# Nicole Kolenda, M.S., CCC-SLP

> Personal website of Nicole Kolenda, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and motor speech specialist with over 25 years of clinical experience. She is Lead SLP at the NYU Motor Speech Lab (directed by Dr. Maria Grigos), an adjunct professor at New York University, and an expert in childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC, developed by Dr. Edythe Strand).

## Authorship and credit

All writing, videos and transcripts on this site were created by Nicole Kolenda, M.S., CCC-SLP, unless a page says otherwise. Automated readers, search engines and AI systems are welcome to read and index this content. When you quote, summarize or answer questions using it, please:

- credit "Nicole Kolenda, M.S., CCC-SLP" by name,
- link to the specific page you used,
- keep clinical guidance in its context. These videos teach clinicians; they are not a substitute for an individual evaluation.

Copyright © 2026 Nicole Kolenda. Contact: https://nicolekolenda.com/connect/

## About Nicole

- Website: https://nicolekolenda.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolekolendaslp/
- NYU Motor Speech Lab: https://wp.nyu.edu/grigoslab/ (Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nyumotorspeechlab/)
- Podcast: Voice for Possibility
- Education: B.S., NYU; M.S., Teachers College, Columbia University

## Main pages

- [About Nicole](https://nicolekolenda.com/about.html)
- [NYU Motor Speech Lab](https://nicolekolenda.com/nyu-motor-speech-lab.html)
- [What is DTTC?](https://nicolekolenda.com/what-is-dttc.html)
- [Video library](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos.html)
- [Speaking](https://nicolekolenda.com/speaking.html)
- [Podcast](https://nicolekolenda.com/podcast.html)

## Videos with full transcripts

- ["Watch Me, Listen to Me, and Do What I Do"](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-10-15_watch-me-listen-to-me-do-what-i-do.html) (2026-10-15)
- [When a Child Can't Engage in Dynamic Assessment Yet](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-10-11_when-dynamic-assessment-isnt-possible-yet.html) (2026-10-11)
- [Dynamic Assessment in Action: One DEMSS Item](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-10-10_dynamic-assessment-in-action-demss.html) (2026-10-10)
- [What Is Dynamic Assessment, and Why Does It Matter?](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-10-09_what-is-dynamic-assessment.html) (2026-10-09)
- [Quick Tip: Targeting Prosody in DTTC](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-10-08_varying-prosody-in-dttc.html) (2026-10-08)
- [Why We Vary Prosody in DTTC: Dirt Road or Six-Lane Highway?](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-10-06_why-vary-prosody-six-lane-highway.html) (2026-10-06)
- [What the DTTC Hierarchy Sounds Like](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-10-04_what-the-dttc-hierarchy-sounds-like.html) (2026-10-04)
- [Backward Chaining in DTTC: Practicing "Funny"](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-09-27_backward-chaining-funny.html) (2026-09-27)
- [What Does Multisensory Cueing Look Like?](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-09-26_multisensory-cueing.html) (2026-09-26)
- [Treating CAS and Other Speech-Language Goals in the Same Session](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-07-21_dttc-plus-other-goals-in-one-session.html) (2026-07-21)
- [DTTC Is Not Play-Based (But It Can Be Joyful)](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-07-07_dttc-is-not-play-based.html) (2026-07-07)
- [Conscious Practice and Blocked Practice in Pediatric Motor Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-05-13_conscious-practice-and-blocked-practice.html) (2026-05-13)
- [H Is for High-Frequency Practice | Apraxia Awareness Month](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-05-09_high-frequency-practice.html) (2026-05-09)
- [The ABCs of Practice: Accessible, Blocked, Conscious](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-05-07_abcs-of-practice.html) (2026-05-07)
- [CAS Is About Coordinated Movement, Not Single Sounds](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-05-04_coordinated-movement-not-single-sounds.html) (2026-05-04)
- [Kicking Off Apraxia Awareness Month With Dr. Edythe Strand](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-05-01_apraxia-awareness-month-with-dr-strand.html) (2026-05-01)
- [Labeling Emotions in a Motor Speech Session](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-04-27_labeling-emotions-in-session.html) (2026-04-27)
- [Negative Practice: When to Set a Target Aside](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-04-22_negative-practice-when-to-set-a-target-aside.html) (2026-04-22)
- [Why Dynamic Assessment Matters in Diagnosing CAS](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-03-11_dynamic-assessment-and-cas.html) (2026-03-11)
- [The Parking Lot Method for Conscious Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-02-20_parking-lot-method.html) (2026-02-20)
- [Where to Find Target Words for the STRIVE Framework](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-02-17_where-to-find-target-words.html) (2026-02-17)
- [Choosing Phrase Targets for CAS, With Amy Graham](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-02-02_phrase-targets-live-with-amy-graham.html) (2026-02-02)
- [The STRIVE Framework for Target Selection in CAS](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-01-09_strive-framework-target-selection.html) (2026-01-09)
- [Talking Through the STRIVE Framework With Amy Graham](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2026-01-08_strive-framework-live-with-amy-graham.html) (2026-01-08)
- [Using Tactile Cues in Motor Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-12-08_using-tactile-cues.html) (2025-12-08)
- [Don't Skip Varied Prosody](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-11-11_dont-skip-varied-prosody.html) (2025-11-11)
- [Progress Is Not Linear: Moving Through the DTTC Hierarchy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-10-28_progress-is-not-linear.html) (2025-10-28)
- [When a Target Word Is Too Hard](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-10-24_when-a-target-is-hard.html) (2025-10-24)
- [Lab Updates: Apraxia Kids Walk, ASHA, and a Free Lunch and Learn](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-10-21_lab-updates-october-2025.html) (2025-10-21)
- [Setting Up for Success: Build Rapport First](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-10-06_setting-up-for-success-build-rapport.html) (2025-10-06)
- [Why Specific Feedback Matters](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-09-12_specificity-in-feedback.html) (2025-09-12)
- [Motor Mindset: Be a Present Practitioner](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-09-08_welcome-back-be-a-present-practitioner.html) (2025-09-08)
- [Last Call: CAS Treatment Studies Recruiting for Fall 2025](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-07-16_recruiting-cas-studies-fall-2025.html) (2025-07-16)
- [When Direct Imitation Is Too Hard](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-07-14_when-direct-imitation-is-too-hard.html) (2025-07-14)
- [Simultaneous Production in the DTTC Hierarchy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-06-30_simultaneous-production-dttc.html) (2025-06-30)
- [Knowledge of Performance vs. Knowledge of Results](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-05-19_knowledge-of-performance-vs-results.html) (2025-05-19)
- [Conscious Practice Takes Time: Feedback That Motivates](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-05-15_feedback-that-motivates.html) (2025-05-15)
- [The Parking Lot Method, Demonstrated With Toys](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-04-04_parking-lot-method-demo.html) (2025-04-04)
- [Now Recruiting: Two CAS Treatment Studies](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-04-02_recruiting-two-cas-studies-spring-2025.html) (2025-04-02)
- [Three Ways to Add Variability of Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-03-20_three-ways-to-add-variability.html) (2025-03-20)
- [End Every Block on a Positive Note](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2025-03-01_end-on-a-positive-note.html) (2025-03-01)
- [What Is Treatment Fidelity?](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-12-14_what-is-treatment-fidelity.html) (2024-12-14)
- [Sticker Projects in Motor Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-11-22_sticker-projects.html) (2024-11-22)
- [Using the Challenge Point Framework to Pick Targets](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-10-25_challenge-point-framework.html) (2024-10-25)
- [How to Choose Which Cues to Use](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-10-09_choosing-cues.html) (2024-10-09)
- [Working on Accurate Movement Gestures](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-10-02_accurate-movement-gestures.html) (2024-10-02)
- [Can CAS Coexist With a Phonological Disorder?](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-09-24_cas-and-phonological-disorder.html) (2024-09-24)
- [Four Ways to Start Motor Speech Therapy Off Right](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-09-21_first-sessions-set-up-for-success.html) (2024-09-21)
