Best Learner Autonomy Podcasts (2025)

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The Big BEASTS of English Grammar: What we Need to UNLEARN - Graham Burton 1:31:08

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2M ago1:31:08

1:31:08

50% off our CPD courses for podcast listeners - click here and use the code "TTT" Does the grammar that is normally taught match the evidence corpus linguistics shows? Dr. Graham Burton helps us dissect the big beasts of English grammar. Dr. Graham Burton is assistant professor at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy). His main research inte…

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"Don't teach AT the students. Teach OFF them" - Scott Thornbury 1:33:19

2M ago1:33:19

1:33:19

Want to move away from 1:1 and build your teaching business? Book a free 1:1 with us to see if we can help. "Don't teach at the students. Teach off them." Scott Thornbury becomes our first repeat guest and helps us dissect this and more. Scott Thornbury is a teacher, teacher trainer, and award-winning author in English language education. He has ta…

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Learner autonomy is driven by the TEACHER, not the learner - Dr. David Little 1:28:29

4M ago1:28:29

1:28:29

Want to monetize your skills as a teacher? Book a free 1:1 with us to see if we can help. Learner autonomy is something that happens INSIDE the classroom, not out of it. Teachers can't sit back and wait for their students to become autonomous. This is part of what the esteemed Dr. David Little shared with us in our conversation. David Little is Fel…

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Native English isn't Relevant to the Majority of English Users - Jennifer Jenkins 1:44:23

5M ago1:44:23

1:44:23

Want to monetize your skills as a teacher? Book a free 1:1 with us to see if we can help. "It's such social injustice to expect people to use English like native English speakers, whichever country they're in." We dive into this and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) with Jennifer Jenkins. Jennifer Jenkins is a British linguist and academic. She was…

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Native Teachers can't Fix Pronunciation - John Levis 1:23:08

6M ago1:23:08

1:23:08

Book a complimentary meeting with us to help grow your business. Learners can think a native teacher is a vaccine against poor pronunciation. Equally, native teachers can be misinformed in thinking that students should just follow them. We dive into pronunciation, intelligibility, and teacher effects on learner performance with the great John Levis…

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Stop Apologizing for Being Multilingual - Dr. Angelica Galante 1:23:07

7M ago1:23:07

1:23:07

Book a free 1:1 to strategize your goals for your teaching business. Native speaker or non-native speaker? Monolingual or plurilingual? Why do we have a binary bias in modern society? These are some of the questions we tackled with Dr. Angelica Galante. Dr. Angelica Galante is an Associate Professor in Second Language Education and Applied Linguist…

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A PLAN is not a STRATEGY: The 7 Cs of Teacherpreneur Success 1:07:51

8M ago1:07:51

1:07:51

Book a free 1:1 to strategize your goals for your teaching business. Escaping precarity in ELT? Join our free support group here. Why do some teachers thrive as entrepreneurs while others struggle? We dissect this question. Many teachers want to earn more, teach online, and gain more clients - but struggle to implement a sustainable strategy. We go…

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We should AIM to give more STATUS to being a teacher - Audrey Rousse-Malpat 1:34:07

9M ago1:34:07

1:34:07

Book a free 1:1 to strategize your teaching business goals. Black Friday 2024: 50% off CPD (click here). Escaping precarity in ELT? Join our free support group here. If you use vocabulary and grammar tests, you don't teach communicatively. Audrey Rousse-Malpat tells us why. Audrey Rousse-Malpat is an assistant professor in second language acquisiti…

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How Healthier Coping Strategies Lead to Substance Abuse Prevention 57:55

9M ago57:55

57:55

According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, the nation's largest preventable and costly health problem is teen drug addiction. As parents, drug and alcohol abuse is something that keeps us up at night. And while we can talk with them until we're blue in the face about the dangers, we're never really sure about how effective o…

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Yoga and Mindfulness for a More Regulated Classroom, with Zensational Kids' Allison Morgan 43:24

10M ago43:24

43:24

We all know that co-regulation is essential for fostering a sense of connection and engagement among students, which ultimately makes lessons easier to follow. But what are the best ways to co-regulate? Today we welcome Allison Morgan, who shares her tips. And it's not all about regulating the students - educators must regulate themselves first. --…

