruction and one-to-one intervention, and educational therapists can play a crucial role for students who experience reduced math development and learning loss related to pandemic school closure and online learning formats. In addition, emerging evidence suggests that math development and the development of executive function are interrelated; teaching math also trains a student’s executive functioning skills. This session will present social science, cognitive science, and neurobiology evidence that underpins an effective math pedagogy consisting of direct, incremental instruction and the importance of teaching word problems as a distinct process. It will offer the ET a pathway to reduce a student’s math anxiety and develop proficiency in methods of math remediation.

Finally, the presentation will encourage an understanding of math as a component of our profession, equal to reading and language.

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

• List three reasons practitioners should incorporate math remediation into their educational therapy practices.
• Explain how developing math proficiency may improve financial literacy, critical thinking, and overall health throughout the lifespan.
• Contrast the essential differences between language and math processing in the brain.
• Describe how math skill development leads to executive function development.

Nancy Knop is a former research scientist, former middle school and high school science teacher, and current educational therapist. Although semi-retired, Nancy maintains active involvement in practice and research. She has presented at schools and conferences and published articles for students, parents, and educators on topics related to the brain and learning. Her current interest is the interaction between executive function and math and the role of numeracy in life success.

Disclosure: Pending

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Game Changer: Using Playful Activities to Foster Essential Skills

1:15pm - 2:45pm PT
Gina Rozner, MA, ET/P

By the age of five, learning and playing are in conflict with one another – children’s learning environments may be sterile and stripped of what we know about how people learn best. Evidence shows that learning through play is more engaging and positively impacts the depth and breadth of a child’s learning. Play can function as what experts call “a laboratory of the possible,” where creativity blossoms and critical thinking is born. Through dramatic play, children develop their own worlds and create narratives that are building blocks to early literacy skills. Playing board games encourages the development of math skills through counting, representing values, one-to-one correspondences, and cause and effect. In this workshop, attendees will learn, through discussion and active participation, the importance of using play, games, and puzzles to help learners develop academic and executive functioning skills.

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

• Explain the value of learning through play and game-based activities.
• Develop a toolbox of three or more learning games or activities that will be effective for their clients/students.
• Develop an argument supported by research and clinical observations for the effectiveness of play and game-based activities to achieve specific learning goals.

Gina Rozner is an Educational Therapist/Professional in private practice. She is passionate about social justice and dedicated to making learning and learning resources accessible to everyone and equitable for all. Gina focuses their practice on building a strong rapport with students and families and fostering success with some of the most challenging students. They aspire to build a career that creates space for the “misfits” and the misunderstood.

Disclosure: Pending

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Understanding the Invisible Wounds of Adoption and Foster Care

1:15pm - 2:45pm PT
Jeanette Yoffe, MA, MFT

This presentation will describe the basis of attachment and trust needed for healthy psychological and emotional development and the challenges faced by children who have been adopted or raised in foster care. Seven core themes are essential components of the child’s emotional experience: Loss, Rejection, Shame/Guilt, Anger, Identity, Intimacy, and Control.

Participants will explore the “internal world” of an adopted or foster child and discover how therapeutic interventions can build trust and support a child with a traumatic history so they can learn. Practical new tools and techniques to use with children who have been adopted or are in foster placement will be discussed.

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

• Describe the “internal world” of an adopted or foster child’s grief and loss.
• Explain two strategies to foster engagement, connection, and trust with resistant children.
• Demonstrate three concrete ways to emotionally, cognitively, and developmentally support an adopted person.
• List and describe the seven core themes in adoption and foster care.

Jeanette Yoffe is the Clinical Director of Yoffe Therapy Inc., which provides services to families, children, teens, and adults connected by foster care and adoption. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology and specializes in children with severe psychological problems secondary to histories of abuse, neglect, or multiple placements. Jeanette’s desire to become a child psychotherapist with this specialization arose from her personal experience of adoption and foster care. Her history has informed her practice and given her a unique insight into the stresses these children experience.

