We spend enormous amounts of time measuring school success. Grades. Test scores. GPA. Reading level. Math performance. College admission. All of those things matter. But life after school is not graded on a curve. Academic success does not automatically translate into success in adult life. Adults have to work with other people. They have to […]
Smart Isn’t Enough: Why Social Communication Matters in Adult Life Read More »
Over the past several years, second-opinion consultations and reassessments have repeatedly put reports with Clinical Assessment of Pragmatics (CAPs) results on my desk that simply did not make clinical sense. I am not talking about one borderline score or a child who happened to perform better than expected on one task. I am talking about
As a profession, speech-language pathology has appropriately focused on reducing the misidentification of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Furthermore, we now recognize that dialect, bilingualism, second-language acquisition, and limited educational opportunity are not disabilities. Assessment must be nondiscriminatory in evaluating bilingualism. However, protecting students from over-identification cannot come at the cost of missing real disability.
When “Difference” Hides Disability Read More »
For parents, educators, and speech-language pathologists working with children with developmental language disorder One of the most frustrating conversations I have with parents and professionals happens after a reevaluation. Everyone has seen the child improve. The child explains ideas more clearly and asks better questions. They need less support, write more effectively, and repair misunderstandings.
The Test Score Stayed the Same. The Child’s Skills Didn’t. Read More »
Developmental language disorder (DLD) is often misunderstood in educational settings because it is frequently conceptualized too narrowly as a “speech” or oral-language impairment. This framing is incomplete and clinically problematic. DLD affects the language systems students use to understand instruction, comprehend text, formulate ideas, organize written expression, participate in academic discourse, and access curriculum. In
DLD Is a Language-Based Learning Disability Read More »
Abstract: In speech-language pathology, unsupported clinical claims often appear credible because they are attached to emotional testimonials, neuroscience language, parent urgency, professional trainings, or popular social media trends. This article provides a structured way to examine those claims without dismissing families, clinicians, or innovation. It reviews common red flags in pseudoscientific marketing, explains why “evidence-based”
When attention gets blamed, and language gets missed I need to state this as clearly as possible. We need to stop using ADHD as the explanation for students” school struggles. When a child cannot understand language, explain ideas, or navigate social expectations, that is not attention. That is language. And confusing the two costs kids
What looks like a simple sound error is often a deeper language weakness that quietly undermines reading and writing. I keep seeing the same referrals over and over. “The student doesn’t say his R.”“She drops sounds.”“His speech is sloppy.” On paper, this gets labeled as articulation. A simple speech issue. A few drills, practice the
When a child struggles with planning, organization, or self-regulation, the label “executive function” is often applied, and executive function coaching or ADHD coaching is presented as the solution. These services are routinely marketed as evidence-based or grounded in neuroscience, despite limited attention to what is actually impaired. The Problem: Language is the Engine Executive functions
Why Executive Function Coaching Fails So Many Children Read More »
Most parents hear the word pragmatics and think it means manners, politeness, or social skills. That is not what it actually is. Pragmatics is how language is used to think, organize ideas, and understand what matters. Without it, language breaks down, even when a child knows vocabulary, speaks in sentences, or can read words on
Pragmatics: The Glue That Holds Language Together Read More »