NESCA’s Newton, MA location has immediate availability for neuropsychological evaluations. Our MA clinicians specialize in the following evaluations: Neuropsychological; Autism; and Emotional and Psychological, as well as Academic Achievement and Learning Disability Testing.

Visit www.nesca-newton.com/intake for more information or to book an evaluation.

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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 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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Student trying to write despite hidden language demands

The Hidden Language Demands of Upper Elementary and Middle School

By | NESCA Notes 2026

Student trying to write despite hidden language demandsBy Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

By upper elementary school, learning shifts dramatically. Students are no longer learning foundational skills; they are expected to apply them flexibly, independently, and across subjects. The academic language load increases quietly but significantly.

What Changes in Grades 4 to 7?

  • Students are reading to learn
  • Texts become denser and more abstract
  • Vocabulary shifts from concrete to conceptual
  • Sentence structures become longer and more syntactically complex
  • Students are expected to compare, analyze, justify, and synthesize
  • Writing moves from short responses to multi-paragraph compositions

The Cognitive Load Increases
Students must now hold multiple ideas in working memory, track shifting perspectives in texts, interpret figurative language, and integrate background knowledge – often simultaneously. These demands require strong executive functioning and well-developed language networks.

The Invisible Language Skills Required

  • Understanding complex sentences with embedded clauses
  • Interpreting nuanced vocabulary and morphology
  • Making inferences beyond literal meaning
  • Organizing ideas cohesively in speech and writing
  • Explaining reasoning using precise academic language

Common Signs of Strain

  • Strong verbal knowledge but weak written output
  • Short, underdeveloped written responses
  • Difficulty summarizing or explaining key ideas
  • Avoidance of reading-heavy assignments
  • Homework taking significantly longer than expected
  • Increased anxiety or shutdown around school tasks

Why This Stage Matters
Upper elementary and early middle school are pivotal years for our students. If language organization, executive functioning, and literacy systems are strengthened during this window, students often transition into higher grades with greater confidence and independence. When gaps remain unaddressed, demands compound year after year.

If This Sounds Familiar…
If your child is bright but suddenly struggling with writing, comprehension, or workload, it may not be motivation. It may be due to the increased language load. Strong academic performance is not just about effort. It’s about systems of learning. When language, executive functioning, and literacy are strengthened together, students gain not only skill, but confidence.

 

At NESCA, we view communication holistically. 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! If you’re curious whether this integrative approach would benefit your child, I welcome the opportunity to connect to identify what targeted support may make the greatest difference. For more information on Speech and Language Therapy, Literacy, and Executive Functioning Support at NESCA, please complete our online 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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Teen frustrated with homework

When Effort Masks Inefficiency – The Student That Flies Under the Radar

By | NESCA Notes 2022, NESCA Notes 2026

Teen frustrated with homeworkBy Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

There is a particular kind of student who rarely raises concern. They follow directions. They turn in assignments. They earn decent grades. They don’t disrupt class. They are described as sweet, hardworking, responsible – and they are exhausted.

These are the students who fly under the radar. You may notice it at home before anyone else does. Homework takes hours. Writing assignments feel disproportionately heavy. Reading requires constant rereading. They erase and rewrite sentences repeatedly. They melt down at home – not at school. From the outside, everything appears fine. From the inside, everything feels effortful.

Tiered support systems are designed to identify clear gaps: measurable academic decline, benchmark concerns, noticeable skill deficits, etc. But under-the-radar students often compensate beautifully. They memorize sentence frames. They overprepare and tend to avoid risks. They rely on intelligence to mask inefficiencies and oftentimes, they meet expectations…but at a cost.

Compensation works…until it doesn’t. As academic demands increase, including longer texts, multi-paragraph essays, and independent projects, the effort curve steepens. Middle school is often when the cracks begin to show – not because the child suddenly can’t, but because the system was never optimized.

These students frequently have subtle weaknesses in:

  • Academic language processing
  • Sentence formulation flexibility
  • Discourse-level organization
  • Working memory under load
  • Cognitive flexibility
  • Idea generation efficiency

They can explain ideas verbally but struggle to organize them in writing. They understand what they read, but only after rereading. Frequently they know the answer, but tend to hesitate to share it. The issue is rarely intelligence; instead, it’s about efficiency.

