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NESCA Notes 2026

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Image of teo children reading outside on the grass with a quote from NESCA Pediatric Neuropsychologist Alissa Talamo, Ph.D.

How to Encourage Summer Reading with Your Child

By | NESCA Notes 2026

Image of teo children reading outside on the grass with a quote from NESCA Pediatric Neuropsychologist Alissa Talamo, Ph.D.By: Alissa Talamo, PhD
Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA

Summer is an important time for children to relax and recharge, but it also provides a valuable opportunity to make reading enjoyable. Research consistently shows that students who do not read over the summer are at risk for the “summer slide,” which is a decline in reading skills acquired during the school year. In contrast, children who continue to read during the summer not only maintain but can even improve their literacy abilities.

The benefits of summer reading extend well beyond academics. Regular reading helps expand general knowledge, improve vocabulary and spelling, and strengthen focus and attention. According to Dr. Sally Shaywitz, author of Overcoming Dyslexia, children who read for just 20 minutes a day are exposed to approximately 1.8 million words each year, compared to only 8,000 words for those who read just a few minutes daily. This increased exposure to language supports both language development and writing skills.

Reading for just 20 minutes each day offers numerous advantages. Children experience significant vocabulary growth, encounter diverse perspectives that foster empathy, and develop stronger critical thinking skills as they engage with stories and information. Additionally, reading can be a relaxing activity, particularly before bedtime, helping children unwind after a busy day.

Despite these benefits, some children may be reluctant to read due to reading difficulties, uncertainty about their interests, or a preference for other activities. To encourage reading, it is important to let children choose books that interest them, set aside time to read together, and create a cozy reading environment at home. Pairing reading with interactive activities, such as visiting a museum, landmark, or travel destination related to a book’s topic, characters, or setting, can also make reading more appealing. Regular library visits, audiobooks, and a variety of reading materials—including magazines, comics, and graphic novels—can also help sustain interest. Introducing children to book series and modeling your own enjoyment of reading are additional strategies to foster a positive reading culture.

Helpful Resources and Tools

There are many excellent websites and apps that can support your child’s reading journey. Here are some sites to consider:

  • Unite for Literacy: A collection of audio/picture books read aloud to your child.
  • Reading Rockets—Reading Adventure Packs: Downloadable guides with book suggestions and activities.
  • Starfall.com: Early literacy games and books, ideal for young children.
  • Talking is Teaching: Encourages parents to talk, read, and sing with children to boost early brain and vocabulary development.

Other Resources:

Conclusion

Encouraging your child to read over the summer—and throughout the year—can have lasting benefits for their academic, social, and emotional development. By making reading enjoyable and accessible, and by supporting their individual interests and needs, you can help your child build a lifelong love of reading.

 

References:

  • Sally Shaywitz, MD, Overcoming Dyslexia (2020 Edition): Second Edition, January 4, 2005
  • https://specialedresource.com/benefits-of-reading-20-minutes-a-day
  • https://www.k12reader.com/why-read-20-minutes-a-day/
  • https://www.understood.org/articles/en/14-ways-to-encourage-your-grade-schooler-to-read

 

About the Author

Alissa Talamo headshotWith NESCA since its inception in 2007, Dr. Talamo had previously practiced for many years as a child and adolescent clinical psychologist before completing postdoctoral re-training in pediatric neuropsychology at the Children’s Evaluation Center.

After receiving her undergraduate degree from Columbia University, Dr. Talamo earned her doctorate in clinical health psychology from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University.

She has given a number of presentations, most recently on “How to Recognize a Struggling Reader,” “Supporting Students with Working Memory Limitations,” (with Bonnie Singer, Ph.D., CCC-SLP of Architects for Learning), and “Executive Function in Elementary and Middle School Students.”

Dr. Talamo specializes in working with children and adolescents with language-based learning disabilities including dyslexia, attentional disorders, and emotional issues. She is also interested in working with highly gifted children.

Her professional memberships include MAGE (Massachusetts Association for Gifted Education), IDA (International Dyslexia Association), MABIDA (the Massachusetts division of IDA) and MNS (the Massachusetts Neuropsychological Society).

She is the mother of one college-aged daughter.

To book a consultation with Dr. Talamo or one of our many other expert neuropsychologists, complete NESCA’s online intake form.

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology and related services practice with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

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image of a child receiving summer services

Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Start Services for Your Child

By | NESCA Notes 2026

image of a child receiving summer servicesBy: Rebecca Dautoff, Psy.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA

For many families, summer is a welcome break from the busy routines of the school year. Without homework, early morning schedules, and packed extracurricular calendars, children often have more flexibility and downtime. While summer is commonly viewed as a season for relaxation and fun, it can also be an ideal time to begin therapeutic, educational, or developmental services.