Disclosure: Pending

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Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, and Oral and Written Language Learning Disability: Evidence-Based Diagnosis and Treatment

7:30am - 9:00am / 9:15am - 10:45am PT
KEYNOTE: Virginia Berninger, PhD

Four decades of research provide a foundation for understanding three language-based specific learning disabilities (SLDs): dysgraphia (impaired letter production), dyslexia (impaired word reading and spelling), and oral and written language learning disability (OWL LD, impaired listening comprehension, oral expression, reading comprehension, written expression /composition). This presentation will examine each SLD's definitions, diagnostic profiles, and differentiated instruction.

Each of these language-based SLDs can co-occur with dyscalculia; therefore, specialized instruction in mathematics for students diagnosed with dysgraphia, dyslexia, or OWL LD will also be presented. A discussion of screen-intervene procedures for preventing the three language-based SLDs will also be offered. Participants will receive a list of evidence-based assessments and instructional resources.

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

• Describe the multi-leveled nature of language systems (sub-word→word→syntax→text) and relate how they team with sensory input modes (by ears or by eyes) and with motor output modes (by mouth or by hand/s).
• Explain evidence-based differential diagnosis of language-based specific learning disabilities based on contrasting impairments: Dysgraphia (sub-word level letter production by hand), Dyslexia (word level reading by eyes and spelling by eyes and by hand), and Oral and Written Language Learning Disability/OWL LD (syntax level listening comprehension by ears, oral expression by mouth, reading comprehension by eyes, and written expression by hand).
• Describe the genetic and brain bases of Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, and OWL LD.
• Cite the evidence that, despite these biological bases, students with language-based SLDs can respond to instruction if instruction is tailored to the nature of a particular diagnosed language-based specific learning disability.
• Demonstrate the importance of teaching to cascading levels of language close in time rather than drilling a single skill in isolation intensely.
• Explain why some students diagnosed with Dyscalculia (impaired arithmetic calculation) may also have co-occurring Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, or OWL LD, and if they do, identify which language skills must be taught in conjunction with the arithmetic skills.
• Describe how language-based specific learning disabilities can be prevented or reduced in severity by implementing an evidence-based Screen-Intervene Model in Kindergarten through Grade 4 and of multidisciplinary team problem-solving consultation to modify and customize the general education program for individual students.

Virginia W. Berninger received her Ph.D. in psychology at Johns Hopkins University and has had a career informed by translation science (bridging basic research and application to practice) and interdisciplinary contributions to assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, including instruction. As a professor at the University of Washington, Dr. Berninger has been the principal investigator of research grants on typical and disabled language learning and the co-investigator of a research grant on math development and instruction. This interdisciplinary research has been informed by Dr. Berninger's prior teaching experience (in urban, suburban, and rural settings in general and special education at the elementary and secondary levels); training in clinical psychology and experience as a licensed psychologist (in the assessment of developmental and learning disabilities); and ongoing consultation with schools, teachers, and parents for more than 30 years. Her current efforts focus on evidence-based, treatment-relevant differential diagnosis of specific learning disabilities and professional development for teachers and other professionals who influence school practices within and outside schools.

Disclosure: Pending

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Applying our Growing Knowledge of the Intersection of Social Justice and Educational Therapy

12:15pm - 1:45pm PT
Moderated by Kaye Ragland, EdD, LMFT, BCET, FAET
Panelists: Stephanie Baker, MFA, ET/P; Sherry Cramer, MS, ET/P; and Pat Kimathi, EdD, ET/P

As educational therapists, we help students become agents of their own change and transformation. We also practice within an educational system that has perpetrated racial, cultural, and social inequities since its inception. This ET social justice presentation will provide a supportive place to examine our growing knowledge of the intersection of social justice and educational therapy and apply new perspectives within our practices. Panelists will discuss AET’s commitment to social justice, our personal social justice journeys, low-cost/no-cost resources, and culturally responsive strategies to enhance work with marginalized students.

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

• Compare and contrast multiple approaches for providing low-cost/no-cost services to marginalized families, including grant opportunities.
• Examine their cultural mindsets and apply new knowledge and skill sets using culturally affirming practices.
• Explain the role of the educational therapist in providing a social justice lens when working with marginalized clients.
• Access resources and strategies the social justice committee developed to help members chart their journey toward equitable practice.

Kaye Ragland holds an MA in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling and an EdD in Educational Leadership and Change. Kaye is a Board Certified Educational Therapist, has a private educational therapy practice, and is AET’s Immediate Past President. She has been a director of special education for a consortium of independent charter schools, a classroom and RSP teacher, a school counselor, and a private elementary school principal.

