Welcome to In Plain Language, Malty friends!

 

This podcast will bring you game-changing information on language, speech, and how we can help kids celebrate their one-of-a-kind voices in simple, easy-to-digest ways.

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Mark your calendars for Sept. 12, when we'll be launching our very first episode! Here's what you can look forward to from upcoming episodes:

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September 12

How to Help Kids Have Confidence in Their Voices

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Speaking differently — whether it's due to a speech sound disorder or a regional accent — can make kids a target for teasing or make them feel self-conscious about speaking up. This episode will give you practical tips for fostering confidence in your child who speaks differently, and advice for teaching any child the value of kindness and acceptance.

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Episode Guests:

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Ellen Braaten, Ph.D., co-director of The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School

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Jann Fujimoto, MS, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist and owner of SpeechWorks in Oconomowac, Wisconsin 

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Novea McIntosh, Ed.D., assistant professor of education at the University of Dayton, Ohio and committee member for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program 

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September 26

Easy Ways to Teach Your Kids a Language You Don't Know

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If you want your child to learn another language, it can be tricky to know where to start — especially if programs for that language aren't available at your child's school! This episode will provide practical tips for helping your child get started, even if you don't know the language yourself.

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Episode Guests: 

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Clarissa Duskin, M.Ed., coordinator of English Learners, Recently-Arrived Immigrant Children/Youth and Translation Services at St. Lucie Public Schools in Florida and parent representative for the National Association for Bilingual Education

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Edith Boncompain, vice president of education at the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) in New York City

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October 10

Can Kids Pick Up Accents from Watching TV Shows?  

 

Some parents say that their kids have started to speak in British accents after watching cartoons with British characters. Can kids actually pick up an accent from the TV shows they watch, and what should parents do about it? This episode answers those questions and more with insight from  language experts. 

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Episode Guests:

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Roberto Rey Agudo, director of the language program in the department of Spanish and Portuguese at Dartmouth College 

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Liliana Diaz-Vazquez, M.S., CCC-SLP/L, a bilingual speech-language pathologist based in Chicago 

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Alicia Whitley, an English teacher and mom of a child who started pronouncing certain words in a British accent after watching cartoons in Raleigh, North Carolina

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