As a psychologist, I often hear parents wonder whether they should wait until the fall to start services. In most cases, my recommendation is simple: if a child would benefit from support, summer is one of the best times to begin. Schedules are more open, and you may even be able to meet more often and make as much progress in the summer as you would over the course of an entire semester. I personally have two children getting services this summer, and here is why:

Reduced Academic Demands Create More Capacity for Growth
During the school year, children are balancing academics, social expectations, extracurricular activities, and family responsibilities. Adding a new service can sometimes feel overwhelming for both children and parents. Summer offers a different environment. With fewer academic pressures and more flexible schedules, children often have greater emotional and cognitive bandwidth to engage in learning new skills, and parents may have more bandwidth to take on the scheduling of yet another thing. Whether they are working on emotional regulation, social communication, executive functioning, speech and language development, or motor skills, children may be more receptive to intervention when they are not simultaneously managing the demands of a full school day.

Time to Build Relationships Before School Starts
One of the most important factors in successful intervention is the relationship between the child and the provider. Trust and comfort take time to develop. Starting services during the summer allows children to establish rapport with therapists, specialists, or support providers before the school year begins. By the time fall arrives, many children feel more comfortable, confident, and familiar with the therapeutic process, allowing them to make more meaningful progress when academic demands increase.

Opportunities to Practice Skills in Real-Life Settings
Summer often provides more opportunities for children to practice new skills in everyday situations. Family outings, camps, playdates, vacations, and community activities create natural opportunities to apply what they are learning.

For example:

  • Children working on social skills can practice initiating conversations and maintaining friendships.
  • Children receiving counseling can use coping strategies during new experiences and transitions.
  • Children developing executive functioning skills can practice planning, organization, and independence.
  • Children receiving speech or occupational therapy can apply newly learned skills across a variety of environments.

This real-world practice helps strengthen learning and promotes generalization of skills beyond the therapy setting.

Preventing the “Wait and See” Delay
Parents sometimes hope that a challenge will improve on its own over time. While development naturally occurs as children grow, delaying support can sometimes mean missing valuable opportunities for intervention. Summer provides a proactive window to address concerns before they potentially become more significant during the school year. Beginning services early allows professionals to assess needs, develop goals, and implement strategies that can help children start the school year with greater confidence and support.

Easing School-Year Transitions
Transitions can be challenging for many children. Starting a new school year often brings changes in routines, teachers, expectations, and social dynamics. When children begin services during the summer, they can enter the school year with established supports already in place. They may have stronger coping skills, increased confidence, and a clearer understanding of their strengths and challenges. This foundation can make the transition back to school smoother and less stressful for both children and parents.

More Opportunities to Participate
Parent involvement is one of the strongest predictors of successful outcomes in many therapeutic and educational interventions. The school year in our house often feels hectic. With two working parents and three kids in school, our day-to-day is fast-paced and complicated, to say the least. During the summer, families like ours often have more flexibility to attend appointments, participate in consultations, and implement recommended strategies at home. This increased bandwidth and collaboration allows providers and families to work together more effectively, creating consistency between sessions and daily life.

Progress Before the Next School Year Begins
Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of starting services during the summer is the opportunity to make meaningful progress before school resumes. A few months of targeted support can help children develop new skills, increase confidence, and establish positive routines. Rather than beginning services while already managing the demands of a new school year, children can start the fall with momentum and a stronger foundation for success.

 

About the Author

Dr. Rebecca Dautoff provides comprehensive neuropsychological and psychological (projective) evaluation services for children, adolescents,Headshot of Rebecca Dautoff, Psy.D. and young adults who have complex presentations with a wide range of concerns, including attention deficit disorders, psychiatric disorders, intellectual disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). She also values collaboration with families and outside providers to facilitate supports and services that are tailored to each child’s specific needs.

 

If you are interested in booking an appointment for an evaluation with Dr. Dautoff or another NESCA neuropsychologist/clinician, please fill out and submit our online intake form. 

 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology and related services practice with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and the Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

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images showing what In-person or Teletherapy Speech Services look like and a quote from Olivia Rogers, CCC-SLP

Teletherapy vs. In-Person Therapy: What Families Should Know

By | NESCA Notes 2026

images showing what In-person or Teletherapy Speech Services look like and a quote from Olivia Rogers, CCC-SLPBy Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

Speech-language therapy has evolved significantly over the past several years, giving families more options than ever before. While in-person therapy has long been the traditional model, teletherapy has emerged as an effective, flexible, and research-supported way to deliver high-quality services.

Both approaches can support meaningful progress, but they offer different advantages depending on a student’s needs, learning style, and family schedule.

What is In-Person Therapy?
In-person therapy takes place face-to-face in a clinic, school, or home setting. Sessions often include hands-on materials, physical movement, and direct interaction with the clinician in the same space.