Disclosure: Pending

Stephanie Baker is an Educational Therapist/Professional who began her journey as an educator teaching middle school in the Whittier Street Projects in Roxbury, Boston. In her private practice, she helps students with organization, self-advocacy, and finding the “just right” amount of support to become independent learners. Stephanie focuses on creativity and critical thinking, especially regarding writing and close reading. She co-facilitates workshops on the intersection of educational therapy and social justice.

Disclosure: Pending

Sherry Cramer is an Educational Therapist/Professional with a private practice in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Before discovering educational therapy, Sherry taught high school English for several years, then transitioned to a 30-year career as a special education teacher. She is chair of AET’s Member and Public Information Committee and editor of The Educational Therapist journal. Sherry has participated actively on the Social Justice Subcommittee since its inception.

Disclosure: Pending

Patricia Kimathi is an Educational Therapist/Professional with an MA in clinical psychology and an EdD in educational leadership and change. She is the co-owner of an inner-city educational therapy center that serves gifted, talented, and twice-exceptional marginalized children; concurrently, she works as a fieldwork instructor at Loyola Marymount University. Her previous experience includes administrative and teaching positions from pre-kindergarten through the high school level.

Disclosure: Pending

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Developmental Dyslexia Across Different Languages and Writing Systems: Evidence for Universality and Differences

12:15pm - 1:45pm PT
Kerstin Goldsmith, ET/P

Research has been ongoing over the last decade or more to establish a precise definition of dyslexia and discover whether dyslexia is universal across all languages. Distinctions might arise because many languages do not have alphabetic, phonological, or phonemic orthographies. Mandarin Chinese, for example, has a morpho-syllabic orthography, not an alphabetic one. To answer the question of universality, researchers have examined brain scans of Chinese students and compared them to scans of students in Western language environments. Is there something universal about dyslexia despite the differences between languages and orthographies? While our understanding is incomplete, the latest research, technologies, and testing methodologies have revealed a more accurate picture of how dyslexia manifests across different languages. This session will summarize the latest research on the universality of dyslexia and the currently known differences across multiple languages, including English, French, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Hebrew, and Japanese.

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

• List and describe the four basic types of writing systems in human languages (alphabets, alphasyllabaries, syllabaries, and logographies).
• Explain the universal aspects of dyslexia across multiple languages and writing systems.
• Explain differences that characterize dyslexic students in different languages.
• Summarize our current understanding of dyslexia and its universal and unique manifestations.

Kerstin Goldsmith is an educational therapist who has worked in the Bay Area of California since 2010. She supports a diverse caseload of students who struggle with language, math, and executive functioning skills. Kerstin’s multilingual background supports her work with students in their second languages, including Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese.

Disclosure: Pending

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Research and Revelations: A Panel’s Perspective on 2e Across the Learning Span

12:15pm - 1:45pm PT
Moderated by Cindy Z. Hansen, EdD
Panelists: Sandra Clifton, MEd, BCET, PCC, CEP, SLDI; Jared May, MA; and Véra Radunsky, LSLP

To understand the twice exceptional (2e) learner, one must actively comprehend the intricacies of the learning disability or obstacles, the traits of giftedness, and the unique combination that characterizes the individual. This panel will share insights from their research and the application of this evidence-based knowledge to practice for educational therapists and allied professionals. Panelists will present and discuss case studies about supporting transitions of 2e individuals across various settings. How can educators, parents, and allied professionals best serve these learners in school and as they transition into the workforce?

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

• Describe the challenging paradoxes of individuals with gifted abilities combined with specific learning disabilities (SLD), other health impairments (OHI), and nuanced barriers to personal success.
• Cite and summarize research and sources that support 2e individuals across their learning span.
• Integrate applicable strength-based, research-backed strategies into their practice.
• Use new tools to develop a learner’s skills in self-awareness, advocacy, academic performance, and resiliency guided by their specific strengths.