Over time, this exhaustive effort can unfortunately become a student’s identity. Students begin to believe school is supposed to feel this hard. They start to internalize messages like, “I just need to try harder. I’m just slow. I’m not good at writing.” But often, they are working around systems that were never explicitly strengthened. This is not about remediation; these students are not failing. They are often highly capable.

What they need is system strengthening. When we strengthen language networks, syntactic flexibility, executive functioning integration, organizational frameworks, and generalization across contexts, tasks that once felt overwhelming become manageable.

Support does not have to begin with failure. Some of the most powerful growth happens when we intervene before burnout. An integrative model that targets language, literacy, and executive functioning together addresses the systems underneath performance, not just the performance itself.

When these systems are strengthened, families often tell us that it no longer takes three hours to do homework, that they are raising their hands to answer questions in class again, that students don’t dread writing anymore, and that everything seems to feel lighter. Strong academic performance isn’t just about effort. It’s really about the systems.

Working Smarter, Not Harder

High-functioning students don’t always need remediation. Sometimes they may need optimization. When we strengthen the underlying systems, like language organization, executive functioning integration, and discourse-level structure, effort decreases and independence increases. The goal is not to push harder; it’s about building smarter.

If your child is capable but working harder than they should be, an integrative approach focused on building foundational skills with a speech-language pathologist may provide the missing layer of support.

If you’re curious whether this integrative approach would benefit your child, I welcome the opportunity to connect to identify what kind of targeted support would make the greatest difference. For more information on Speech and Language Therapy, Literacy, and Executive Functioning Support at NESCA, please complete our online 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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SLP working with a student on a summer intensive program focused on speech

Seven Signs Your Child Would Benefit from a Summer Writing Intensive

By | NESCA Notes 2026

SLP working with a student on a summer intensive program focused on speechBy Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

Summer is often seen as a break from academics, but for many students, it’s also the most powerful window for growth. If writing has been a source of stress, avoidance, or frustration during the school year, a structured summer writing intensive program can make a meaningful difference before fall. Here are the most common signs that a student may benefit from targeted, language-based writing support.

  1. They Have Strong Ideas. . . But Difficulty Getting Them Onto Paper
    Your child may speak clearly and express complex ideas verbally, yet struggle to translate those thoughts into written form. Pages remain blank, sentences feel short or incomplete, and written work does not reflect their true ability.
  2. Writing Takes a Long Time
    Assignments that should take 20 minutes stretch into an hour or more. Slow writing can signal challenges with planning, organization, working memory, or executive functioning fatigue.
  3. Paragraphs Lack Structure
    You may notice missing topic sentences, disconnected details, weak transitions, or repetitive ideas. These patterns often reflect underlying language organization challenges rather than simple grammar issues.
  4. Writing Causes Emotional Stress
    Avoidance, frustration, or shutdown at the mention of writing or during the writing process are common signs. When writing feels overwhelming, students often lack internal planning systems to guide them.
  5. Teacher Feedback Highlights Organization or Elaboration Concerns
    Comments such as, “needs more detail,” “ideas are unclear,” or “work lacks organization” often indicate that both language development and executive functioning need targeted support.
  6. ADHD or Executive Functioning Challenges
    Writing requires planning, working memory, inhibition, flexibility, and self-monitoring. Students with executive functioning weaknesses often benefit from explicit writing routines that reduce cognitive load.
  7. Transitioning to a New School Level
    Rising 3rd, 6th, or 9th graders face increased writing demands. Strengthening foundational systems before expectations rise can dramatically improve confidence and performance.

Why Summer Is So Effective
Without academic pressure and competing demands, students can build writing fluency, strengthen organization systems, and increase independence in a focused and supportive environment. Application can be embedded in students’ areas of interest, for added motivation. The goal of a writing intensive is not simply to be able to create “better essays.” It is reduced anxiety, stronger thinking on paper, increased independence, and systems students can carry into the fall.

 

At NESCA, we offer intensive summer therapy that targets both verbal communication (such as listening comprehension, expressive language, and social communication) and written expression, an area where many students struggle. For more information on summer intensives and written language support at NESCA, please complete our online 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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student writing in a notebook and quote by Olivia Rogers, SLP

Why Speech-Language Pathologists Are Uniquely Equipped to Support Written Language

By | NESCA Notes 2026

student writing in a notebook and quote by Olivia Rogers, SLPBy Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

Written language refers to the system of communication that involves the use of written symbols to represent language, and it encompasses skills such as fluent word recognition, reading comprehension, written spelling, and written expression. It is one of the most complex academic skills students are asked to master. It requires vocabulary, grammar, organization, working memory, attention, reading skills, and the ability to translate ideas into structured sentences and paragraphs.