Benefits of In-Person Therapy

  • Natural opportunities for play-based learning
  • Physical prompts and hands-on support
  • Easier for very young children who need frequent redirection
  • Helpful when targeting feeding, articulation placement, or sensory-motor skills

For some students – particularly younger children or those needing physical cueing – in-person therapy can be an important option.

What is Teletherapy?
Teletherapy delivers speech, language, and coaching services through a secure video platform. Sessions remain interactive, individualized, and structured and use digital materials, shared screens, real-time coaching, and collaborative activities. Teletherapy is not “less than” in-person therapy. In many cases, it offers unique advantages that directly support academic and functional skill development.

The Benefits of Teletherapy

  1. Therapy Happens in the Student’s Real Learning Environment

Students often join sessions from home or school, allowing strategies to be applied immediately to real assignments, writing tasks, and classroom demands. This is especially powerful for:

  • Academic language
  • Writing
  • Executive functioning
  • Organization and study skills

Skills transfer more naturally because therapy is embedded in everyday routines.

  1. Increased Engagement for Older Students

Many school-age students and adolescents are highly responsive to digital learning. Interactive slides, collaborative documents, and visual supports can increase participation and independence. Teletherapy often feels:

  • Less intimidating
  • More conversational
  • Provides more room for independence
  • More aligned with how students already learn

This can lead to stronger buy-in and carryover.

  1. Greater Family Involvement

Caregivers can easily observe sessions, ask questions, and learn strategies without travel. Due to the ease of meeting, consultation time can easily be built into teletherapy sessions or added on as a monthly service. This improves consistency between therapy and daily life – one of the biggest predictors of progress.

  1. Flexible Scheduling and Reduced Barriers

Teletherapy eliminates commuting, waiting rooms, and geographic limitations. Families can access specialized services that may not exist locally. This flexibility is particularly helpful for:

  • Busy families
  • Students with extracurricular schedules
  • Students who fatigue easily
  • Families planning transitions or moves
  1. Strong Fit for Language, Literacy, and Executive Functioning

Many higher-level communication skills naturally occur on screens, such as reading passages, writing responses, organizing ideas, and managing tasks. Middle and High School students now type essays, rather than handwriting. Teletherapy allows clinicians to:

  • Model writing in real time
  • Scaffold comprehension strategies
  • Practice planning and organization
  • Teach digital learning skills students already need

For these goals, the teletherapy environment can actually mirror classroom expectations more closely than a clinic setting.

When One Approach May Be Better Than the Other
In-person therapy may be preferred when:

  • Physical cueing is essential
  • Attention regulation is extremely challenging
  • Sensory-motor or feeding work is a primary goal

Teletherapy may be ideal when:

  • Goals are academic or language-based
  • Students benefit from visual/digital supports
  • Families need scheduling flexibility
  • Collaboration with caregivers or teachers is important

Often, the best approach is individualized, and some students benefit from a combination over time.

Final Thoughts
Teletherapy has expanded what is possible in speech-language support. For many students, particularly those working on language, literacy, and executive functioning, it provides a flexible, effective, and highly relevant model of care.

Rather than replacing in-person therapy, teletherapy offers another pathway for families to access specialized support and help students build skills that extend beyond the therapy session.

At NESCA, we know that the research shows that outcomes depend less on location and more on the clinician’s expertise, individualized goals, consistency of sessions, and strategy carryover into daily life. Whether sessions occur in-person or online, meaningful progress happens when therapy is functional, engaging, and connected to a student’s real-world demands. For more information on Speech and Language Therapy and services at NESCA, please complete our online Inquiry/Intake Form or email me directly at orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

About the AuthorOlivia Rogers

Olivia Rogers is a licensed speech-language pathologist with experience in pediatric clinics and public schools, working with children from age 2 through young adulthood across a range of communication challenges. With a special interest in the connection between oral language and literacy, Ms. Rogers is trained in the Orton-Gillingham method and the Brain Frames program, supporting students in language comprehension, expression, and written organization. She is dedicated to making therapy engaging and personalized for each child.

To learn more about NESCA’s Speech and Language Services or schedule appointments, complete our online Intake Form or email orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology and related services practice with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

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a roadmap wirh a treatment plan sign showing the way; quote from Dr. Ann Helmus

Beyond Recommendations: Creating a Roadmap for Change

By | NESCA Notes 2026

a roadmap wirh a treatment plan sign showing the way; quote from Dr. Ann HelmusBy Ann Helmus, Ph.D.
Founder & Director, NESCA

I recently attended a continuing education course on the treatment of sleep problems. The instructor shared something not altogether surprising, but genuinely thought-provoking: simply giving people a list of “sleep hygiene” recommendations has not been shown to be particularly effective.

Most of us have heard these recommendations before:

  • Turn off screens before bed
  • Keep the room cool and dark
  • Avoid caffeine late in the day
  • Maintain a consistent sleep schedule

The problem isn’t that these recommendations are wrong. The problem is that they are often delivered as a generic list. So, what does work? A personalized approach to a plan.

For example, instead of handing someone a list of 10 recommendations, an effective approach by a clinician might be to say: “Let’s focus on one thing this week – moving your afternoon coffee a little earlier in the day. We’ll see how that goes, what obstacles come up, and whether it makes a difference before we add anything else.”

Here, the recommendations are tailored to the individual, prioritized based on what is most likely to help, and then followed up on to determine what is working and what needs adjustment.

The same can be said about the recommendations that are provided after a neuropsychological evaluation. After an assessment, families receive evaluation reports that often contain pages of recommendations. While many of those suggestions may be reasonable, a long list can leave parents wondering where to start, which recommendation matters the most, or which recommendation will make the biggest difference for my child right now. It can be overwhelming.

At NESCA, our goal is not simply to generate recommendations. Our goal is to develop a treatment plan.

A treatment plan factors in the full understanding of the child’s unique strengths and challenges, identifies the issues that are having the greatest impact on daily functioning, and prioritizes the interventions that are most likely to improve quality of life and long-term improvement.

For one child, improving sleep may be the most important first step. For another, it may be anxiety management, executive functioning support, social skills coaching, speech-language intervention, or school accommodations. The recommendations may look similar on paper, but the strategy is very different.

A thoughtful evaluation should answer not only what to do, but why, when, and in what order.

Most importantly, meaningful change rarely comes from a report sitting on a shelf. It comes from partnership, implementation, progress monitoring, and adjustments as needed.

Just as effective treatment for sleep difficulties involves more than a list of sleep hygiene tips, effective support for a child involves more than an exhaustive list of recommendations.

It requires a roadmap. At NESCA, our goal is to help families build one.

 

About the Author

NESCA Founder and Director Ann Helmus, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist who has beenAnn Helmus headshot practicing neuropsychology for 35 years and has been director of NESCA’s Neuropsychology practice for nearly three decades, continuously training and mentoring  neuropsychologists to meet the highest professional standards.

To book a neuropsychological evaluation at NESCA, complete NESCA’s online intake form. 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology and related services group practice with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

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Graphic showing the transition from elementary to middle to high schools and a quote from Olivia Rogers, CCC-SLP

What Is a School Transition Intensive – And Who Is It For?

By | NESCA Notes 2026

Graphic showing the transition from elementary to middle to high schools and a quote from Olivia Rogers, CCC-SLPBy Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

Transitions between school levels are exciting – but they are also academically demanding. Whether a student is moving from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, or into a new independent school environment, expectations around writing, organization, and independence increase dramatically. A School Transition Intensive is a short-term, highly focused summer program designed to strengthen the language and executive functioning systems students need before those expectations rise. It’s not tutoring. It’s proactive skill-building.

Why School Transitions Are So Challenging
Each new school level brings longer writing assignments, multi-paragraph essays, increased note-taking demands, greater independence, fewer teacher prompts, and more complex academic language. Many capable students struggle not because they lack intelligence, but because organizational and language demands exceed their internal systems.

What Skills Are Targeted?
Depending on grade level, a transition intensive may include:

  • Paragraph structure foundations
  • Expanding sentences with detail
  • Multi-paragraph writing
  • Analytical paragraph writing
  • Text-based evidence integration
  • Academic vocabulary development
  • Written summaries of complex texts
  • Comprehension of texts of varying length and complexity
  • Note-taking systems
  • Planning and project organization routines
  • Independent study and homework systems

The focus is always on integrating language and executive functioning together.

Who Would Benefit Most?
A School Transition Intensive is particularly helpful for students who are:

  • Bright but disorganized
  • Struggle to get ideas onto paper
  • Avoid writing or academic tasks
  • Require extra support to get homework or assignments done
  • Have ADHD or executive functioning weaknesses
  • Receive feedback such as “needs more organization” or “struggles with written expression.”
  • It is also ideal for students entering competitive independent schools where writing expectations are high from day one.

Why Summer Is the Ideal Time
During the school year, students juggle multiple subjects, deadlines, and social demands. Summer allows for focused, structured practice without grade pressure, helping students build independence and confidence before the school year begins.

The Real Goal
The goal is not simply better essays. It is stronger internal organization, reduced academic anxiety, clearer thinking on paper, increased independence, and confidence walking into a new academic environment.

At NESCA, we offer intensive summer therapy that targets communication (such as listening comprehension, and expressive language), written language, and academic executive functioning.  For more information on summer intensives at NESCA, please complete our online Inquiry/Intake Form or email me directly at orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

About the AuthorOlivia Rogers

Olivia Rogers is a licensed speech-language pathologist with experience in pediatric clinics and public schools, working with children from age 2 through young adulthood across a range of communication challenges. With a special interest in the connection between oral language and literacy, Ms. Rogers is trained in the Orton-Gillingham method and the Brain Frames program, supporting students in language comprehension, expression, and written organization. She is dedicated to making therapy engaging and personalized for each child.

To learn more about NESCA’s Speech and Language Services or schedule appointments, complete our online Intake Form or email orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology and related services practice with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

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Image showing a student concentrating in class; quote from Dr. Sean Hyde O'Brien

Hearing Loss and Neuropsychological Development

By | NESCA Notes 2026

Image showing a student concentrating in class; quote from Dr. Sean Hyde O'BrienBy: Sean Hyde O’Brien, Psy.D., ABPdN 
Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA

As the husband of a pediatric audiologist, I often hear stories of children referred for audiological evaluations that end up having normal hearing but are thought to have other conditions that fall within the purview of neuropsychology, including Language Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It made me think about the way that children typically referred for neuropsychological evaluations can be potentially impacted by hearing loss, particularly in terms of their cognitive, academic, and social-emotional functioning. Review of the literature indicates the following:

  1. Language Acquisition and Communication:

Children with hearing loss may experience delays in development of communication skills including speech articulation and receptive-expressive language. This can make it difficult to for children to understand instructions, participate in discussions, and express ideas.

  1. Literacy Skills:

Development of reading and writing skills are closely tied to language abilities. Hearing loss can lead to difficulties in phonological awareness, decoding, and comprehension, resulting in lower literacy achievement in children with otherwise intact cognitive profiles.

  1. Executive Functioning:

Hearing loss may affect executive functioning skills such as attention, organization, and task completion due to difficulties in following multi-step instructions or classroom routines.

  1. Cognitive Load:

Increased effort required to listen and comprehend spoken information can lead to cognitive fatigue, reducing the capacity for learning and retention.

  1. Classroom Engagement:

Students with hearing loss may struggle to follow lessons, especially in environments with significant background noise or when teachers are not facing the class. They may miss important information, instructions, or peer interactions, leading to reduced participation and engagement.

  1. Academic Achievement:

Studies have shown that children with hearing loss are at greater risk for lower academic achievement, particularly in subjects that rely heavily on verbal instruction and interaction (language arts, social studies, etc.).

  1. Access to Curriculum:

Without appropriate accommodations (e.g., hearing assistive technology, preferential seating, captioning, sign language support), students may not have equitable access to curriculum content.

  1. Social-Emotional Functioning:

Finally, hearing loss can contribute to feelings of social isolation, frustration, and decreased self-esteem if communication barriers lead to difficulties in making friends or participating in group activities.

Based on the various ways that hearing loss can impact the cognitive, academic, and social-emotional development of your child, it is important that their hearing be evaluated at the first signs of concern. Paired with a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation, this can result in early identification and treatment (e.g., speech-language therapy, hearing assistive technology, and classroom accommodations) that leads to the optimal outcome for your child.

For more information, please visit the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) website at https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/effects-of-hearing-loss-on-development/

 

About the Author

Dr. Sean O’Brien has been providing comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations in the GreaterSean Hyde O'Brien Boston area since 2006. He specializes in the assessment of children and adolescents who present with a wide range of developmental conditions, such as  Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Specific Learning Disorder (reading, writing, math), Intellectual Disability, and Autism Spectrum Disorder; as well as children whose cognitive functioning has been impacted by medical, psychiatric, and genetic conditions. He also has extensive experience working with children who were adopted both domestically and internationally.

To schedule an appointment with one of NESCA’s neuropsychologists, please complete our online intake form. 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; the greater Burlington, Vermont region; and Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

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image of multiple students in a school based speech session vs a private one on one session

School Speech-Language Services vs. Private Speech-Language Services

By | NESCA Notes 2026

image of multiple students in a school based speech session vs a private one on one sessionBy Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

Understanding the Difference
Speech-language support can be life-changing for students, helping them by improving communication, academic access, confidence, and independence. Families often wonder whether school-based speech therapy is enough, or if private services might better meet their child’s needs. Both models provide valuable support, but they serve different purposes. Understanding these differences helps families make informed decisions.

The Role of School Speech-Language Services
School speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help students access their education. Services are designed to support academic participation rather than address every area of communication difficulty.

School SLPs often manage large caseloads, group therapy, strict eligibility criteria, and limited session frequency. Therapy typically focuses on what is necessary for a student to function at school – not always what would be most beneficial for overall communication growth.

What Private Speech-Language Services Offer
Private speech-language services allow therapy to be individualized based on the student’s whole profile. Sessions can be one-to-one, more frequent, and flexible. Goals often extend beyond minimum academic access and may integrate language, literacy, and executive functioning.

Importantly, students do not need to “qualify” for private services. Support can begin based on functional concerns, prevention, or a family or client’s desire for more targeted growth.

Why Families Use Both
Many students benefit from a combined approach. School services ensure educational access, while private services deepen skill development and allow more intensive work on underlying skills.