Cynthia Z. Hansen is an Educational Therapist/Professional in private practice serving gifted and creative individuals with executive function delays, ADHD, dyslexia, and complex learning profiles. She consults with schools and facilitates professional development and parent workshops on the many issues facing gifted and twice-exceptional learners. Cindy is President of the Tri-County GATE Council in Southern California, a SENG Model Parent Group facilitator, and works with Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education. Her research focuses on developing a positive self-identity in 2e learners.

Disclosure: Pending

Sandra Clifton is a Board Certified Educational Therapist and a Professional Certified Coach in Social and Emotional Intelligence, specializing in sensitive, gifted, and 2e students. She is a certified teacher and was a master trainer and program coach at Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence. In 2006, Sandra created Clifton Corner, a safe space to support overwhelmed students struggling with perfection, motivation, organization, learning differences, school shame, and pervasive academic anxiety. She is a doctoral candidate at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education, writing a dissertation on the experiences of highly sensitive students.

Disclosure: Pending

Jared May is a higher education-focused communication specialist trained in public relations, intergroup dialogue facilitation, and crisis management. He manages visual content in the Office for Mission & Ministry at Villanova University, where he earned his MA in Communication in 2020. As a doctoral student at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education, he investigates cognitive diversity in the policies and culture of workplaces and higher education.

Disclosure: Pending

Véra Radunsky is a bilingual Russian/English learning support specialist and licensed speech-language pathologist who, like most of her students, is neurodivergent. She has worked internationally with individuals of all ages and backgrounds for two decades, targeting various skill sets and special needs. Understanding the role of the environment in developing an individual’s potential, Véra believes in strength-based, student-centered educational approaches for all, focusing on social-emotional learning. She is working on her doctorate in neurocognitive diversity at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education.

Disclosure: Pending

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Empathy Unleashed: Transform Lives with Authentic Compassion in Educational Therapy

2:00pm - 3:30pm PT
David Palmer, EdD, ADHD-CE, ASDI

This interactive session delves into the essential nature of genuine empathy in supporting individuals with disabilities. The presenter will guide participants in understanding and practicing empathy through relationship building, strengthening connections, and fostering an inclusive culture. Attendees will gain valuable insights and practical tools for displaying authentic empathy. By the end of the presentation, participants will emerge with a deeper comprehension of the transformative power of empathy and the confidence to make a meaningful impact on the lives of their clients and the broader community.

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

• Identify and analyze the concept of empathy and its distinct role in educational therapy, differentiating it from sympathy.
• Evaluate the importance of empathy in establishing authentic connections with clients, particularly those with disabilities.
• Apply and demonstrate practical tools and strategies for displaying authentic empathy in therapeutic settings (such as active listening, validation, perspective-taking, self-care, and managing emotional boundaries) to enhance outcomes and foster inclusive environments.
• Synthesize the broader implications of empathy in shaping the surrounding culture and community and create a plan to leverage empathic actions to promote systemic change, inclusivity, and a supportive environment for individuals with disabilities.

Dr. David Palmer holds a doctorate in special education and is the founder and director of Inclusion Matters Education Services (IMES), which serves neurodivergent students and their families. He is an award-winning researcher, certified ADHD educator, autism-informed professional, consultant, coach, and advocate with nearly 30 years of experience as a teacher, principal, and learning needs specialist. As an individual diagnosed with ADHD and a parent of neurodivergent children, David has a personal connection to neurodivergence. The challenges of raising neurodivergent children inform his work.

Disclosure: Pending

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Chat GPT and Education at One Year: What Have We Learned? What’s Next?

2:00pm - 3:30pm PT
Shelley Haven, ATP, RET, BSME

November 2023 marks one year since the public release of ChatGPT, followed quickly by similar tools like Google Bard, Bing AI, and more. Although artificial intelligence, or AI, has been part of our daily lives for decades (think speech recognition, Netflix recommendations, and GPS navigation), generative AI like ChatGPT has elicited both excitement and alarm due to its ability to understand conversational human language and create seemingly original content.

Join Assistive Technology Consultant Shelley Haven for a one-year status check on generative AI in education to learn:

• How is generative AI used to enhance teaching and learning for students with learning differences?
• What limitations and misuses have emerged as the most problematic?
• What best practices are being shown to encourage responsible and ethical use?

