The LDA Podcast

Kelly Tanzi, a fourth grade writing teacher with a background in special education, shares how incorporating the arts into learning can create a powerful multi-dimensional learning experience for all students.  Kelly discusses how incorporating arts projects can give students who struggle with reading and writing more agency in how they present their knowledge, and can hook the interest of relucta...

Dr. Julia Carroll, the lead researcher of "Toward a Consensus on Dyslexia," discusses why a consistent definition of dyslexia is so important, and the findings of the study. Highlights of the study include involving individuals with dyslexia, the large role cognitive processing plays in dyslexia, the need for interventions tailored to the individual, and more. Dr. Carroll also discusses...

Aaron Wolf is a neurodiversity advocate, actor, director, media host, cofounder of film production company Howling Wolf Productions, and the founder of I Am Able, a nonprofit dedicated to neurodiversity awareness.  Aaron discusses his experience with neurodiversity, what led him to create I Am Able, and how his natural creativity drove him to become a storyteller of neurodiverse experiences.  http...

“I think the most radical thing you can do in education is speak up, listen, and to make room for love because every learner has a powerful story, and it's one that can be told and received when we offer the right tools to do so.” -Caroline Weaver We sit with LD advocate and researcher Caroline Weaver to discuss her interdisciplinary capstone project that creates an intersection of lived expe...

We sit down with Dr. Jeff Karp, a distinguished chair at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, professor at Harvard Medical School and MIT, and upcoming keynote speaker at our 62nd Annual Conference. Dr. Karp discusses his experience with learning disabilities, and how he began ‘thinking about thinking,’ and using pattern-recognition to begin to thrive. Dr. Karp shares some of his “Life Ignition Tools,” d...

Dr. Jan Wasowicz, a speech language pathologist and board certified specialist in child language, discusses Developmental Language Disorder, the signs of DLD, what an ideal evaluation would look like, and more.  Resources: Join the SPELLTalk listserv We Need to Keep (But Revise) The Specific Learning Disability Construct in IDEA www. DLDandme.org www. RADLD.org

In this second part of our conversation with Dr. Jan Wasowicz, Dr. Wasowicz delves into what an ideal intervention for developmental language disorder would look like, how language screeners are no longer a common practice in schools, and how interprofessional collaboration between speech language pathologists, school psychologists, and special education teachers is essential to effectively identi...

Neurodiversity Alliance Ambassadors Lydia Pinto and Shoshana Holt-Auslander join us to talk about their journeys of becoming learning disability advocates, and how their current graduate school research projects are benefiting the disability community. Lydia and Shoshana also discuss defining success for themselves, the importance of sharing neurodiverse experiences to erase stigma, and more!

Jesse Sanchez, the Managing Director of Programs for the Neurodiversity Alliance, joins us to discuss the challenges that students with learning disabilities can face in the school setting, the importance of a shared, supportive community for neurodiverse students, and how to build self-knowledge, self-confidence, and self-advocacy skills for these individuals.  The Neurodiversity Alliance is a no...

Harold Jordan, a nationwide education equity coordinator at the ACLU of Pennsylvania, discusses how students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by unfair discipline practices in schools. Harold discusses how bias, the misuse of police in schools, and the shortage of support staff can contribute to students having early interactions with the justice system, and...

Adventure athlete and dyslexia advocate Meghan Buchanan is in the final stages of completing the Explorer's Grand Slam and was recently featured on Netflix's survival series, Outlast. In this episode, we dive into Meghan's experience on the show, her relentless pursuit of her goals, and how her dyslexia led her to develop GGRIT: Gratitude, growth, resilience, integrity, and tenacity...

Dr. Rebecca Resnik, a past special education teacher and current psychologist, discusses the importance of holistic learning disability assessments, evidence-based intervention, and communicating neuroscience to educators to incorporate into practice. Dr. Resnik also reviews LDA's SLD Evaluation Principles and Standards and breaks down why these standards are so important.   

Linda Karanzalis is a board-certified cognitive specialist, Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD) and ADHD advocate, and author of Misnamed, Misdiagnosed, Misunderstood: Recognizing and Coping with NVLD from Childhood Through Adulthood. In this episode, Linda discusses her own experience with NVLD and ADHD, the mental health issues that come along with these conditions, considerations for teaching,...

LDA’s Education Director Dr. Monica McHale-Small talks with Dr. Nancy Mather, a Professor Emeritus of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies, about the importance of keeping the category of specific learning disabilities in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how the SLD category could be better revised.  Dr. Mather also discusses RTI as a part of the identification proces...

Pediatric occupational therapist Sydney Krueger joins us to discuss what an occupational therapist does, how an OT can help someone with learning disabilities, ADHD, or mental health issues, different strategies that she uses in her practice, and more. 

Learning and behavior consultant Bev Johns and Mental Health Committee member Rachel Krueger discuss the symptoms and impact of depression on students with learning disabilities, dealing with transitions, and strategies for parents and educators to support students. 

Lois Letchford, a reading specialist, dyslexia advocate, parent, and speaker joins us to share how her dyslexic son Nicholas went from non-reading to earning a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Oxford University. Lois talks about teaching Nicholas, the importance of focusing on strengths, and more. 

Bev Johns, a learning and behavior specialist, and parent Rachel Krueger, members of LDA's Mental Health Committee, provide insights into the prevalence of anxiety, the impact of anxiety in children with learning disabilities in school, strategies for educators and parents to support those dealing with anxiety, and more!

Educational diagnosticians Laurie Peterson and Dr. Abbey Weinstein are co-hosts of the popular Let's Talk Learning Disabilities Podcast, and join us to talk about the inspiration for the podcast, the meaningful impact it has on its listeners, and more! Tune in to the Let's Talk Learning Disabilities Podcast at: https://ltldpodcast.com/ Listen to DJ's episode at: https://ldaamerica.o...

Currently schools in the U.S. can utilize three different evaluation methods when assessing children for learning disabilities, which can lead to learning disability identification varying from school to school. LDA's Education Director Dr. Monica McHale Small was a co-writer of LDA's principles and standards for evaluation, and shares why standardization of evaluations is so important,...

We talk to Hannah Blumenfeld-Love, a past special education teacher and current program manager of the DC Special Education Hub, about how navigating special education can be intimidating for parents and caregivers, how essential parents are to the special education team, and how schools can work to make information and resources about special education more accessible.  Learn more about the DC Sp...

Tracy Gregoire, the Director of LDA's Healthy Children Project,  and Noorulane Jan, an associate attorney at Earthjustice, delve into the need to ban Chlorpyrifos, a dangerous chemical used in farming, and its impact on children's brain health.

Caroline Weaver is an LD advocate, a past research student at the LEaRN Lab, and a current graduate student in the Department of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, and is using her research and lived experience to understand how we can reduce harm to neurodiverse learners in classrooms. As a student with dyslexia and dyscalculia, Caroline Weaver faced many challenges in school. Driven by...

LDA’s Education Director Dr. Monica McHale Small discusses  "Making a Mark: Discovering the Power of Neurodiversity on a Learning Safari," a groundbreaking book authored by educator and learning specialist Kate McElderry and co-authored by dyslexic artist Mark Stoddart.  ‘Making a Mark” celebrates the multidimensionality of students, and addresses the strengths and challenges of those wi...

“Comorbidities are really common and expected.” With learning disabilities, other disorders like anxiety, ADHD, or another learning disability can frequently co-occur, and these comorbidities occur more often than chance. Dr. Lauren McGrath of the LEaRN Lab talks with us about the latest comorbidity research, best practices for interventions, what parents and educators should know, and more.  Lear...