Quality vs. Capacity
The difference between school and private therapy is often capacity. Private therapy provides more time for practice, feedback, collaboration, and personalization, which can support faster progress and stronger carryover.

Take It From Me – I’ve Been on Both Sides
Having worked inside public schools and now providing private services, I’ve seen how system limitations impact therapy. School therapy is essential in some cases, but private services create space to address skills more deeply.

When Private Services May Be Helpful
Families often explore private therapy when progress feels slow, their child does not qualify for school services, needs extend beyond speech sounds, literacy overlaps with language, or they want more individualized or preventative support.

Final Thoughts
School speech-language services are designed to ensure access to the curriculum. Private speech-language services are designed to optimize growth. Both are valuable and work best when coordinated.

At NESCA, our speech language pathologists have been in both settings. They provide individualized, contextualized, functional, and curriculum-based support to facilitate generalization to the real world.  For more information on Speech and Language Therapy at NESCA, please complete our online Inquiry/Intake Form or email me directly at orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

 About the AuthorOlivia Rogers

Olivia Rogers is a licensed speech-language pathologist with experience in pediatric clinics and public schools, working with children from age 2 through young adulthood across a range of communication challenges. With a special interest in the connection between oral language and literacy, Ms. Rogers is trained in the Orton-Gillingham method and the Brain Frames program, supporting students in language comprehension, expression, and written organization. She is dedicated to making therapy engaging and personalized for each child.

To learn more about NESCA’s Speech and Language Services or schedule appointments, complete our online Intake Form or email orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology and related services practice with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

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Image showing that word recognition multiplied by language comprehension equals reading comprehension and quote by Olivia Rogers, NESCA SLP

Reading Comprehension & the SLP: Why Meaning Is Our Specialty

By | NESCA Notes 2026

Image showing that word recognition multiplied by language comprehension equals reading comprehension and quote by Olivia Rogers, NESCA SLPBy Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

When people think about reading support, they often think of phonics or decoding. While decoding is essential, it is only one piece of the puzzle. Reading comprehension, or the ability to understand, interpret, and make meaning from text, is deeply rooted in language. And language is the expertise of Speech-Language Pathologists, SLPs.

Image Courtesy of NESCAimage showing what reading comprehension is comprised of

Reading Comprehension Is Language

  • Understanding vocabulary
  • Processing complex sentences
  • Holding information in working memory
  • Making inferences – Connecting ideas across paragraphs
  • Monitoring understanding

These are not just reading skills. They are oral language and executive functioning skills applied to print. Students can decode fluently and still struggle to answer questions, retell a story, or explain the main idea because comprehension depends on background knowledge, syntax, semantics, and discourse-level language.

Why SLPs Are Uniquely Equipped

  • Sentence structure (syntax)
  • Word meaning and relationships (semantics)
  • Narrative organization
  • Inferencing and pragmatic understanding
  • Working memory and language processing

SLPs explicitly teach the language structures that make comprehension possible rather than simply asking comprehension questions.

Evidence-based Approach: Visualizing and Verbalizing®

While support is individualized, one program that SLPs frequently use is Visualizing and Verbalizing®, developed by Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes. Visualizing and Verbalizing® focuses on strengthening a student’s ability to create mental imagery while reading or listening – a skill strongly correlated with comprehension.

  • Improves memory for details
  • Strengthens understanding of cause and effect
  • Builds inferencing skills
  • Supports organized retell
  • Deepens vocabulary understanding

Instead of passively decoding, students actively build a movie in their mind – increasing both engagement and comprehension.

When Students May Need Language-based Comprehension Support

  • Reads fluently but cannot explain what was read
  • Struggles with inferencing
  • Provides vague or disorganized retells
  • Has difficulty identifying story grammar elements (character, setting, problem, etc.)
  • Has difficulty answering why and how questions
  • Avoids longer texts
  • Has a history of language delay or concurring language disorder

Reading is not just decoding. It is meaning. And meaning lives in language. When SLPs integrate structured, evidence-based approaches like Visualizing and Verbalizing® with explicit language intervention, we strengthen the cognitive-linguistic foundation that allows reading to truly make sense.

At NESCA, our therapists use a comprehensive approach to treat the systems of learning as integrative, helping students develop valuable skills they can use in and out of the classroom! For more information on Speech and Language Therapy, Literacy, and Executive Functioning Support at NESCA, please complete our online Inquiry/Intake Form or email me directly at orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

About the AuthorOlivia Rogers

Olivia Rogers is a licensed speech-language pathologist with experience in pediatric clinics and public schools, working with children from age 2 through young adulthood across a range of communication challenges. With a special interest in the connection between oral language and literacy, Ms. Rogers is trained in the Orton-Gillingham method and the Brain Frames program, supporting students in language comprehension, expression, and written organization. She is dedicated to making therapy engaging and personalized for each child.

 

To learn more about NESCA’s Speech and Language Services or schedule appointments, complete our online Intake Form or email orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology and related services practice with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

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Image of a Neuropsychological Evaluation Report with the question, What's Next? There is also a quote from Dr. Maggie Rodriguez

Navigating Life After a Neuropsychological Evaluation: What Comes Next?

By | NESCA Notes 2026

Image of a Neuropsychological Evaluation Report with the question, What's Next? There is also a quote from Dr. Maggie RodriguezBy: Maggie Rodriguez, Psy.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA

Going through the process of getting a neuropsychological evaluation can be a big investment of time, energy, and money.  Once it’s completed, you should have some important information about your child and a detailed report. But now what? What do you do with this information and who do you share it with?

As a parent who has been through the neuropsychological evaluation process with two of my children, I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel to move from diagnosis to action. The report you receive is often extensive and should be filled with valuable insights and recommendations. But translating those findings into real-world support for your child is the next crucial step. Here are some thoughts and practical tips on what to do next:

1) School: The Starting Point for Support

For many families, the primary motivation for seeking a neuropsychological evaluation is to better understand their child’s learning profile and needs in the school setting. The report can be a powerful tool in advocating for appropriate accommodations, interventions, and support.

  • Share the report with your child’s teacher, special education coordinator, and/or school psychologist. If you don’t know where to start, reach out to the school to ask who your contact person should be.
  • Use the findings to inform IEP (Individualized Education Program) or 504 Plan meetings. NESCA neuropsychologists are available to present the findings directly to your child’s team at meetings and can be a valuable resource in this regard.
  • Ask for specific classroom strategies or modifications based on the recommendations. You may want to consider collaborating with an educational advocate as well.

2) Treatment Providers: Building a Collaborative Team

Your child may already be working with therapists, counselors, psychiatrists, or other healthcare professionals. Alternatively, you may be working on setting up treatment. Sharing the neuropsychological report with providers can help them tailor their interventions and monitor progress more effectively.

  • Consider providing copies or summaries of the report to your child’s treatment team.
  • Discuss how the findings might impact therapy goals, medication management, or behavioral strategies.
  • Ask for their input on how best to support your child at home and in other settings.

3) Family: Creating Understanding and Empathy

Sometimes, the people closest to us—grandparents, step parents, siblings—may not fully understand the challenges your child faces. Sharing relevant parts of the neuropsychological evaluation can foster empathy and support within your family.

  • Choose what information is most helpful for family members to know.
  • Have open conversations about your child’s strengths and challenges.
  • Ask for support in implementing strategies at home, such as routines or communication techniques.

4) Care Providers: Ensuring Consistency Across Settings

If your child regularly spends time with nannies, babysitters, or other caregivers, it may be important that they understand your child’s needs and the best ways to support them.

  • Consider sharing key takeaways and practical recommendations from the report that will help caregivers respond effectively.
  • Provide written instructions or checklists if needed.
  • Maintain open communication about what works and what doesn’t.

A Few Final Thoughts

Receiving a neuropsychological evaluation report can be both a relief and a challenge. It offers clarity, but also raises new questions about how to move forward. Here are some tips to help you navigate the next steps:

  • Take time to review and digest the report. Don’t hesitate to ask the neuropsychologist for clarification or a follow-up meeting.
  • Organize the information. Consider making a summary sheet of key findings and recommendations for easy reference.
  • Empower your child. Depending on their age and understanding, talk to your child about their strengths and areas for growth in a positive, supportive way.
  • Remember that you are not alone. There are many resources and communities available for parents navigating similar journeys.

Ultimately, the goal of a neuropsychological evaluation is to help your child thrive. By sharing the findings thoughtfully with the right people, you can build a team of support around your child and help them reach their fullest potential.

 

 

About the Author

Maggie Rodriguez, Psy.D., provides comprehensive evaluation services for children, adolescents, and young adults with often complex presentations. She particularly enjoys working with individuals who have concerns about attention and executive functioning, language-based learning disorders, and those with overlapping cognitive and social/emotional difficulties.

Prior to joining NESCA, Dr. Rodriguez worked in private practice, where she completed assessments with high-functioning students presenting with complex cognitive profiles whose areas of weakness may have gone previously undiagnosed. Dr. Rodriguez’s experience also includes pre- and post-doctoral training in the Learning Disability Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Neurodevelopmental Center at MassGeneral for Children/North Shore Medical Center. Dr. Rodriguez has spent significant time working with students in academic settings, including k-12 public and charter school systems and private academic programs, such as the Threshold Program at Lesley University.

Dr. Rodriguez earned her Psy.D. from William James College in 2012, where her coursework and practicum training focused on clinical work with children and adolescents and on assessment. Her doctoral thesis centered on cultural issues related to evaluation.

Dr. Rodriguez lives north of Boston with her husband and three young children.  She enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and bike riding with her family, practicing yoga, and reading.

To book a consultation with Dr. Rodriguez or one of our many other expert neuropsychologists, complete NESCA’s online intake form.

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology and related services practice  with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; the greater Burlington, Vermont region; and Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

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Image of a child reading, quote by Olivia Rogers, SLP

Literacy & Language: Intertwined Systems Through the Lens of Scarborough’s Reading Rope

By | NESCA Notes 2026

Image of a child reading, quote by Olivia Rogers, SLPBy Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

Literacy is often viewed as a set of academic skills – reading, writing, spelling. But at its core, literacy is a language process. Scarborough’s Reading Rope illustrates how language comprehension and word recognition weave together to create skilled reading.

Image of Scarborough's Reading Rope

Image courtesy of Dr. Hollis Scarborough, 2001.

Language Is the Foundation of Literacy

Students may decode fluently but without language, they will struggle with retelling, summarizing, inferencing, written organization, and academic demands. Before students can read for meaning or write to communicate ideas, they need the language system that carries meaning. Literacy is not just recognizing words on a page; it is understanding and expressing ideas through text. That requires language.

Language supports literacy through several mechanisms:

  1. Vocabulary gives words meaning. Decoding tells a student how to say a word. Language tells them what it means. If a student reads the word “evaporation” but doesn’t know the concept, comprehension breaks down. Depth of vocabulary – not just number of words – predicts reading comprehension.
  2. Syntax supports sentence comprehension. Written language is more complex than spoken language. Students must interpret longer sentences, embedded clauses, passive voice, academic phrasing. Understanding sentence structure is a language skill that allows students to follow these complex texts.
  3. Narrative language supports text structure. Stories, informational texts, and essays all follow organizational patterns. Students rely on language to understand text features buried within, such as cause and effect, problem–solution, character motivation, sequencing events, and more. Narrative and discourse skills are the blueprint for comprehension and writing.
  4. Internal language supports strategy use. Skilled readers talk themselves through text using internal dialogues such as, “This part is confusing,” or “Let me reread.” Skilled readers make connections, with internal dialogues, such as, “This reminds me of….” This internal self-talk is language acting as executive control over literacy.

Literacy Strengthens Language

The relationship then flips. Reading and writing expand vocabulary, syntactic complexity, narrative structure, verbal reasoning, and metalinguistic awareness. Literacy becomes one of the most powerful engines for language growth. Reading and writing expose students to language they rarely hear in conversation.

Literacy strengthens language in several ways:

  1. Literacy expands vocabulary exponentially. Books contain more rare and precise words than everyday speech. Research shows that repeated text exposure builds semantic networks, conceptual knowledge, word relationships, and morphological awareness.
  2. Text builds complex language. Students encounter longer, more complex sentence structures through reading. Over time they begin to understand complex syntax, produce more sophisticated sentences, use academic language, and embed ideas within ideas. Writing then reinforces this!
  3. Literacy develops discourse and organization. Writing requires students to externalize language structure. In order to write, they must plan ideas, sequence information, clarify meaning, and revise their work. This strengthens expressive language far beyond conversation.
  4. Reading builds knowledge, which builds language. Background knowledge fuels comprehension. As students read, they gain concept knowledge, world knowledge, topic vocabulary, and schema (a fancy word for background knowledge and how it is organized). Language becomes richer because knowledge expands.

The Big Picture

Literacy and language are strands of the same rope, continuously shaping each other as students grow. Targeting both areas together can improve comprehension, written expression, and classroom participation. Language makes literacy possible, and literacy accelerates language growth.

At NESCA, we use evidence-based strategy to target language and literacy. Our clinicians use a comprehensive approach to treat the systems of learning as integrative, helping students develop valuable skills they can use in and out of the classroom! For more information on Speech and Language Therapy and Literacy Support at NESCA, please complete our online Inquiry/Intake Form or email me directly at orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

Reference:  

Scarborough, Hollis S. “Connecting Early Language and Literacy to Later Reading (Dis)Abilities: Evidence, Theory, and Practice.” Handbook of Early Literacy Research, edited by Susan B. Neuman and David K. Dickinson, Guilford Press, 2001, pp. 97–110.

 

About the AuthorOlivia Rogers

Olivia Rogers is a licensed speech-language pathologist with experience in pediatric clinics and public schools, working with children from age 2 through young adulthood across a range of communication challenges. With a special interest in the connection between oral language and literacy, Ms. Rogers is trained in the Orton-Gillingham method and the Brain Frames program, supporting students in language comprehension, expression, and written organization. She is dedicated to making therapy engaging and personalized for each child.

 

To learn more about NESCA’s Speech and Language Services or schedule appointments, complete our online Intake Form or email orogers@nesca-newton.com.

 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology and related services practice with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Coral Gables, Florida, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

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