Fall Event - Friday, October 31, 2025

Advanced Topics in Stuttering Therapy: Early Childhood and Minimizing Bullying
J. Scott Yaruss, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-F, F-ASHA

This two-part course addressed two key topics related to the treatment of children who stutter: a comprehensive approach to Assessment and Treatment of Early Childhood Stuttering (ages 2-6) and Minimizing Bullying for Children Who Stutter (all ages). The presenter will focus on practical strategies that can be used in various clinical settings for navigating the challenges associated with stuttering.

School-age Stuttering Therapy: A Practical Approach
J. Scott Yaruss, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-F, F-ASHA

School-age children who stutter can face many challenges, both in and out of the classroom. Common problems include negative emotional reactions, such as embarrassment and anxiety; difficulties reading aloud in class or participating in group discussions; and limitations while interacting with peers. Unfortunately, many speech-language pathologists report that they are not confident in their ability to help children deal with these consequences of stuttering. Clinicians also report uncertainty about meeting eligibility criteria, generalizing gains made in the therapy room to real-world situations, and dealing with problems like bullying. The purpose of this workshop is to provide clinicians with applicable, practical strategies for helping school-age children and adolescents who stutter overcome the problems associated with stuttering. The presentation will include: specific guidelines for conducting comprehensive evaluations that support treatment recommendations and goal-writing; detailed instructions for how to prepare children for therapy to ensure success; and video examples of numerous treatment strategies and activities designed to help children improve their fluency, reduce their negative reactions to stuttering, educate others about stuttering, and communicate effectively across speaking situations. Participants will come away from the workshop feeling more confident in their ability to help children who stutter and more knowledgeable about how to approach stuttering assessment and treatment in the school setting and beyond.

Making the Shift: Revolutionary Methods for Autistic Kids
Jessie Ginsburg, M.S., CCC-SLP & Chris Wenger, M.S., CCC-SLP

Chris and Jessie discussed how SLPs can use neurodiversity affirming, strengths-based approaches in sessions in order to promote the development of social learning, sensory and emotional regulation, and self-advocacy skills. Attendees walked away inspired to make a shift in their minds, practices, and everyday interactions with Autistic students.

How to Implement EBPs for Autism to Support Social Emotional Learning (SEL) of Autistic Students and the Role of the SLP - Morning Session

Ann England, M.A., CCC-SLP-L

This workshop discussed the five broad and interrelated areas of competence for social emotional learning (SEL) known as the CASEL 5 developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and which EBPs for autism that will ensure equitable access and benefit for the autistic student. The role of the SLP in supporting their students on the autism spectrum will be described and discussed.

AAC and Autism: Effective Implementation of Communication Tools and Strategies - Afternoon Session

Betsy Caporale, M.S., CCC-SLP

Participants will learn best practices for determining AAC needs and creating AAC systems for students with autism. Assessment and implementation tools and strategies will be shared, including a Skills Analysis Matrix and Implementation Plan. Informative resources and relevant research will be shared.

Putting the pieces together: An integrated approach to assessment and intervention
Tera Sumpter, M.A., CCC-SLP

Attendees learned about Tera Sumpter’s Cognitive Processing Model for Academic Learning, which provided an integrated and comprehensive framework for assessing and treating language, literacy, and other learning disabilities. The model helped therapists identify the root of a student’s learning difficulties, pinpoint where processing breakdowns occurred, and understand how different aspects of development impacted one another. It addressed various types of processing, including phonological, visual processing of symbols, semantic/linguistic processing, and executive functioning. In addition, it emphasized the child’s overall cognitive growth. This model guided therapists in creating individualized treatment plans tailored to each child’s unique needs.

A Deeper Dive into Speech Sound Disorder Interventions

Amy Graham, MA, CCC-SSLP

Children with speech sound disorders often comprise a majority of SLP's caseloads, but understanding how to choose appropriate interventions given the nature of a child’s SSD is frequently
misunderstood. This full-day presentation took a deeper look into particular approaches and specific considerations when choosing interventions and implementing elicitation techniques. These specific aspects of remediation will differ, given the nature of children’s underlying deficits, from phonological to childhood apraxia of speech, to those with residual articulation errors.

Amy Graham, MA, CCC-SSLP

Speech sound disorders often comprise a majority of SLPs' caseloads, but many aspects of assessment and intervention are often neglected or misunderstood. This full-day presentation covered key components of a thorough assessment for the differential diagnosis of SSDs and important factors to consider when deciding among particular intervention approaches. Specific interventions, including phonological, motor-based, and phonetic approaches, werecovered, as well as strategies for elicitation and generalization.