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

• Explain the fundamental concepts behind generative AI like ChatGPT (e.g., where it gets its information and how to interact with it) and the potential impact (positive and negative) on teaching and learning.
• Describe at least three novel applications of generative AI like ChatGPT that can enhance the education (teaching and learning) of students with learning differences.
• List at least three limitations of generative AI that might negatively impact its usefulness for education.
• Name three strategies for harnessing generative AI in education while addressing cheating, plagiarism, privacy, and ethical use concerns.

Shelley Haven is a certified Assistive Technology Professional, Rehab Engineering Technologist, and former engineer who specializes in matching students with appropriate technology. Her consulting practice serves families, educators, and schools online, focusing on learning differences, ADHD, and executive functioning. During her 36 years in assistive technology, Shelley previously directed AT for Stanford University’s Office of Accessible Education. She teaches an online college course for UCSC Extension titled "Assistive Technology for Learning Differences.”

Disclosure: Pending

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Have You Ever Tried? Brought to You Live!

2:00pm - 3:30pm PT
Moderated by Bonnie Massimino, MEd, BCET

"Have You Ever Tried? Brought to You Live!" is an informal exchange of favorite techniques, best practices, innovative ideas, games, movement activities, and tried-and-true strategies with our conference attendees.

Presenters will share a brief fifteen-minute presentation and a one- to two-page descriptive handout with a detailed summary of their strategy, activity, or tool. Plan to walk away with an array of ideas ready for immediate implementation during your next virtual or in-person session.

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

• Identify a student profile or profiles (strengths and weaknesses) that would benefit from one or more of the strategies/activities/tools discussed by the presenters.
• Explain how the strategy/activity/tool could be adapted to that specific student profile during a virtual or in-person session.
• List the benefits and limitations of three or more of the strategies, activities, or tools discussed by the presenters.

Bonnie Massimino is a Board Certified Educational Therapist, a certified special education teacher, and a reading specialist with over 25 years of experience working with children and adults with learning disabilities, attention disorders, and executive functioning challenges. She is AET’s Chair of Program Services and leads the AET Virtual Study Group. Bonnie co-authored Kid Confident #4: How to Navigate Middle School.

Disclosure: Pending

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Supporting Neurodiverse Math Students with a Student-Specific Diagnostic/Prescriptive Model

7:30am - 9:00am / 9:15am - 10:45am PT
KEYNOTE: Christopher Woodin, EdM

Neurodiverse students often fail to thrive within traditional classroom settings. Yet, tutorials or small, homogeneously grouped classes that offer the same traditional content to a smaller audience are not the solution. When provided with an individualized math program tailored to their unique learning needs, these students can reach their potential. Individualized instruction should respond to neurodiversity by diagnosing and acknowledging skill sets, as well as cognitive strengths and weaknesses, when fabricating a prescriptive course of action.

Landmark School's Six Teaching Principles™ create the conditions students with language-based learning disabilities (LBLD) need to succeed. Students with LBLD make stunning progress with targeted, multimodal, intensive, skills-based instruction. Implementing these principles will be presented using WoodinMath-based examples and videos of their application within a language-based math class. The same diagnostic/prescriptive model can be used to create an effective plan of action to support all students with a neurodiverse cognitive signature.

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

• List the three components of Dehaene's Triple Code Model that describes the basis for our ability to process numerosity.
• Describe the symbolic visual code and the Analog Magnitude Representation Code (Nonsymbolic Quantity Code).
• Explain the benefit of presenting visual information using the Nonsymbolic Quantity Code to both dyslexic and dyscalculic students.
• Contrast whole-to-part versus part-to-whole teaching practices.
• Summarize the research that supports using whole-to-part nonsymbolic visual models for dyslexic and dyscalculic students.

Christopher Woodin is a specialist in the fields of mathematics and learning disabilities. A graduate of Middlebury College and Harvard Graduate School of Education, he has taught extensively at Landmark School, where he holds the Ammerman Chair of Mathematics. His published works include Multiplication and Division Facts for the Whole-to-Part, Visual Learner, The Landmark Method of Teaching Arithmetic, and several journal articles. Chris served on the Massachusetts Department of Education's Mathematics 2011 Curriculum Frameworks Panel and was the 1997 Massachusetts Learning Disabilities of America (LDA) Samuel Kirk Educator of the Year. He teaches graduate-level courses to educators, presents at numerous international and national conferences, and leads math workshops for audiences nationwide.