Because written expression sits at the intersection of language, literacy, and executive functioning, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are uniquely positioned to support it. At NESCA, speech language pathologists bring specialized training – including EmPOWER, Brain Frames, and The Orton-Gillingham Approach – that allows them to address writing and reading comprehension in a comprehensive, structured, and functional way.

Written Language Is… Language
Writing is not just handwriting or spelling. At its core, writing is language expressed on paper. Students must generate ideas and vocabulary, use grammar and sentence structure, organize thoughts into narratives or explanations, maintain cohesion across sentences, and consider audience and purpose.

Reading is not just decoding words on a page. True, reading happens when a child understands, connects, and makes meaning from what they read. Comprehension – linking new information to background knowledge, vocabulary, and language skills – is what transforms word calling into real literacy.

These are core areas of SLP expertise. SLPs are trained to analyze how language breaks down,  whether at the word, sentence, or discourse level, and to teach skills explicitly and systematically.

The Executive Function Connection
As discussed in last week’s blog, writing and reading are executive functioning tasks. When writing, students must plan what to say, hold ideas in working memory, organize information, initiate writing, and revise and edit. When reading, students exercise their working memory, inhibition, and metacognitive skills.

NESCA SLPs use the EmPOWER and Brain Frames approaches to make these invisible thinking processes visible. EmPOWER supports students in navigating “how” to bring the writing process from start to finish. Brain Frames provide visual scaffolds that help students map ideas before writing, organize paragraphs, and understand the structure of different text types.

Structured Literacy Strengthens Writing
Strong writing depends on strong reading and spelling skills. NESCA SLPs, trained in Orton-Gillingham, also bring a structured literacy lens to written language intervention through explicit teaching of phonology, morphology, and spelling patterns – all while integrating reading and writing instruction systematically.

SLPs Bridge Ideas and Expression
Many students know what they want to say but cannot translate it into written form. SLPs help students expand sentences, develop narrative and expository structure, use academic vocabulary, improve cohesion and clarity, verbalize ideas before writing, and revise language for precision.  Because SLPs focus on communication, written language therapy is functional and meaningful. Intervention often targets classroom assignments, essays and projects, note-taking, digital communication, and self-advocacy writing so that strategies learned transfer directly to school demands. SLPs brings a functional, real-world approach to written language.

Speech-Language Pathologists are not an alternative option for written language support; they are a natural fit. With explicit strategy instruction, visual scaffolding, and structured literacy methods, SLPs help students move from uncertainty to confident, organized expression. When writing is approached through language, thinking, and literacy together, students gain tools that extend far beyond the page.

The NESCA Difference
NESCA SLPs combine deep knowledge of language development with specialized training in executive functioning and structured literacy. Our intervention addresses how students think, understand language, read and spell, and express ideas in writing.

 

At NESCA, we use evidence-based strategy to target written language. 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 written language support at NESCA, please complete our online 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 yarns intertwined representing EF and language skills being intertwined and a quote from Olivia Rogers, SLP at NESCA

Executive Functioning & Language: Intertwined and Recursive Systems of Learning

By | NESCA Notes 2026

image of yarns intertwined representing EF and language skills being intertwined and a quote from Olivia Rogers, SLP at NESCA

By Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

When we think about learning, we often separate skills into categories – language, executive functioning, literacy, academics, just to name some. But in real life, these systems don’t operate independently. They are deeply intertwined and recursive, meaning they continuously influence, shape, and strengthen one another over time.

What Is Executive Functioning?
Executive functioning refers to the brain’s management system. These skills help students plan and organize ideas, initiate tasks, hold information in working memory, monitor understanding, shift between strategies, and manage time and attention.

What Is Language?
Language includes understanding directions, expressing ideas clearly orally and in writing, narrative organization, comprehension of complex oral and written information, academic language use, and internal self-talk.

How Executive Functioning Depends on Language
Students rely on language to talk themselves through steps, plan written responses, explain reasoning, organize narratives, monitor comprehension, and use strategies independently.

How Language Depends on Executive Functioning
Producing and understanding language requires holding ideas in working memory, sequencing information, shifting between topics, inhibiting irrelevant details, revising messages, and planning written expression.

The Recursive Relationship image showing the recursive nature of EF and language skills
Growth in one area supports growth in the other. Stronger language supports clearer thinking, and better executive skills support more organized language.

The Big Picture
Integrated support helps students explain their thinking, plan before speaking or writing, use language as a strategy, monitor understanding, and become more independent learners. Executive functioning and language are overlapping systems that continuously shape each other. Supporting both together makes learning more accessible, meaningful, and transferable.

At NESCA, we view communication holistically. Our speech language pathologists 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 at NESCA, please complete our online 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 middle schooler writing and a quote about summer intensive therapy by Dr. Ann Helmus about summer intensive therapy

Supercharge Communication Skills This Summer: The Case for Intensive Speech & Language Therapy

By | NESCA Notes 2025

Image of a middle schooler writing and a quote about summer intensive therapy by Dr. Ann Helmus about summer intensive therapyBy Ann Helmus, Ph.D.
Founder & Director, NESCA

For many students, summer is a much-needed break from the pressures of the long school year. But it’s also a unique opportunity to make powerful strides in speech and language development—far more than is often possible with weekly sessions during the academic year.

At NESCA, we offer intensive summer therapy that targets both verbal communication (such as listening comprehension, expressive language, and social communication) and written expression, an area where many students struggle.

Here’s why summer intensives can be especially effective:

  1. More Frequent Sessions = Greater Momentum
    When sessions are scheduled every other day (rather than once a week), skills are reinforced more consistently. Students retain strategies better, build habits faster, and make visible progress over a shorter period of time.
  2. Longer Sessions Allow for Deeper Work
    Without the time constraints of school-day schedules, therapy sessions can go beyond the traditional one-hour format. This gives students and therapists time to dig into more complex language tasks, problem-solve in real time, and practice generalizing skills across different contexts.
  3. Less Time Lost Re-Orienting
    With weekly sessions, valuable time is often spent reviewing what was last covered. Frequent summer sessions minimize this start-up time and allow therapy to pick up right where it left off—keeping the focus on forward movement.
  4. Fewer Distractions, Better Focus
    The relaxed pace of summer means students are often more receptive to learning. Without competing demands like homework, tests, and extracurriculars, they can be more focused and emotionally available for therapeutic work.
  5. Support for Written Expression with Proven Methods
    Our speech-language pathologist is trained in the EmPOWER method, a structured approach to teaching written expression. EmPOWER helps students organize their thoughts, clarify their ideas, and express themselves in writing with greater clarity and confidence—skills that are essential for success in school and beyond.
  6. A Stronger Start to the School Year
    Students who make gains in the summer enter the fall with more confidence, stronger foundational skills, and better self-awareness as communicators and learners.

If your child struggles with speaking, listening, or writing, summer can be the perfect time to make meaningful gains that will carry over into the school year. Intensive speech and language therapy can provide just the boost they need.

To explore next steps with NESCA’s Speech and Language Pathologists, fill out our Inquiry/Intake Form or visit our Speech and Language Evaluation and Therapy page. Our team will be in touch with you shortly to provide more information or set up a schedule of sessions that work with your family’s summer plans.

 

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 practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; the greater Burlington, Vermont region; and Brooklyn, New York (coaching services only) serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

6

The SLP’s Role in Written Language Disorders

By | NESCA Notes 2022

By Olivia Rogers, MA., CCC- SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

A written language disorder is an impairment in fluent word reading (i.e., reading decoding and sight word recognition), reading comprehension, written spelling, and/or written expression (Ehri, 2000; Gough & Tunmer, 1986; Kamhi & Catts, 2012; Tunmer & Chapman, 2007, 2012). As written language disorders are quite complex, appropriate assessment and treatment often incorporates many members. Members of the interprofessional practice team may include, but are not limited to, reading specialists, occupational therapists, special educators, learning specialists, and more.