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Burnout and stress is TOO LATE for teacher wellbeing - Sarah Mercer 1:40:15

10M ago1:40:15

1:40:15

Book a free 1:1 to strategize your teaching business goals. Escaping precarity in ELT? Join our free support group here. Education is designed around focusing on the learner first and the teacher as a medium to support the learner. Sarah Mercer tells us why this leads to unhealthy teachers. Sarah Mercer is a Professor of foreign language teaching a…

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From Picky Eating Battles to Positive Mealtime Relationships, with Polina Shkadron 55:54

10M ago55:54

55:54

Have you heard of ARFID? It stands for Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, which sounds pretty scary. You may wonder if this is like picky eating, but it’s actually very different from picky eating. Today on the podcast, Polina Shkadron emphasizes that children with ARFID should eat for themselves rather than to please others. Her approach p…

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Choosing a School for Your Neurodivergent Learner 37:19

11M ago37:19

37:19

Join me on today’s episode as I talk with Libby Taylor and Emmy Renquist of SchoolUp. We discuss what to consider in a learning environment for your neurodivergent child, what questions to ask on school tours, and what the options are in our local area of Wake and Durham counties. Learn more at SchoolUp Wake. --- Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly news…

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ELT is full of DISASTERS - Dr. Enrica Piccardo 1:32:24

11M ago1:32:24

1:32:24

Book a free 1:1 to strategize your teaching business goals. Escaping precarity in ELT? Join our free support group here. ELT is full of disasters, including the destruction of the communicative approach. Dr. Enrica Piccardo tells us why. Dr. Piccardo is a Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies i…

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How to Reduce Your Stress and Encourage Autonomy in Your Children, with Dr. Emily Edlynn 46:36

11M ago46:36

46:36

As parents, our natural instinct is to shield our children from stress. Life's hard enough as adults, so we want to let kids be carefree. But is that strategy counterproductive and actually harmful to our children? Today, Dr. Emily Edlynn calls for a cultural shift towards balanced, autonomy-supportive parenting that prioritizes both child and pare…

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Mr. Chazz on Realistic Self-Regulation for Parents 50:05

12M ago50:05

50:05

Parental fear and reactive behavior often stem from concerns about safety or our own emotional overwhelm, making it challenging to respond thoughtfully to our child's emotions. Today, Mr. Chazz, a former Montessori teacher turned multi-faceted educator, shares his insights on recognizing and embracing emotions as a pathway to better emotional regul…

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Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child with Kelley Coleman 1:02:21

1y ago1:02:21

1:02:21

Many of us struggle to advocate for children with disabilities and empower them to navigate their futures with confidence. So how can you prepare children with disabilities for fulfilling lives while emphasizing their choices and abilities? In this episode, Kelley Coleman shares her insights on how inclusive education, self-advocacy, agency, choice…

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Teachers have TWO options: Earn more or leave ELT 1:03:49

1y ago1:03:49

1:03:49

Book a free 1:1 to strategize your teaching business goals. Escaping precarity in ELT? Join our free support group here. What do toad venom, the 5 stages of grief, and precarity all have in common? Andrew, Leo, and Mike explain. Sustainability in the ELT industry as a teacher is pretty simple: 1. It is precarious 2. We all need to earn more money 3…

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ELT has the WRONG input: Learners can't understand REAL people - Sheila Thorn 1:36:28

1y ago1:36:28

1:36:28

Escaping precarity in ELT? Join our free support group here. Want to move faster? Book a free 1:1 to strategize your teaching business. ELT provides the wrong input: language as it should be spoken not as it is spoken. This is wrong and Sheila Thorn gives us another way. Sheila Thorn is a teacher, teacher trainer and materials writer whose niche fo…

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How to Flex Talk Therapy for Neurodivergent Kids & Teens, with Dr. Matt Zakreski 57:35

1y ago57:35

57:35

Contrary to the medical model of prescribing antibiotics or stitching up a wound, mental health is not simply about "fixing" patients. Therapists can feel pressure from parents or school staff to improve a child’s emotional or behavioral functioning as quickly as possible, but mental health is both a science and an art. It also takes trust and time…

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Grammar is in the BRAIN, not on a piece of paper - Tania Ionin & Silvina Montrul 1:21:01

1y ago1:21:01

1:21:01

Join our free support group for teachers building their business. Grammar instruction or grammar learning? We dive into this with today's guests. Tania Ionin is a Professor of Linguistics and Director of Graduate Studies in Linguistics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her areas of expertise include second language acquisition and …

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Setting Healthy Screen Boundaries, with Andrea Davis 52:52

1y ago52:52

52:52

Parents, you've got all the tech time questions, and Better Screen Time's Andrea Davis has the answers. What's the latest info on how much time kids are spending on devices? When are kids ready for devices? Specifically for phones? When are they ready for social media? How do you set boundaries around technology? How do you bring up the potential f…

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ADHD in the Classroom, with Melissa Jackson 49:53

1+ y ago49:53

49:53

While working in the classroom as a teacher in both special education and general education settings, and in helping her own kids learn to read, Melissa Jackson started to notice that the teaching methods she had been taught in teacher prep courses didn't work equally with neurotypical and neurodivergent learners. So what did she do about it? Today…

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ADHD is AWESOME, with Kim and Penn Holderness 50:36

1+ y ago50:36

50:36

The hilarious and uber-talented Kim and Penn Holderness (YouTube) just released a new book, ADHD is Awesome, and they're on the show to tell us all about it! We explore: Reframing ADHD as a superpower Uncovering strategies like visual cues Using timers Setting boundaries Emotional aspects of ADHD Gender differences in expressing emotions Personaliz…

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We CANNOT and DO NOT Control What Students Learn - Bill VanPatten 2:02:42

1+ y ago2:02:42

2:02:42

Join our free support group for teachers building their business. So many teachers focus on teaching when they should focus on something else. In this episode, we dive into this with the great Bill VanPatten. Bill VanPatten is an award-winning scholar and teacher with an international reputation in the fields of second language acquisition and seco…

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Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), with Casey Ehrlich 55:16

1+ y ago55:16

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PDA most commonly stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance. But Dr. Casey Ehrlich prefers to call it Pervasive Drive for Autonomy or Protective Demand Avoidance. Today, Dr. Ehrlich unpacks why understanding PDA and nervous system responses starts with supporting children's drive for autonomy and equality. She and Dr. Emily also discuss the alarming…

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Are You a Sober-Curious Parent? 54:33

1+ y ago54:33

54:33

Parenting is challenging. Add neurodivergence and a busy job to the mix, and sometimes (ok, often) you feel like you deserve that glass of wine. But does it make things better or worse? Are you a sober-curious parent? Today, Casey Davidson and Dr. Emily share their personal journeys of transitioning to sobriety, shedding light on the challenges of …

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The traditional pronunciation model EXCLUDES virtually every teacher - Robin Walker & Gemma Archer 1:47:29

1+ y ago1:47:29

1:47:29

Join our free support group for teachers building their business. So many teachers feel they can't teach pronunciation if their speech doesn't sound a certain way. Listen to this episode to discover why that isn't true. Robin Walker and Gemma Archer are pronunciation specialists who co-authored "Teaching English Pronunciation for a Global World," w…

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Understanding Trauma at School w/ Dr. Lori Desautels 44:34

1+ y ago44:34

44:34

On today’s podcast, Dr. Lori Desautels joins me to discuss how students experience trauma at school, and how we need to move away from traditional discipline approaches and towards promoting emotional regulation for students and educators. We dive into practical strategies in an effort to promote a positive learning environment for all students. Th…

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How NC is Empowering Autistic Professionals, with NCBCE's Caroline Sullivan 44:47

1+ y ago44:47

44:47

Much of the content on this podcast centers around raising neurodivergent kids. But what about when they become young adults? How do we think about higher education options and entering the workforce? Today, North Carolina Business Committee for Education Executive Director Caroline Sullivan joins Dr. Emily to discuss the groundbreaking LiNC-IT pro…