Disclosure: Pending

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The Susan Fogelson Ethics Panel

11:30am - 1:00pm / 1:15pm - 2:45pm PT
Moderated by Risa Graff, MA, BCET, FAET
Panelists: Sandra Clifton, MEd, BCET, PCC, CEP, SLDI; Nazanin Dadfarin, MA, BCET; Bonnie Massimino, MEd, BCET, ADHD-CE; and Isabelle Ostreicher, MS, BCET

Recognizing and dealing with ethical issues is an essential part of our work as educational therapists. Because we work with complex clients, we often encounter dilemmas that require us to make challenging decisions about what action to take. Each dilemma must be handled ethically and effectively.

An ET’s scope of practice can become blurred when clients have complex needs around social and emotional issues. A parent asks you to assess for eligibility or to gain accommodations. Can you legally and ethically do that? ETs in schools face different dilemmas. Do you prioritize the school policies, its teachers, or the needs of the individual student? How do you decide? Have you ever struggled to resolve a disagreement with a parent, teacher, or allied professional? Business practices can also present dilemmas. Learn what issues others have faced.

A panel of Board Certified Educational Therapists will present real-life scenarios that illustrate ethical dilemmas from their own practices. They will also explain the ethical thought process they used to make decisions about what actions to take. The scenarios will include issues from a variety of practice settings as well as issues related to the scope of practice. The presentation will be moderated by Risa Graff and will provide time for related audience questions.

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

• Describe the ethical issues in an ET practice dilemma.
• Connect the ethical issues to the AET Code of Ethics.
• Explain the thinking process used to determine a course of action.
• Decide when consultation is needed.

Risa Graff has been an educational therapist for 45 years and has a private practice in Olympia Fields, Illinois. She is a past president of AET and a past chair of the Ethics/Scope of Practice Committee.  Her work is devoted to helping each client understand their own learning needs, maximize their ability to learn, and develop self-sufficiency. In addition to using research-based methodologies to teach academic skills, she draws upon deductive reasoning games, yoga, and martial arts to help clients become more focused and find pleasure in learning. Executive function skills are integrated into all activities. Risa finds great joy in continuing to learn new things from her students and other educational therapists.

Disclosure: Pending

After teaching high school English for over ten years, Sandra Clifton served at Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence as a program coach and master trainer. She then opened the Clifton Corner, a safe space of support for overwhelmed students who struggle with perfection, motivation, executive functioning, learning differences, and academic anxiety. Sandra has a special affinity with athletes and artists who shine with strengths outside of school – gifted, sensitive, and twice-exceptional individuals – and is currently working on her doctorate at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education.

Disclosure: Pending

Nazanin Dadfarin has over 25 years of experience working in the field of education. As a seasoned clinician, she has a high level of understanding and expertise in implementing academic interventions for children and adolescents with diverse learning needs. For the last 17 years, Nazanin has worked as an educational therapist for Kaiser Permanente Watts Counseling and Learning Center (KPWC&LC) and in private practice in West Los Angeles. In addition to her clinical work for KPWC&LC, Nazanin is the Center’s Educational Therapy Intern Supervisor, providing technical and operational support to graduate students completing their educational therapy internships.

Disclosure: Pending

Bonnie Massimino is a certified reading specialist, special education teacher, and BCET with over 25 years of experience working with neurodiverse learners. She specializes in supporting children, adolescents, and adults with learning disabilities, attention disorders, and executive functioning challenges. Bonnie is passionate about incorporating games and interactive activities into sessions to engage and motivate clients of all ages. She is chair of AET’s Program Services Committee and is the leader of AET’s Virtual Study Group.

Disclosure: Pending

After completing her Master’s in Learning Disabilities more than 40 years ago, Isabelle Ostreicher worked as the learning specialist with a multi-disciplinary team for a community-based clinic that included psychologists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists. Her excellent mentorship in graduate school for testing and teaching and her work at the clinic created a foundation for her philosophy as an educator. Isabelle aims to help students understand their unique gifts and challenges, develop skills and strategies, and find joy in this journey. She currently divides her time between working in a private school as the third and fourth-grade learning specialist and her private practice, where she provides academic remediation.

Disclosure: Pending

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