When you think of a speech-language pathologist (SLP), a few words probably come to mind; terms like articulation, language, or fluency. Often, SLPs are associated with spoken language only. Most people don’t think of reading or writing when they think of SLPs. However, in addition to the diagnosis and treatment of spoken language disorders, it is well within the scope of practice of a SLP to diagnose and treat written language disorders. In fact, spoken and written language have a reciprocal relationship; each builds on the other to result in general language competence. Children with spoken language problems frequently have difficulty learning to read and write, and children with reading and writing problems frequently have difficulty with spoken language. Children with speech and language deficits are at a higher risk for reading and writing difficulties. Higher rates of all forms of written language disorders have been documented in children with speech and/or language impairments. Take a look at these findings:

  1. Comorbidity between literacy difficulties and speech and language deficits occurred in as high as 50% of cases (Stoeckel et al. (2013).
  2. By the end of kindergarten, more than 25% of children with language impairment were reported to also be poor readers (Murphy et al., 2016).
  3. Approximately 20%-28% of children with speech sound disorders (SSD) have literacy difficulties (Overby, Trainin, Smit, Bernthal, and Nelson, 2012).

No matter the age, SLPs can assess and treat spoken and written language difficulties. SLPs bring knowledge of communication processes and disorders, and language acquisition to the literacy table. Additionally, SLPs are skilled in dynamic assessment and have clinical experience in developing individualized programs for children and adolescents. Here are just a few written language skills that SLPs work on:

Reading: Pre-reading Skills

Before a child can decode, or read, they must have an understanding that words are composed of smaller units and how these units operate separately and together. SLPs incorporate the following skills into sessions:

  • Rhyming (e.g., “flag and stag”)
  • Syllable segmenting (e.g., “student: stu/dent”)
  • Blending sounds into words (e.g., “sh/i/p says ‘ship’”)
  • Segmenting words into their sounds (e.g., “leg: l/e/g”)
  • Deleting sounds in words (e.g., “cup without the c is up”)
  • Substituting sounds in words (e.g., “change the ‘B’ in bat to an ‘M’”)

Reading: Language Comprehension

This is the biggest one for SLPs. To target language comprehension, we work on smaller goals, such as:

  • Grammar
  • Story Grammar Elements
  • Visualizing and Verbalizing
  • Vocabulary
  • Active Reading Strategies
  • Themes

Writing: Organization/Planning

Before writing, it is important to plan out what you will write. Many children with language disorders have trouble with these skills. Here are just a few ways that SLPs help children plan and develop their writing by:

  • Using visuals for story grammar components
  • Make and practice using graphic organizers
  • Teaching sentence, paragraph, and essay construction

Spelling

Yes, spelling! SLPs are equipped to work on spelling. After all, it is just another language skill. Some ways to target spelling include:

  • Working on phonological awareness and phonemic awareness
  • Teach students about morphology (the study of words and their parts)
  • Incorporation of working memory strategies, such as chunking, visualization, or mnemonics

If you have concerns about your child’s pre-literacy or literacy skills, or would like to support your child’s written language skills, please contact NESCA’s Olivia Rogers at orogers@nesca-newton.com or fill out our Intake Form, noting an interest in speech language pathology.

 

Sources:

Overby, Trainin, Smit, Bernthal, and Nelson, 2012) Preliteracy Speech Sound Production Skill and Later Literacy Outcomes: A Study Using the Templin Archive.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2001). Roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists with respect to reading and writing in children and adolescents [Position Statement]. Available from www.asha.org/policy.

Catts, H.W. & Weismer, S.E. (2006). Language Deficits in Poor Comprehenders: A Case for the Simple View of Reading. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 278-293.

 

About the Author

Olivia Rogers received her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Maine, after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders and concentrations in Childhood Development and Disability Studies.

Ms. Rogers has experience working both in the pediatric clinic setting as well as in public schools, evaluating and treating children 2-18 years of age presenting with a wide range of diagnoses (e.g., language delays and disorders, speech sound disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, autism spectrum disorder, social communication disorder, and Down syndrome). Ms. Rogers enjoys making sure therapy is fun and tailored to each client’s interests.

In her free time, she enjoys listening to podcasts and spending times with friends and families.

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

To book an appointment with Olivia Rogers, please complete our Intake Form today. For more information about NESCA, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

7

Learning with Executive Dysfunction—How Graphic Organizers Can Help

By | NESCA Notes 2022

By Olivia Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, NESCA

When it comes to executive dysfunction, we often see students struggle with the organization of language. This presents differently in each student, but may be seen as difficulty comprehending information, and getting ideas out of their heads and organized into words or on paper. They might recognize the words when listening or reading, but they hit a wall when it comes to making sense of the message or describing it. This often results in students feeling lost, confused, and overwhelmed.

