SLP Coffee Talk

What if helping kids learn to read was as simple as getting them moving? Hallie sits down with Stephanie Hohl, educator, children’s author, and creator of ABC See, Hear, Do, a multisensory, Science of Reading-based literacy program that has helped more than 200,000 children, families, and educators. Inspired by her energetic youngest son, Stefanie developed a fun approach to teaching letter sounds through movement, visual cues, and phonics. Tune in to hear how movement supports literacy and speech development, simple ways SLPs can incorporate multisensory learning into therapy, and why helping kids learn doesn’t always mean asking them to sit still!

Bullet Points to Discuss:

-How pairing movement with letter sounds gives children an additional way to remember and retrieve information

-Why some active or “wiggly” children struggle with traditional sit-down literacy instruction

-Simple multisensory activities that combine visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning

-How to help children make the leap from hearing individual sounds to blending those sounds into words

-Why literacy practice can be short, playful, and low-prep while still being systematic and evidence-based

-Practical strategies SLPs, educators, and parents can easily incorporate into everyday learning 

Here’s what we learned:

• Movement helps children remember and recall letter sounds.
• Active learners benefit from hands-on literacy activities.
• Multisensory learning combines sight, sound, and movement.
• Visual and movement cues help children blend sounds into words.
• Literacy practice can be fun, simple, and low-prep.
• Small, everyday activities can support speech and literacy development.

Learn more about Stephanie Hohl:
Website:

https://www.abcseeheardo.com/

Socials:
@abcseeheardo

@stefaniehohl 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

What if the secret to better articulation practice isn’t a perfect lesson plan? Hallie sits down with Lauren Clair, a school-based SLP and the voice behind Sunshine Speech Company, to talk about speech sound centers without the stress. Lauren loves finding creative ways to make therapy meaningful, engaging, and fun, and she’s passionate about sharing practical systems that help SLPs feel more organized and less stressed so they can focus on what matters most, their students. As a cleft-affected adult, she’s also passionate about helping children build confidence in their communication skills and find their voice, regardless of how they sound or look. Tune in to hear how Lauren runs speech centers (even in a tiny speech room!), why you don’t need a grand plan for every kid, and how being open about differences can make a big impact on your students! 

Bullet Points to Discuss:

Related to my cleft experience (background of my diagnosis/procedures, my speech therapy experience, what it was like to grow up “different”, why it has made me so passionate about speech therapy and building confidence in kids)

Regarding speech centers (why I started doing these, what this looks like in a therapy session, what types of activities I incorporate into these sessions, why it is beneficial to students, why it is beneficial to SLPs) 

Here’s what we learned:

• Lauren’s cleft story, from her diagnosis at birth to her five surgeries, years of dental work, and yearly cleft team visits
• What speech therapy was like for her as a kid, and how those early SLP experiences led her to the field
• What it was like to grow up “different,” and why she wants kids to know that being different doesn’t make them any less
• How sharing her own story can build confidence in students who are struggling with self-image or being picked on
• Why Lauren started using speech centers and why they’re a perfect fit for her speech sound caseload
• What a center-based session looks like: small groups, three stations, clear expectations, and a timer
• Hands-on center ideas like toys, sensory bins, crafts, Play-Doh, and digital activities that keep kids practicing their sounds
• Why centers boost engagement and give students more articulation trials in less time
• Why you don’t need to overplan every activity, and how letting go of rigid plans helps SLPs avoid burnout

Learn more about Lauren Clair:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunshinespeechcompany?stkn=MnlkeTBneXJ1amdj&utm_source=qr

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sunshinespeechcompany?_r=1&_t=ZP-99zEvhWEKkw 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe

https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

What if your student’s reading struggle isn’t really a reading problem? 🤔 Hallie sits down with Megan Fournier, a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and private practice owner at the Jersey Shore, to dig into the connection between language and literacy. Meg is Orton-Gillingham trained with specialized Lindamood-Bell training, and she blends her SLP expertise with evidence-based literacy intervention to build the skills behind reading, comprehension, and academic success. Tune in to hear why great intervention goes way beyond teaching a child to read, and how understanding each child’s unique learning profile makes all the difference! 

Bullet Points to Discuss:

• SLPs role in reading

• SLPs building of private practice

• SLPs ability to shape a career that works for them

• SLPs work-life balance 

Here's what we learned:

• How SLPs play a powerful role in helping kids become strong readers
• What it takes to build a private practice from the ground up
• How to shape an SLP career that works for you and your life
• Ways to find real work-life balance as an SLP

Learn more about Megan Fournier
Email: [email protected]

Website: www.shorelinetherapyservices.com

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe

https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Not sure where to start with AAC assessment? Hallie chats with Alyssa Croll, AAC the SLP, an SLP and assistive technology specialist for a very large school district. With more than 10 years of experience, Alyssa is also a public speaker and consultant who offers practical, nuanced AAC solutions grounded in the reality of school-based practice. Together they talk about why a standard starting app and grid size can work, how to tell exploring from keyboard smashing, and how a “coach-the-coach” model gets staff on board so AAC gets used all day. Plus, free apps and trainings to help you get started.

