Therapod Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

“What works for a few children usually works for all. Why have special seats for special children when we can have a range of seats for everyone?”

In this inspiring episode of the Therapod Podcast, host Carolyn Gelenter sits down with Heba Al-Jayoosi, the SENCO and Assistant Head at Mayflower Primary School in East London. Heba shares the journey of their "Flexible Seating Revolution"—a radical shift in classroom design that replaces rigid rows with a menu of choices, including rocking chairs, standing desks, and wobble stools.

In this episode, we explore:

Inclusion by Design: How Mayflower moved away from stigmatizing "special adaptations" to a Universal Design for Learning approach where every child can choose the seating that meets their sensory needs.

The Chair Committee: How the project was co-produced with the children themselves, involving a "mammoth" survey of 357 pupils to ensure their voices led the change.

Movement as a Tool for Learning: Challenging the myth that choice leads to "silliness," Heba explains how movement actually improves concentration, peer collaboration, and motivation.

Normalizing Sensory Support: From "normalized" ear defenders available to all children to a "no rules" approach to seating, learn how removing stigma creates a sense of belonging.

Rigor vs. Relationships: How Mayflower became the highest attaining primary school in the UK in 2023 not through rigid control, but by prioritizing emotional safety and the "relational" side of teaching.

Whether you are an educator or a parent, this conversation is a powerful reminder that fairness isn't about everyone having the same—it’s about everyone having what they need to thrive.

#InclusiveEducation #FlexibleSeating #Neurodiversity #UDL #TherapodPodcast #MayflowerPrimary #SensorySupport #DLD #AutismAwareness #EducationInnovation

Send us Fan Mail

“Teaching phonics before a child is ready is like taking a student driver on the motorway in their second lesson.”

In this episode of the Therapod Podcast, host Carolyn Gelenter sits down with Professor Helen Stringer from Newcastle University to explore the fundamental power of phonological awareness. While the education system often pushes formal phonics at age four, Professor Stringer explains that many children lack the underlying auditory skills needed to succeed, which can turn reading into a "trial" rather than a pleasure.

The conversation clarifies the vital difference between the two: phonological awareness is an auditory skill about how we deal with the words we hear in our brains, whereas phonics is a visual skill linking letters to sounds.

Key highlights from this episode include:

The Developmental Sequence: Why language develops from whole words to syllables and finally to individual sounds—and why jumping straight to sounds can lead to reading failure.

The NAPA & NIPA: An introduction to the Newcastle Assessment of Phonological Awareness and the Newcastle Intervention for Phonological Awareness—free, evidence-based tools designed to help practitioners support children effectively.

Vocabulary & Speech: How phonological awareness serves as the "hook" for learning new words and helps children with speech sound disorders resolve their difficulties more quickly.

A Social Justice Issue: A call to action to move away from "one size fits all" phonics programs and prioritize student readiness to ensure no child feels like a failure at age five.

Bilingual Advantages: Insights into how phonological awareness skills transfer across different languages, providing a bridge for children who speak more than one language.

Tune in to discover how moving "Beyond Phonics" can transform a child's journey into literacy and language.

#PhonologicalAwareness #Literacy #Phonics #SpeechAndLanguage #TherapodPodcast #InclusiveEducation #NAPA #NIPA #EarlyYears #Neurodiversity

Send us Fan Mail

"If we could get away from diagnosis and think about a child's needs, that might make a big difference."

In this insightful episode of the Therapod Podcast: More Than Words, host Carolyn Gelenter is joined by Alison, a Speech and Language Therapist, Psychologist, and Deputy Director of Children’s Services, to explore the evolving landscape of autism and communication.

Together, they dive into the complexities of identifying and supporting neurodivergent children in 2025. Key topics include:

Differentiating DLD and Autism: Understanding the subtle differences in early history, nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors that help distinguish Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) from autism.

The "Invisible" Experience of Girls: A deep dive into masking, why girls have been historically underdiagnosed, and the mental health impact of "holding it in" during the school day.

A Needs-Led Approach: Why the focus must shift from "splitting hairs" over labels to providing functional, collaborative support that prioritizes social justice and the child’s voice.

Navigating the System: Addressing the "madness" of multi-year diagnostic wait times and the trend of pathologizing normal difficult feelings, such as stress and anxiety, in young children.

This episode is a call for a more inclusive, needs-based society where every child's unique way of thinking and communicating is understood and supported.

Tune in now to join the conversation!

Sponsored by Therapix, providing easy-to-understand, video-based strategies to help parents and teachers support children with additional needs.

#AutismAwareness #DLD #Neurodiversity #SpeechTherapy #TherapodPodcast #InclusiveEducation #SocialJustice

Send us Fan Mail

In this incredibly moving episode of the Therapod Podcast, host Carolyn Gelenter sits down with Robyn Lascelles, a 37-year-old restaurant manager and barista who shares her lived experience with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)

Robyn takes us on a journey through her educational path-from a small speech and language unit to a massive 2,000-student mainstream secondary school

She provides a rare and vital perspective on what support actually feels like for a student, explaining why she preferred "invisible" support from her teaching assistant to avoid the stigma of being "different" during her teenage years

In this episode, we explore:
• The Power of Advocacy: The role of Robyn's mother, Linda Lascelles (CEO of Afasic), as a "force to be reckoned with" in securing the right educational settings,,.
• Practical Strategies for Success: How Robyn uses checklists, whiteboards, and even voice notes from her current boss to manage her short-term memory challenges and run a successful business,.•
• Navigating the Workplace: Robyn's "full circle" journey back to her passion for catering and how a supportive manager makes all the difference,,.
• The "Debrief" Method: Why talking through her day with family remains a key strategy for processing information and solving problems.

Whether you are a parent looking for hope or a practitioner looking to improve your support strategies, Robyn's warmth and resilience offer a powerful reminder that with the right environment, individuals with DLD can belong, work, and thrive.

#DLD #LivedExperience #TherapodPodcast #Neurodiversity #SpeechAndLanguage #Inclusion #Afasic

Send us Fan Mail

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to Season 6 of Therapod Podcast: Beyond Words, where we explore how communication and language shape our lives from childhood through adulthood.

Hosted by Carolyn Gelenter, on this episode we are joined by Kathryn Gilgallon, Lead Teacher of the Deaf with over 20 years of experience. Kathryn shares her fascinating journey from studying marine biology to falling in love with Deaf culture, eventually moving from California to the UK to advocate for deaf children and their families.

A central theme of this episode is the critical distinction between medical deafness and Language Deprivation. Kathryn explains that because 80% of language is typically learned through incidental overhearing, deaf children are at a high risk of missing vital language foundations during their earliest years. We discuss the "social justice" of ensuring these children have early access to a language-rich environment, whether through spoken language, sign, or both.

Kathryn also offers incredibly practical Universal Design tips for making classrooms and homes more accessible, including:

• Acoustic Hacks: Using tennis balls on chair legs to eliminate scraping sounds and oil cloths on tables to dampen the clatter of toys.
• Environment Setup: Moving music corners away from book corners and utilizing rugs or plants to absorb background noise.
• Intentional Listening: Turning off background TVs and radios during meal times to make "overhearing" easier for everyone.

Finally, we challenge the "one size fits all" approach to education, particularly regarding phonics and reading. Kathryn highlights how visual support systems and Deaf pride (Capital D Deafness) provide a sense of identity and belonging that goes far beyond a medical diagnosis.

Tune in to learn how we can move away from "tick-boxing" and toward a world that truly respects and enables the diverse ways we communicate.

#DeafEducation #BSL #TherapodPodcast #DeafCulture #InclusiveDesign #SpeechLanguageTherapy #LanguageDeprivation #UniversalDesign

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to Season 6 of Therapod Podcast: Beyond Words.

This season continues our deep dive into how communication and language affect every part of our lives, from education to our internal sense of safety. I am joined by co-host Carolyn Gelenter, an advisory teacher for speech, language, and communication needs.

Our guest for this episode is Jamie Galpin, a developmental psychologist and researcher who is challenging the way we view "disorders". Jamie works to move education systems away from a "barrage of acronyms" and toward a model of inclusive design that fosters a sense of belonging for all children.

The core of our conversation centers on a powerful realization: uncertainty is the primary difficulty underpinning anxiety. Whether it is a child refusing to go to school or an adult panic-buying during a pandemic, these behaviors are often not the "problem"—they are an individual's solution to unmanageable uncertainty.

Jamie introduces us to the Three S’s of Uncertainty:
• Sensory: Specifically interoception, our internal sensory pathway that tells us how our body feels (heart rate, breathing, hunger).
• Social: How we navigate interactions with others.
• Structure: The predictability of our environments and tasks.

What is most striking is Jamie’s insight into interoception as the "port in a storm". If a child cannot understand their internal signals, they cannot effectively regulate their emotions.

Tune in to hear how we can move toward a "post-diagnostic world" where we see common humanity instead of "disordered" individuals.

#Uncertainty #Neurodiversity #SensoryProcessing #TherapodPodcast #Interoception #InclusiveEducation #MentalHealth

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to Season 6 of Therapod Podcast: Beyond Words.

This season continues to explore how speech, language, and communication are the foundation for every aspect of our lives, from mental health to personal safety. Hosted by Carolyn Gelenter, an advisory teacher for speech, language, and communication needs, as we speak with experts who are bridging the gap between language and emotional wellbeing.

Our latest guest? Rachel Bailey, a freelance education consultant and former primary teacher who has spent her career advocating for "pupil voice" and the emotional health of children. Together, Carolyn and Rachel have updated a groundbreaking teaching manual focused on Protective Behaviors, a framework that empowers children to stay safe through the power of communication.

What stands out in this conversation is how vital language is for safeguarding. Children with language disorders often struggle to identify and name their feelings because they lack the necessary vocabulary. Without the words to link a physical "early warning sign"—like butterflies in the tummy or a racing heart—to the feeling of being unsafe, these children are at a significantly higher risk.

Rachel and Carolyn’s work introduces practical tools like the "Helping Hand" network and the "Safety Continuum" to give children a literal and figurative voice. Their new manual is designed for children aged four to seven, teaching them that they have the right to feel safe all the time and can talk to someone about anything, no matter how small it seems.

Language is the "glue" that holds our safety together; it shapes our thinking, our behaviors, and our ability to seek help.

Tune in to hear how we can move beyond "stranger danger" and empower the next generation with the language of safety.

#ProtectiveBehaviors #SpeechLanguageTherapy #TherapodPodcast #Safeguarding #StudentWellbeing

Send us Fan Mail

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to Season 6 of Therapod Podcast: More Than Words.

This season dives deep into speech and language - not just therapy, but how communication shapes our entire lives. From education to employment, from childhood through adulthood.

I'm joined by co-host Carolyn Gelenter, an advisory teacher for speech, language and communication needs, and we're bringing you world-class researchers and practitioners who are transforming how we understand language disorders.

Our next guest? Dr. Courtenay Norbury Speech and Language Therapist  and - the researcher behind the groundbreaking Surrey study that showed us 7.5% of children have significant language difficulties. That's 2-3 children in every classroom.

But here's what struck me most from our conversation: adults with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) are largely invisible in our healthcare system. No  services specifically for them. They're referred for autism assessments or intellectual disability evaluations because there's nowhere else to go.

Courtenay's team at UCL has started the first adult DLD assessment service. Early findings? Many adults are finally getting answers after years of struggling in silence.

Language isn't just about talking. It's about belonging, working, thriving in society.

Tune in to hear how we can build a world where saying "I have DLD" gets the response: "I know what that is, and I know how to help."

#DLD #SpeechLanguageTherapy #therapodPodcast