Find all the Let’s Talk Learning Disabilities Episodes Here, or Search by Topic!
Episode # 101 - Back to School
Laurie and Abbey discuss important tips for getting ready for the new school year. They cover reviewing accommodation plans, communicating with teachers, and how students can begin advocating for their own needs as they grow older and enter college.
Episode # 100 - Looking Back
In this special episode, Laurie and Abbey celebrate the milestone of their 100th podcast episode. They reflect on the growth of the podcast and share impactful feedback from listeners, highlighting the positive difference their work has made in the lives of those tuning in.
Episode # 99 - Dyscalculia, STEM, and College Coaching-Cindy Palmer
Laurie and Abbey chat with Cindy Palmer from STEM Tutoring, a specialist in dyscalculia.
Cindy shares her journey from high school biology teacher to one-on-one therapist, focusing on helping adolescents with math-related learning challenges.
Episode # 98 - Lively Minds Institute
Laurie and Abbey talk with Candace from Lively Minds Institute, who shares her journey from teaching academic content to focusing on executive function skills like organization and task management. Candace explains how this shift led to the creation of Lively Minds Institute, where they teach students strategies to succeed academically.
Episode # 97 - Interview with an Occupational Therapist from LegiLiner
Laurie and Abbey welcome Polly Benson from LegiLiner.
Polly, an occupational therapist, shares her journey from hand-drawing lines for students with handwriting difficulties to inventing a rolling stamp for easier line-making. After positive feedback from teachers, she pursued patenting and manufacturing her innovative solution.
Episode # 96 - Touch Match
Laurie and Abbey welcome Dr. Sandra Elliott from Touch Math to discuss her work with dyscalculia and the origins of the Touch Math program. Dr. Elliott shares how the program was developed in 1975 to help students with autism understand math through concrete objects and visual aids.
Episode # 95 - Turning Struggles into Triumphs - Part 12
In this final episode of their parenting series, Laurie and Abbey talk to Sarah about her daughter, who struggled with math despite doing well in other subjects. Sarah shares how she faced challenges getting the support she needed, shedding light on the difficulties many parents face when seeking help for learning differences.
Episode # 94 - Turning Struggles into Triumphs - Part 11
Laurie and Abbey continue their series "Turning Struggles and Triumphs: Parenting through Learning Challenges." Laurie chats with Heather Brown, whose daughter Cambri faced learning difficulties from a young age. Heather shares her journey advocating for Cambri’s dyslexia screening after noticing early signs, leading to a diagnosis in first grade.
Episode # 93 - Turning Struggles into Triumphs - Part 10
Laurie and Abbey continue their series "Turning Struggles and Triumphs: Parenting through Learning Challenges."
Laurie chats with Rachel Rakunas, who shares her experience raising a child with learning differences. Rachel discusses her son’s early struggles with letter sounds, which ultimately led to a dyslexia diagnosis.
Episode # 92 - Turning ADHD Struggles into Triumphs part 9
Laurie and Abbey continue their series "Turning Struggles and Triumphs: Parenting through Learning Challenges."
Laurie chats with Kelsey Talley, who shares her journey with her daughter Reagan’s recent ADHD diagnosis. Drawing on her experience with her dyslexic son, Kelsey recognized similar patterns in Reagan’s struggles and advocated for testing.
Episode # 91 - Camps for Children with Learning Disabilities
In this bonus episode, Laurie and Abbey chat with Karl Oppenheimer from Camp Dunnabeck and Ilana Stoch from Camp Kodiak. They discuss how both camps offer excellent summer options for students with learning disabilities, providing a supportive environment for growth and fun.
Episode # 90 - Landmark School and Summer Program
Laurie and Abbey take a break from their parenting series to discuss summer programs with Melody O'Neil from Landmark School in Massachusetts. Melody shares details about the school’s summer programs for students in grades 2 through 12, focusing on literacy, math, study skills, and executive function.
Episode # 89-Council for Exceptional Children Convention 2024
In this episode, Laurie goes solo at the CEC (Council for Exceptional Children) Convention in San Antonio, chatting with guests like Jeanetta Bryant from Abilities Workshop, Michelle from Ta-Da! Languages, and Ilana from Camp Kodiak. Tune in for insights and exciting highlights from the event!
Episode # 88 - Turning Dyslexia & ADHD Struggles into Triumphs Part 8
Laurie and Abbey continue their series "Turning Struggles and Triumphs: Parenting through Learning Challenges." Abbey chats with Katie, a mother of three children with learning differences. Katie shares her journey with her eldest son, who was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD at seven.
Episode # 87-Learning Disabilities Association Conference 2024
Live from the Learning Disability Association (LDA) Conference in Orlando, Laurie and Abbey interview Polly from Legi-Liner, Jennifer from Syllables Learning Center, and Tim and Lindsay from OrCam. They share valuable insights into innovative tools and approaches designed to support individuals with learning disabilities.
Episode # 86-Turning Learning Disability Struggles into Triumphs-Part 7
Laurie and Abbey continue their series "Turning Struggles and Triumphs: Parenting through Learning Challenges." Laurie chats with Jennifer, a mother of four children with learning disabilities, who shares her family’s journey through diagnoses and the coping strategies that have helped them along the way.
Episode # 85-Turning Learning Disability Struggles into Triumphs Part 6
In this episode, Laurie and Abbey continue their series "Turning Struggles and Triumphs: Parenting through Learning Challenges." Abbey talks to Michelle, who shares her experience navigating her daughter’s learning challenges, including struggles with messiness, forgetfulness, and behavior that became more evident during the pandemic.
Episode # 84-Turning Learning Disability Struggles into Triumphs Part 5
In this episode, Laurie and Abbey continue their series "Turning Struggles and Triumphs: Parenting through Learning Challenges." Abbey chats with Sarah Noble, who shares her experience parenting her daughter Alexandra, who has dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. Sarah discusses how their family’s history of dyslexia helped them recognize potential challenges early on.
Episode # 83-Turning Learning Disability Struggles into Triumphs part 4
Laurie and Abbey continue their series "Turning Struggles and Triumphs: Parenting through Learning Challenges." Abbey chats with Tricia Allen, who shares her experience with her daughter Sydney, whose intense emotions and reading struggles became more apparent after the family moved from Illinois to Hawaii and how these early challenges led her to investigate Sydney’s needs further.
Episode # 82-Turning Learning Disability Struggles into Triumphs Part 3
Laurie and Abbey continue their series "Turning Struggles and Triumphs: Parenting through Learning Challenges." Abbey chats with Jennifer Fulbright, who shares her son’s struggles with phonics, phonemic awareness, and writing before any diagnosis, highlighting the challenges of identifying learning differences early on.