Bullet Points to Discuss:

* barriers that can affect AAC assessment

* Making AAC assessment more individualized and functional

* Practical clinical reasoning in real-world AAC assessment 

Here's what we learned:

• Barriers like unclear starting points, limited apps, and little staff buy-in can derail AAC assessment, so plan for the people, not just the device
• Individualized assessment starts with what a student already communicates, then adjusts the system to fit, since assessment is ongoing
• Practical clinical reasoning means choosing a starting point and adjusting from there, not searching for the perfect system

Learn more about Alyssa Croll:

Email Address: [email protected]

Website: aactheslp.com

Social: IG & Tik Tok @aactheslp 

Other links: 

https://preview.convertri.com/15900828-68cd-4cbf-9f4c-188cf89ea750

Freebie - include this on the docs so we don’t need to copy and paste from this document (note for podmachine editor)

https://aactheslp.myflodesk.com/abandonment 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe

https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Do worksheets have to be boring? In this solo episode, Hallie shares four easy ways to make worksheets more engaging for older students without adding a ton of prep or turning every session into a game. She explains how to pair worksheets with simple games, choose high-interest topics that connect to students’ lives, give them more choice in how they complete the activity, and use a simple white colored pencil trick to add an element of surprise. Most importantly, she reminds SLPs that the goal isn't to make therapy look fancy—it’s to help students feel successful, take risks, and see that learning can actually be fun.

Bullet Points to Discuss:

-Why it's okay to use worksheets with older students
-How to pair a worksheet with simple games like Jenga, dice, spinners, or cards
-Why getting the answer right shouldn't be the requirement for earning a turn
-Choosing high-interest, age-respectful topics that students actually care about
-Why background knowledge and reading level matter when choosing worksheet content
-Ditching the boring pencil and giving students choices with colored pencils, gel pens, markers, or dry erase sleeves
-The white colored pencil trick for turning a regular worksheet into a more interactive activity
-Why small changes can create more autonomy, engagement, and confidence
-Helping students see the speech room as a place where they can take risks and be successful

Here's what we learned:

• A worksheet doesn't automatically mean boring, and sometimes it's exactly what you need for data collection, classroom-based tasks, or quick sessions
• Pairing a worksheet with a simple game can make the activity more engaging without changing the therapeutic target
• Students don't have to earn a game turn by getting an answer right—the goal is to teach and support them toward success
• High-interest, age-respectful topics can make difficult language tasks feel more manageable
• Background knowledge matters because unfamiliar content can add another layer of difficulty
• Giving students choices about what they use to complete a worksheet adds autonomy without requiring extra prep
• A white colored pencil can turn an ordinary worksheet into a simple reveal-and-check activity
• The goal isn't to make therapy elaborate; it's to help students feel successful, take risks, and have fun while learning

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe

https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Are you writing following directions goals straight from a CELF subtest score? In this solo episode, Hallie makes the case for asking "why" before you write another three-step directions goal for a middle or high schooler. She explains how to use item analysis to find what's really driving the difficulty, why compensatory strategies often serve older students better than more isolated drill, and how to build self-advocacy into the activities you're already doing. She also shares low-cost, teen-friendly ways to practice when you do need a directions goal.

Bullet Points to Discuss:

-Why a standardized test should give us information, not our therapy curriculum

-Item analysis - looking past the scaled score to find the pattern

-Asking "why" - language, working memory, attention, vocabulary, or the environment?

When more of the same isn't working - the same goal from 3rd grade to 7th grade

Compensatory strategies - teaching what to do when they miss it or can't remember

-Metacognition - recognizing "I didn't understand" is the first step to self-advocacy

-Teacher supports & accommodations - it's an access-to-instruction skill, not just a speech room skill

-Easy, low-cost activities: drawing tutorial videos, a DIY file folder barrier game & Edpuzzle's rewatch button

Here's what we learned:

• A standardized test gives you information, not a therapy curriculum, so use item analysis to find the pattern behind a low score
• The "why" matters: language, working memory, attention, vocabulary, and environment each call for a different goal
• Repeating the same directions goal year after year isn't working, so it's time to change the approach
• For older students, teach compensatory strategies like keywords, chunking, repeating back, and asking for one step at a time
• Recognizing "I missed something" is the first step to self-advocacy
• Following directions is an access-to-instruction skill, so share accommodations with teachers
• Drawing videos, a file folder barrier game, and Edpuzzle's rewatch button make strategy practice low-cost and teen-friendly

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe

https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Tired of reaching for the same generic drills no matter what speech sound error walks through your door? In this episode, Hallie chats with Laura Rinella, MA, CCC-SLP, creator of Laura Teaches Speech and a pediatric specialist in speech sound disorders. Laura breaks down how she builds targeted, individualized treatment plans that move the needle on intelligibility, offers her take on telling articulation and phonological disorders apart in real sessions, and explains why she sees every kid's progress as a step toward letting their voice come through.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