When students struggle to organize language and grasp concepts independently in the classroom, we need to break it down and teach it differently. Graphic organizers help us to do so.

What is a graphic organizer?

Graphic organizers are tools that use visual symbols to express knowledge, concepts, thoughts, or ideas, and the relationships between them. The main purpose of a graphic organizer is to provide a visual aid to facilitate learning and instruction. They help students see visually what is expected of them, what they should focus on, and break complex tasks down for them.

What does the evidence show?

There is plenty of evidence demonstrating the benefits of using graphic organizers. The results of most studies have voiced the positive effects of graphic organizers in mainly comprehension and writing, in addition to remembering course content. One such study recommended the use of graphic organizers for teaching expository text structures with students to improve reading comprehension. A popular strategy to help students understand expository texts is to teach the various types of text structures: cause-and-effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution, etc. When students know the underlying organization of the information, it helps them create a working model of it in their minds, resulting in a better understanding and ability to recall. (Pyle et al., 2017). Another study sought to investigate how pre-writing activities based on graphic organizers, such as webs, and beginning, middle and end charts, affect the overall quality of student writing. The results of the study indicate that using appropriate pre-writing strategies based on graphic organizers and giving enough time for the students lead to better quality writing (Servati, 2012).

How are Graphic Organizers Used in Speech Language Therapy?

1. Graphic Organizers Help Students Focus

Many students exhibit disorganized thinking processes, poor initiation skills, word recall difficulties, poor attention, and decreased task endurance. These weaknesses can impact a student’s ability to get started on a project, organize a writing assignment, or even complete a math task. Graphic organizers help students access prior knowledge and get them actively engaged in learning.

2. Graphic Organizers Provide a Visual Map and Help Clarify Abstract Concepts

Have you ever had so much information that you couldn’t hold onto it all? Graphic organizers bring together large pieces of information and tie the relationships together. The concepts and linguistic relationships flow better and make sense to students.

3. Graphic Organizers Help Build Vocabulary

Students benefit from graphic organizers as they expand their word knowledge and make connections. Graphic organizers are great for teaching concepts like descriptive adjectives, antonyms/synonyms, items in a category, part/whole relationships, and definitions.

4. Graphic Organizers Improve Expressive Language

Graphic organizers support oral and written language in all areas of academic learning. Some students have difficulty creating pictures in their head, retrieving words to verbalize their ideas, and putting their thoughts in order. Utilizing a graphic organizer can help students when they need to present information orally or develop a draft for writing.

 

Resources:

Architects For Learning. (2022, May 18). Helping students manage what’s hard about school and thrive as life-long learners. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from https://www.architectsforlearning.com/students-parents/about-us/

Erwin, L. (2017, May 26). 5 reasons to use graphic organizers in speech therapy. My Speech Tools. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from https://myspeechtools.blogspot.com/2017/05/5-reasons-you-should-use-graphic-organizers-speech-therapy-sessions.html

Servati, Katrina, “Prewriting Strategies and their Effect on Student Writing” (2012). Education Masters. Paper 242. https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_ETD_masters/242

Sherman, H. (2017, December 23). Using Graphic Organizers is Essential in Speech Therapy. Speech Time Fun Speech and Language Activities. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from https://speechtimefun.com/using-graphic-organizers-is-essential-in-speech-therapy/

Pyle, N., Vasquez, A. C., Lignugaris, K., & B., Gillam, S.L., Reutzel, D.R., Olszewski, A., Segura, H., Hartzheim, D., Laing, W., and Pyle, D. (2017). Effects of expository text structure interventions on comprehension: A meta-analysis. Reading Research Quarterly, 52(5), 1–33. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1002/ rrq. 179

 

About the Author

Olivia Rogers received her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Maine, after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders and concentrations in Childhood Development and Disability Studies. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, as well as a professional license in speech-language pathology from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Ms. Rogers has experience working both in the pediatric clinic setting as well as in public schools, evaluating and treating children 2-18 years of age presenting with a wide range of diagnoses (e.g., language delays and disorders, speech sound disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, autism spectrum disorder, social communication disorder, and Down syndrome). Ms. Rogers enjoys making sure therapy is fun and tailored to each client’s interests.

In her free time, she enjoys listening to podcasts and spending times with friends and families.

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

To book an appointment with Olivia Rogers, please complete our Intake Form today. For more information about NESCA, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

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