More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child

About More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child

More Than Words is for parents and people working with children who notice that their child is struggling to keep up with their peers, be it academically, socially, or emotionally. In each episode, we share resources, guidance, and a sense of assurance on the path to helping your child.

Publisher

The Reading and Language Learning Center

Category

education · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

20 Aug 2021

Latest episode

14 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

90 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Oct 2026

   College, Confidence, and Dyslexia with Ashlee and Gracie

   About four years ago, Gracie and Ashlee joined us to share their experiences growing up with dyslexia. At the time, they were both in high school. Now, they’re college students navigating new academic expectations, greater independence, and the responsibility of deciding when and how to ask for support. In this episode, we bring their separate conversations together to explore dyslexia in college from two individual perspectives. Gracie and Ashlee discuss accommodations, self-advocacy, college writing, athletics, friendships, and the people and tools that help them succeed. They also reflect on what they would tell the younger versions of themselves today. Their experiences remind us that there is no single way to navigate college with dyslexia. Support needs can vary by student, class, and situation. Dyslexia is part of their learning experience, but it does not define their abilities, accomplishments, or future. What You’ll Learn How college accommodations differ from high school support Why students may need to take the lead in accessing accommodations How Gracie and Ashlee communicate their needs to professors Where dyslexia can appear beyond traditional reading assignments How classmates, teammates, and friends can become part of a student’s support system What professors and other college professionals should understand about dyslexia Why privacy matters when providing accommodations What Gracie and Ashlee would tell their younger selves today About Gracie and Ashlee Gracie is a sophomore at James Madison University studying communication sciences and disorders with the goal of becoming a speech-language pathologist. She previously interned with The Reading and Language Learning Center and uses her experiences with dyslexia to better understand her own learning and future profession. Ashlee is a junior at Fairleigh Dickinson University majoring in graphic design. She is also a college lacrosse player and goalie. Her experiences show how dyslexia can appear in academics, creative work, athletics, and everyday communication. Listen to Their Original Episodes Gracie’s Original Episode: Living With Dyslexia Ashlee’s Original Episode: Dyslexia & Creativity Connect With RLLC Visit The Reading & Language Learning Center and follow us: Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Subscribe, rate, and review More Than Words so you never miss an episode!

2. 

   23 Sept 2026

   Decoding Early Screening Data & Taking Proactive First Steps with Dr. Helen Behr & Meg Shah

   Fall screening reports are starting to come home, but terms like below benchmark, at risk, DIBELS, and i-Ready can leave parents with more questions than answers. What are these assessments actually measuring, and what should happen when the results show that a child may need additional support? In this special episode of More Than Words, Tristen is joined by Dr. Helen Behr and Meg Shah. Together, they break down common early literacy screening data, explain how schools use results to plan instruction and monitor progress, and share practical ways parents can approach conversations with their child’s school. Most importantly, they explain why a screening result is a starting point for asking questions, not a diagnosis or final conclusion about a child's reading ability. What You'll Learn What DIBELS measures and why many of its early literacy tasks are timed What terms like at risk, below benchmark, and the red, yellow, green, and blue score ranges can tell you How Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading fluency contribute to the bigger picture How i-Ready differs from DIBELS and why schools may use both assessments What Tier 2 and Tier 3 reading support can look like when a student needs additional instruction Why progress monitoring matters and how schools determine whether an intervention is working What parents can ask teachers about screening results, goals, intervention, and next steps How to approach parent-teacher conversations with specific questions and genuine curiosity About Meg Shah Meg Shah is the Founder and CEO of MVS Educational Services, where she supports families and schools in building collaborative, student-centered plans. With over a decade of experience in education, Meg has worked as a teacher, special educator, and school leader within the DC charter school system. She also brings a unique background in law, which informs her structured, solution-oriented approach to advocacy. Meg specializes in helping parents navigate early concerns, communicate effectively with schools, and create actionable plans that support both academic and social-emotional growth. She is passionate about shifting conversations from reactive to proactive so children can thrive. About Dr. Helen Behr Dr. Helen Behr is the Director of the DCPS Reading Clinic. Dr. Behr earned a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Johns Hopkins University, and a Ph.D. in Education Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. In California, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Washington DC, Helen has worked as a teacher, instructional coach, and national literacy trainer before taking the helm at the DCPS Reading Clinic in June of 2022. The Reading Clinic provides educators with professional development and embedded coaching so they can implement research-based structured literacy instruction to readers learning to decode. Links & Resources Meg Shah / MVS Educational ServicesWebsite: www.mvsed.com Instagram: @mvs.edLinkedIn: Meg Shah Dr. Helen BehrLinkedIn: Dr. Helen Behr Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeMicro-conference toolkit Report Card Decoder For more resources and information from The Reading & Language Learning Center: Website: www.readingllcenter.comFacebook: @readingllcenterInstagram: @readingllcenterYouTube: The Reading & Language Learning CenterLinkedIn: The Reading & Language Learning Center Subscribe, rate, and review More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child on your favorite podcast platform. It helps more parents and educators find practical information to support the children in their lives.

3. 

   10 Jun 2026

   Why Some Children Struggle to Process What They Hear with McLean Speech & Language

   What does it mean when a child can hear perfectly well, but still struggles to follow directions, process spoken language, or learn in noisy environments? In this episode of More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child, host Tristen sits down with speech-language pathologists Kim Hiday and Rachel Saulle from McLean Speech & Language to unpack auditory processing challenges in children and adults. Together, they explain the difference between hearing and auditory processing, common signs parents and teachers may notice, how auditory processing difficulties can impact learning and daily life, and the therapy approaches and accommodations that can help. From classroom seating strategies to auditory integration training and speech-language interventions, this conversation offers practical insight for families trying to better understand how children process sound and language. Whether your child struggles to follow verbal directions, seems overwhelmed in noisy spaces, or has difficulty listening despite normal hearing tests, this episode provides a compassionate, evidence-informed starting point. What You’ll Learn ✨ The difference between hearing ability and auditory processing ✨ Common signs of auditory processing challenges in children ✨ Why some children “zone out” during listening-heavy tasks ✨ How auditory processing difficulties can affect reading, language, and learning ✨ What auditory processing evaluations may include ✨ Classroom accommodations that can support listening and attention ✨ Therapy approaches including speech-language intervention and auditory training ✨ What parents should do first if they suspect auditory processing difficulties About the Guests Kim Hiday, M.S., CCC-SLP and Rachel Saulle, M.S., CCC-SLP are speech-language pathologists at McLean Speech & Language who specialize in auditory processing, language development, literacy, and individualized intervention planning for children and adults. Their clinical work includes auditory processing evaluations, speech-language therapy, auditory integration training, and collaborative school-based supports. Together, they help families better understand how listening, language, and learning intersect, while creating personalized recommendations that support success across home, school, and community settings. Episode Highlights Kim explains that hearing and auditory processing are not the same thing. Hearing involves the ears detecting sound, while auditory processing refers to how the brain interprets and organizes what we hear. Rachel discusses how auditory processing difficulties may sometimes look like attention challenges, especially when children become overwhelmed by listening demands in the classroom. The conversation also explores how classroom environments, seating arrangements, and background noise can significantly impact a child’s ability to process spoken information effectively. Kim and Rachel share examples of interventions and accommodations that may support children with auditory processing needs, including speech-language strategies, auditory training, and individualized environmental supports. Resources & Links 🌐 McLean Speech & Language https://mcleanspeech.com 📸 Instagram: @McLeanSpeech 📘 Facebook: McLean Speech and Language 🌐 The Reading & Language Learning Center https://www.readingllcenter.com 📸 Follow RLLC on Instagram: @readinglanguagecenter 📘 Follow RLLC on Facebook: The Reading & Language Learning Center 🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe, rate, and review More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child wherever you listen to podcasts.

Who has been a guest on More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Brendan Danker
• Dr Leslie Hawkins
• Dr Samantha Sweeney
• Daniela Feldhausen
• Toni Walters

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

4,908

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 66 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

57

Social presence

100

YouTube

68

Engagement

68

Contact More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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