- Why principles of motor learning belong in articulation therapy

- how manipulating practice & feedback results in independence

- When more isn't always better - high trials aren't enough

- The performance trap -  why success during practice doesn't equal learning

- The power of mistakes - update & refine the motor plan

- Variation - the secret sauce/game changer/the closer

Here’s what we learned: 

• Motor learning principles matter for every kid with a speech sound error, not just those with residual/lingering errors
• Mastering a sound in the therapy room isn't the same as mastering it in real life — that's the performance trap
• Variation in rate, intonation, and loudness is what drives carryover to real conversation
• Speech motor chaining builds from syllables to self-generated sentences, leveling up as accuracy improves
• Buy-in matters as much as biomechanics — kids need to believe change is possible before the movement work sticks
  
  
  

Learn more about Laura Rinella

Website

https://substack.com/@laurateachesspeech                        https://www.archspeechtherapy.com/courses-resources/

Social

https://www.instagram.com/laurateachesspeech/ 

Other links: 

https://substack.com/@laurateachesspeech               

https://www.archspeechtherapy.com/courses-resources/

Freebie - include this on the docs so we don’t need to copy and paste from this document (note for podmachine editor)

https://substack.com/@laurateachesspeech/note/p-188451575?r=7jc6eu&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe

https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Struggling to know what "good" data collection actually looks like, especially with older students on your caseload? In this episode, Hallie sits down with Kayla Obenour, an SLP with over a decade of experience across schools, outpatient, home health, and private practice, to chat all about what real, useful data collection can look like. Kayla shares why she's always aimed to "practice what she preaches" as a clinician, how she helps new clinicians cut through the overwhelm of tracking everything at once, and why qualitative data deserves just as much credit as a percentage on a page.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why data collection creates such heavy cognitive load for new clinicians 
• Probe data versus continuous data, and what makes data reliable and valid 
• Rethinking the 80% accuracy standard and other ways to measure meaningful progress 
• The role parents, teachers, and work samples play in painting a fuller picture 
• Breaking annual goals into smaller, more achievable objectives 
• Why starting from a student's strengths builds buy-in and confidence

Here’s what we learned: 

• Ten solid probe data points can be just as valid as tracking data throughout an entire session. 
• Qualitative data, like the type and amount of support a student needed, is still meaningful data. 
• Percent accuracy alone doesn't reveal whether a skill functions for a student outside of therapy. 
• Parents and teachers often notice things in other settings that never show up in session data. 
• Starting with a student's smallest achievable step builds momentum faster than jumping straight to the end goal.

Learn more about Kayla Obenour: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rooted-in-Connection-Therapy/61577409999013/ 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this solo episode, Hallie breaks down how to stop drowning in back-to-back groups with completely different goals. She covers why you don't need a separate activity for every student, how one resource — a video, book, article, or even a game — can hit multiple goals at once, and why mixed-goal groups can actually work in your favor instead of against you. If planning has been eating into time you don't have and you're tired of scrambling between sessions, this episode is for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why "one activity per student" is a planning trap, not a requirement 
• The case for letting mixed-goal groups work side by side 
• Keeping students in the loop on their own goals and why it matters
• Turning any YouTube video into a multi-goal lesson with Edpuzzle 
• Wordless picture books: the ultimate no-prep, any-goal resource 
• Squeezing more mileage out of articles, storybooks, and games than "intended" 
• Making one resource stretch across grade levels without extra work

Here’s what we learned: 

• You don't need a new activity for every student — one resource can carry the whole group. 
• Mixed-goal groups pick up extra language just from hearing each other get prompted. 
• Edpuzzle lets you drop goal-specific questions right into any video. 
• Nobody's handing out a trophy for asking the exact question printed on the card. 
• The same resource can flex across grade levels — just adjust the difficulty, not the material.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Feeling stuck when it comes to that pesky vocalic R? In this episode, Hallie sits down with Karen Krogg of The Pedi Speechie, a school-based SLP with a serious R obsession, to talk through everything from tongue shape to carryover. Karen breaks down her hand gesture analogies, favorite tools, and how she keeps kids motivated through the long haul of R therapy.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Determining when R work is warranted for older students in schools
• Retroflex R vs. bunched R, and how to tell the difference
• Hand gesture analogies and tools like the typodont and Sketchfab
• Making practice fun without turning it into straight drilling
• Carryover strategies that actually get used at home
• Advice for SLPs and CFs new to treating vocalic R 

Here’s what we learned: 

• Progress often comes down to problem-solving, not repetition — no single method works for every student
• The quicker a student masters R in isolation, the more predictable the rest of therapy tends to go
• A baseline screener at the start of the year makes progress easier to track
• Patience is part of the clinical skill set — R therapy can take well over a year
• New SLPs don’t need to have it all figured out — CEU courses and online resources help fill the gaps

Learn more about Karen Krogg: 

Website: https://thepedispeechie.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepedispeechie/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepedispeechie_slp 

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-pedi-speechie

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thepedispeechie4227 

Speech Therapy Tools

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://thepedispeechie.com/speech-therapy-tools 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets