This course provides an overview of the external and internal sensory systems along with observable characteristics of sensory dysregulation. Understanding that sensory input drives motor and behavioral output provide the foundation for this course. The way young children take in, process, and respond to sensory information significantly affects the way they learn, develop, and behave. While occupational therapists are the professionals who specialize in sensory integration therapy, this course is designed for all therapists, educators, mental health providers, and administrators to better understand how to support children with sensory differences. 

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

1.        List and describe the 5 external sensory systems and the 3 internal sensory systems.

2.        Explain how unmet sensory needs can contribute to challenging behavior.

3.        Summarize how to create sensory-informed learning environments to support children with neurodevelopmental differences.

Cari Ebert, MS, CCC-SLP, is a pediatric speech-language pathologist in private practice in the Kansas City, Missouri area. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1993 and her master’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1995. Cari is a therapist, consultant, author, product developer, and nationally recognized speaker who gets paid to do what she loves most—TALK! She has an animated personality, and this translates to a high-energy speaking style. Cari has a son with autism, allowing her to engage audiences both as a professional and as a parent of a neurodivergent child.

Teaching Essential Reading Foundations at Any Age This training explores key concepts related to how the brain learns to read and how to build strong readers through explicit, systematic instruction in foundational reading skills — at any age. Core reading frameworks such as Scarborough’s Rope, the Simple View of Reading, the Four-Part Processing System, and Ehri’s Phases of Reading Development will be examined. The training emphasizes evidence-based literacy practices aligned with the IES Practice Guides, covering both content and instructional strategies for teaching phonemic awareness, beginning and advanced phonics, multisyllabic word reading, morphology, spelling, fluency, and the use of literacy assessments to diagnose student needs for intervention. This is essential knowledge not only for classroom teachers, but also for special educators and interventionists, equipping all educators with the tools to provide high-quality Tier 1 instruction while also addressing the needs of students who require additional supports.