Rethinking “Following Directions” Goals in Speech Therapy

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Emily Byers Chaney—pediatric SLP, private practice owner, and neurodiversity affirming advocate—about why following directions goals might not be telling you what you think they are. Emily shares how working alongside Jessie Ginsburg shifted her entire clinical lens, what’s really happening when a child doesn’t follow a direction, and how to build therapy that’s meaningful, motivating, and actually carries over. This one’s for every SLP who’s ever wondered if there’s a better way to work on receptive language.Bullet Points to Discuss: Why following directions tasks often measure compliance—not comprehensionWhat neurodiversity affirming therapy looks like compared to compliance-based approachesHow dysregulation, executive functioning, and sensory needs can all interfere with following a directionWhat PDA profile is and how demands affect those students differentlyWhy adult-directed tasks are less effective—and what to do insteadHere’s what we learned: Comprehension ≠ compliance. A child can understand and still not follow through.Connection first. Safety and relationship aren’t a detour—they’re the work.Go beyond the assessment. Play-based observation reveals what standardized testing misses.Watch for overcompliance. Too much compliance-focused therapy can erode autonomy and self-advocacy.One small shift. You don’t have to overhaul everything—just start somewhere.Learn more about Emily Byers Chaney: Website: https://www.ndaffirmingslp.com Website: https://www.boundlessspeech.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ndaffirming.slp/ Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets