De Facto Leaders

In episode 255 of De Facto Leaders, I elaborate on the concept of using vocabulary as a large “container”, so you can design sessions efficiently without sacrificing quality.
I talk about why more experienced clinicians often struggle to make their interventions scalable, and why this gets in the way of carryover.
I also share the five “containers” I use in my Language Therapy Advance Foundations program that can support skills like reading, writing, spelling, and language processing in ways that can be reinforced outside sessions. 
If you have a ton of knowledge relating to language and executive functioning, but don’t know how to organize it into a cohesive system…
If you’re getting results in sessions, but it takes a ton of effort on your part and consumes all your capacity…
If you’re able to scaffold and model “on-the-fly”, but struggle to explain your techniques to others so they can replicate them…
Then you’ll find this concept of “containers” really useful.
In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. 
You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy
You can view this episode on the blog to see the screenshare here: https://drkarenspeech.com/five-clinical-containers-to-design-your-language-therapy-system/
The handout referenced in this episode is the session handout for my “Three Shifts to Creating a Scalable Language Therapy System” session. You can sign up for this free online session here: https://drkarenspeech.com/language

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:
Learn more about Renaissance:
As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 
We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Many experienced SLPs think they just need to plan better.
Tweak the activity. 
Adjust the visuals.
Try a new printable or protocol.
But what if none of that is the real problem?
What if your sessions are already so skillful that no one else can reinforce what you're doing?
🧠 What if the very clinical decision-making that gets you results is the thing preventing generalization?
In episode 254 of De Facto leaders, I share the top three pieces of unconventional advice I give SLPs when they’re designing their language therapy system. 
It’s not just about what you should do, but about what you SHOULDN’T do.
In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:
Learn more about Renaissance:
As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 
We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

“Education isn’t a business” is a thing people say when they’re upset about how the school systems are being run.
But education actually IS a business. Saying otherwise isn't going to change reality.
If you’re frustrated about how the school systems work, you can continue to wish this wasn’t the case…
Or you can accept how things actually are and learn what to do about it. 
In this podcast episode, I share how that looks for school clinicians supporting language and cognition. 
In the episode, I share:
Why people who have no classroom experience get hired into educational leadership positions.
Why good teachers or clinicians struggle when they get into school leadership, even if they were amazing at working with students. 
The “business” skill you can learn that will boost generalization beyond your language therapy sessions
If you’re getting good results with students inside sessions but seeing little carryover, being good at “business” and leadership isn’t a “nice to have”. It’s a must have. 
~Dr. Karen
In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:
Learn more about Renaissance:
As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 
We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

While virtual learning has become more prevalent since 2020, the founders of Banyan Global Learning have been offering digital learning experiences for over 20 years.
Some people are excited about the possibilities technology offers. Others are backpedaling or worrying that tech does more harm than good. 
Like most things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. 
The outcomes depend on how experiences (both virtual and in-person) are designed and how learners are asked to engage. 
Passive consumption rarely leads to meaningful learning, but well-structured virtual experiences can support problem solving, perspective-taking, and authentic connection across contexts. 
Not as a replacement to in-person experiences, but as an additional option to provide opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. 
That’s why I invited Seth Fleischauer to De Facto Leaders to talk about how to use virtual field trips to connect with peers and learn about cultures and experiences worldwide.
Seth Fleischauer is the President of Banyan Global Learning, which he founded in 2008 after teaching elementary school with NYC Teaching Fellows. Banyan pioneered daily international EFL distance learning and has since expanded to train teachers and educate K-12 students across three continents. His programs focus on teaching digital and cultural competencies through a global lens and have delivered over 40,000 live teaching sessions. Seth has also hosted over 100 podcast episodes, including Make It Mindful and Why Distance Learning?
In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy
You can learn more about Seth’s company, Banyan Global Learning at: https://banyangloballearning.com/
Listen to my previous interview with Seth on De Facto Leaders here: Ep 193: Using Distance Learning to Increase Access and Opportunity (with Seth Fleischauer) here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-193-using-distance-learning-to-increase-access-and-opportunity-with-seth-fleischauer/
Banyan Global Learning’s Global Learning Live kicks off in spring 2026.  Global Learning Live is led by Banyan teachers and blends live virtual field trips, collaboration, and reflection into an experiential journey for global competence. Students connect with real people and explore real places while building confidence through authentic global connection. Learn more about the Global Learning Live Spring ‘26 Pilot here: https://banyangloballearning.com/global-learning-live/
Learn more about Banyan Global’s live virtual field trips here: https://banyangloballearning.com/live-virtual-field-trips-2/
Listen to the Make it Mindful Podcast at: https://feeds.transistor.fm/make-it-mindful-an-education-podcast
Listen to Make it Mindful Podcast Interview about Executive Functioning here: https://makeitmindful.transistor.fm/episodes/rewind-50-executive-functioning-with-dr-karen-dudek-brannan
Listen to the Why Distance Learning Podcast at: https://whydistancelearning.transistor.fm/
Learn more about the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration here: https://www.cilc.org/

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:
Learn more about Renaissance:
As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 
We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Have you met “Jessica” the virtual speech helper? I certainly remember hearing about it the first time.
This concept raised a lot of questions in the clinical community. Are we trying to replace clinicians, and was that the intention behind this application?
If you’ve had these questions too, you won’t want to miss this conversation. 
This episode is the second half of my interview with Maura Connor from BetterSpeech, the company that created an AI “virtual speech helper” to enhance and extend work being done in therapy sessions. 
In this conversation we talk about:
✅ How the “speech helper” was intended (and NOT intended) to be used
✅ Discussion on why technology initiatives fail in schools
✅ How can technology decrease work for educators (instead of adding more)?
Maura Connor is an accomplished executive leader with deep expertise at the intersection of education and healthcare technology. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of Better Speech, where she is leading the launch of Streamline, an AI-powered special education management platform that helps districts reduce administrative complexity for providers and teachers, ensure compliance visibility, and strengthen support for students and families. With a career spanning executive roles in ed tech, health tech, and clinical operations, Maura has built a reputation for scaling organizations, driving innovation, and leading high-performing teams through periods of transformation. Her work focuses on uniting vision, strategy, and execution to deliver measurable outcomes for schools, clinicians, and the communities they serve. Maura is passionate about advancing solutions that enable educators and clinicians to spend more time on direct impact—helping children grow, thrive, and reach their potential—while ensuring that systems of care are more efficient, compliant, and sustainable.
You can connect with Maura on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maura-connor-2508929/
Learn more about BetterSpeech’s telehealth platform and services here: https://www.betterspeech.com/
Learn more about Streamline by BetterSpeech here: https://www.streamline-sped.com/why-streamline 
Streamline is an AI solution that automates evaluation, service tracking, and compliance workflows, freeing up time for clinical judgement and engagement. 
In this episode, I mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that gives speech pathologists a framework for building language skills needed to thrive in school, social situations, and daily life. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:
Learn more about Renaissance:
As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 
We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
Simplify and streamline technology
Save teachers’ time
Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.