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The Regulated Classroom: Empowering Educators and Engaging Students, with Emily Daniels 52:45

1+ y ago52:45

52:45

How can educators cultivate a classroom environment that's the most conducive to learning? What are the real secrets to a successful and regulated classroom? Today, Emily Daniels discusses the Regulated Classroom framework, which emphasizes practices like co-regulation, connectors, activators, settlers, and affirmations. By understanding behaviors …

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TBLT isn't a fad & this is why NOT using it is holding you back - Lara Bryfonski 1:47:35

1+ y ago1:47:35

1:47:35

Find your niche & get 5 new clients. Start here. Many teachers are wary of using a task-based approach. Learn how to overcome that and start using it in your business or classrooms. Lara Bryfonski is an applied linguist and assistant professor of linguistics at Georgetown University. Her research focuses on task-based language teaching and she is t…

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Juggling Aging Parents and Neurodivergent Children, with Edla Prevette 39:37

1+ y ago39:37

39:37

For everyone who's a parent of a neurodivergent child, you might be taking care of your aging parents as well. You're in a Sandwich Generation, and it's not easy to navigate setting boundaries, finding support outside your family, and prioritizing your own mental health. Today, Edla Prevette has some advice for navigating the complexities of this f…

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Donna Brinton on Content-based Instruction 1:28:31

1+ y ago1:28:31

1:28:31

Our 5in30 community helps you get 5 new clients in 30 days. Start here. Donna M. Brinton is a methodologist, trainer, author, and distinguished figure in applied linguistics. A key aspect of Donna's work is her advocacy for Content-Based Instruction (CBI). Over her five decades in the field, she has authored and co-authored many books, including th…

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2023 Wrapped: Making Next Year an Authentic One 1:07:02

1+ y ago1:07:02

1:07:02

Our 5in30 helps you get 5 new clients in 30 days. Start here. Leo, Mike, and Andrew grab some nog, get in the holiday spirit, and chat about authenticity - Merriam-Webster's word of the year for 2023. We delve into what the word means to us and how we and anyone building a business can bring as much authenticity as possible into 2024. Specifically,…

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Neurodiverging: PDA Day-to-Day: Parenting Pathological Demand Avoidance/ Pervasive Demand for Autonomy 44:40

1+ y ago44:40

44:40

Today we're sharing an episode from Neurodiverging with Danielle Sullivan. It's a super interesting conversation on PDA, an acronym for Pathological Demand Avoidance or Pervasive Demand for Autonomy. I enjoyed listening to this, and I think you will too! ---- Today host Danielle Sullivan discusses their experience parenting PDA children. Danielle h…

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Travel Tips for Your Neurodivergent Child 18:06

2y ago18:06

18:06

The Holidays are here, so 'Tis the Season for hearing about travel anxiety from many parents raising neurodivergent kids. Some can’t fathom going to a restaurant without causing a scene so an extended vacation seems out of reach. Many are surprised when I say, “Your child can totally do this! Maybe not yet, but just like any other skill you have ta…

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Cecilia Nobre on Using Video for Teacher Development 1:14:07

2y ago1:14:07

1:14:07

We help teachers start their own online business for free. Click here to join in. Cecilia Nobre is a Ph.D. student in Applied Linguistics at Warwick, has been an EFL teacher for over 20 years, and is a trainer on DipTESOL, CertTESOL, and Celta trainer. She has co-authored the book "Using Video to Support Teacher Reflection and Development in ELT" w…

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Parents of Neurodivergent Kids are Really Good at Gratitude 12:29

2y ago12:29

12:29

If you are raising an autistic child or one with ADHD, anxiety, or sensory processing differences, you may have had some moments when you’ve looked at others and thought, “I wish it was easier for my child to just sit down and eat with the family” or “Wow, that child just joined right in with that group of kids like it was nothing!” When your child…

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How to Help Neurodivergent Kids Thrive at School 34:38

2y ago34:38

34:38

Today we're sharing an episode I was a guest on recently, Calm the Chaos Parenting with my friend Dayna Abraham. ---- This week, we're diving into a topic that keeps popping up in our community, and it's a two-part issue. Firstly, some parents are puzzled about how to help their kids at school as they come home on Fridays exhausted and frustrated, …

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Motherhood Unstressed: The Hidden Power of Highly Sensitive People, with Jenn Granneman 25:48

2y ago25:48

25:48

Today we're sharing an episode from an awesome parenting podcast called Motherhood Unstressed with Liz Carlisle. This conversation with author Jenn Granneman on working with highly sensitive people and what superpowers they possess is fantastic, so I know you'll enjoy it. ---- You’re too sensitive. You’re overreacting. Grow a thicker skin. You take…

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(Repost) Polyvagal Theory in the Classroom with Dr. Mona Delahooke 53:30

2y ago53:30

53:30

Many of you know that Dr. Mona Delahooke suffered a brain aneurysm about two months ago and has been fighting hard in her recovery ever since. Her family shared last week that she has regained consciousness (!) but that there is still a long road to recovery. So please join me in wishing Mona well today as we lift up her work through the magic of p…

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49. When to Pursue a Diagnosis, My ADHD Child Shows No Empathy (Q&A Mailbag) 19:15

2y ago19:15

19:15

Welcome to another Q&A podcast! Full disclosure, I can't answer complex or detailed questions about dynamics between kids, or teachers and kids, or parents and kids, when I don't know the full story. But what I can answer is general topics that keep coming up with parents, teachers, and kids, whether it's a clinical topic, an educational topic, a c…

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Geoff Jordan on ELT Now and How It Could Be 1:49:01

2y ago1:49:01

1:49:01

We help teachers start their own business for free. Click here to join in. Geoff Jordan is a teacher, trainer, academic, and author. Geoff has a Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition, has worked at ESADE, Barcelona for 28 years, and recently co-authored a book with the late Mike Long called "ELT Now and How It Could Be."His main academic interests a…

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48. For Teachers: What’s going on Behind the Behavior 45:44

2y ago45:44

45:44

Today I have a special treat for the educators who follow me. A few weeks ago I offered a free webinar for teachers in Pre-K through 8th grade where I talked about what's going on behind the behavior, and how to stay curious and figure out what students are struggling with so we can shift our mindset from thinking these students are giving me a har…

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47. Nurturing the Independence of Neurodivergent Teens 16:42

2y ago16:42

16:42

As parents, we are all are working toward the same goals: Raise a human that is independent and kind. Many of us start with goals like “successful” and ”happy,” but because these are such relative terms, I find it more helpful to define goals within the framework of independence, which is my definition of success anyway. I also don’t think I know a…

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46. Homework, Chores, and Dinnertime (Q&A Mailbag) 23:03

2y ago23:03

23:03

Welcome to another Q&A podcast! Full disclosure, I can't answer complex or detailed questions about dynamics between kids, or teachers and kids, or parents and kids, when I don't know the full story. But what I can answer is general topics that keep coming up with parents, teachers, and kids, whether it's a clinical topic, an educational topic, a c…

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45. Calming the Chaos, with Dayna Abraham 50:00

2y ago50:00

50:00

As a parent or teacher, what should we do when our child is in the middle of a meltdown? Today we welcome Dayna Abraham, a National Board Certified educator, parent of three neurodivergent children, and an ADHD adult herself. Dayna introduces her Calm the Chaos framework, which consists of four key principles: Connection, Understanding, Empowerment…

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44. It's Time to Rethink Homework 15:27

2y ago15:27

15:27

I’m just going to say it: Homework is a thorn in the side for most parents raising neurodivergent kids. In case you haven’t experience it, let me explain: You wake up in the morning ready to implement your well-crafted morning routine that includes the most efficient way to get your child clothed, fed, packed up, and in the car with the fewest mome…

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43. Homeschooling Your Neurodivergent Child with Amy Langston 38:31

2y ago38:31

38:31

Are you facing the dilemma of whether homeschooling is the right choice for your neurodivergent child? Are you concerned about the challenges it might bring, such as college admissions or socialization? Today, we sit down with Amy Langston, an autistic self-advocate, to explore her remarkable homeschooling journey. Discover how she and her family t…