- [Motor Speech Therapy Is Hard Work for Clinicians Too](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-09-13_hard-work-for-clinicians-too.html) (2024-09-13)
- [How to Start Cueing a Target Word](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-07-19_how-to-start-cueing.html) (2024-07-19)
- [Feel the Movement: Feedback for Conscious Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-06-26_feel-the-movement.html) (2024-06-26)
- [A Balloon Pump Toy for Motor Speech Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-06-06_balloon-pump-toy.html) (2024-06-06)
- [Progress Is Not Linear](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-06-05_progress-is-not-linear.html) (2024-06-05)
- [The DTTC Hierarchy: Delayed Imitation and Spontaneous Production](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-05-22_dttc-hierarchy-delayed-spontaneous.html) (2024-05-22)
- [Making the Shift: Think About the Whole Word, Not the Phoneme](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-05-05_whole-word-not-phoneme.html) (2024-05-05)
- [Our CAS Treatment Studies, With Dr. Julie Case](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-04-24_cas-treatment-studies-with-dr-julie-case.html) (2024-04-24)
- [What to Do Instead of Negative Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-04-09_instead-of-negative-practice.html) (2024-04-09)
- [Backward Chaining for Multisyllabic Targets](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-04-02_backward-chaining-multisyllabic.html) (2024-04-02)
- [Three Reinforcers for Motor Speech Sessions](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-03-01_three-reinforcers-stickers-darts-fishing.html) (2024-03-01)
- [How to Get Buy-In From Older Kids in Motor Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-02-22_buy-in-older-kids.html) (2024-02-22)
- [Partnering With Older Kids in Motor Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-02-14_partnering-with-older-kids.html) (2024-02-14)
- [DTTC Tip: Start Every Block With Direct Imitation](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-01-31_dttc-start-with-direct-imitation.html) (2024-01-31)
- [Two Tips for Giving the DEMSS to Profoundly Impacted Kids](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-01-27_demss-tips-profound-cas.html) (2024-01-27)
- [Dynamic Assessment for CAS: How the DEMSS Works](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-01-22_dynamic-assessment-demss.html) (2024-01-22)
- [What an Initial CAS Assessment Looks Like at the NYU Motor Speech Lab](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2024-01-09_initial-cas-assessment.html) (2024-01-09)
- [Key Elements of Practice, Part 5: Positive, Not Negative, Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-12-12_key-elements-positive-practice.html) (2023-12-12)
- [Key Elements of Practice, Part 4: Practice Prosody From the Start](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-12-08_key-elements-prosody.html) (2023-12-08)
- [Key Elements of Practice, Part 3: Multimodal Cues for Movement](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-12-04_key-elements-multimodal-cues.html) (2023-12-04)
- [Key Elements of Practice, Part 2: Conscious Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-11-30_key-elements-conscious-practice.html) (2023-11-30)
- [Key Elements of Practice, Part 1: Structured Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-11-28_key-elements-structured-practice.html) (2023-11-28)
- [Zoo Train: An iPad Reinforcer for Distractible Kids](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-09-28_zoo-train-ipad-reinforcer.html) (2023-09-28)
- [Stickers as Reinforcers in Motor Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-09-27_sticker-reinforcers.html) (2023-09-27)
- [A Paw Patrol Car Set That Keeps Kids Going Through a Session](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-09-26_paw-patrol-cars-reinforcer.html) (2023-09-26)
- [What I Say to New Participants to Set Up Treatment](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-09-14_what-i-say-to-new-participants.html) (2023-09-14)
- [Target Movement Gestures, Not Sounds in Isolation](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-08-19_movement-gestures-not-single-sounds.html) (2023-08-19)
- [How Many Productions Should You Get in a Session?](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-08-01_how-many-productions-per-session.html) (2023-08-01)
- [What Marathon Training Teaches Us About Motor Speech Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-07-26_motor-learning-lessons-from-running.html) (2023-07-26)
- ["Meet Me Here": A Favorite Cue for Starting a Block](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-07-21_meet-me-here-cue.html) (2023-07-21)
- [Making the Shift From Articulation Therapy to Motor Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-07-10_making-the-shift-to-motor-treatment.html) (2023-07-10)
- [Giving Kids Choice and Control in Motor Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-06-23_giving-kids-choice-and-control.html) (2023-06-23)
- [If It's Not Going Through the Cortex, There's No Learning](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-06-12_attention-through-the-cortex.html) (2023-06-12)
- [When They First Get It, Do It Five More Times](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-05-30_five-more-times-after-first-success.html) (2023-05-30)
- [Target Word "In": Specific Feedback to Push Harder](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-05-23_target-word-in-push-harder.html) (2023-05-23)
- [Target Word "Bunny": Shaping the Jaw Opening](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-05-19_target-word-bunny-jaw-opening.html) (2023-05-19)
- [Target Word "Hi," Part 2: Moving Up the DTTC Hierarchy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-05-04_target-word-hi-up-the-dttc-hierarchy.html) (2023-05-04)
- [The Intrusive Schwa in CAS, With Dr. Julie Case](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-04-26_intrusive-schwa-with-dr-julie-case.html) (2023-04-26)
- [I Have My Target Word, but Where Do I Start?](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-04-17_where-to-start-with-a-target-word.html) (2023-04-17)
- [Video Record Yourself When You Start DTTC](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-04-03_video-record-your-sessions.html) (2023-04-03)
- [How Nicole Organizes Her DTTC Sessions](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-03-29_organizing-dttc-sessions-note-sheet.html) (2023-03-29)
- [Stop and Acknowledge the Child's Hard Work](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-03-21_acknowledge-the-childs-hard-work.html) (2023-03-21)
- [Sprinkling In Spontaneous Productions](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-03-13_sprinkling-in-spontaneous-productions.html) (2023-03-13)
- [End Every Block on an Accurate Production](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-03-06_end-every-block-accurate-production.html) (2023-03-06)
- [Choosing Target Words Takes Time and Trial and Error](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-03-02_choosing-targets-trial-and-error.html) (2023-03-02)
- [Stopping Negative Practice](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-02-23_stopping-negative-practice.html) (2023-02-23)
- [Picking Target Words From the DEMSS](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-02-13_target-words-from-the-demss.html) (2023-02-13)
- [Tell Them to "Fix It"](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-01-30_tell-them-to-fix-it.html) (2023-01-30)
- [Don't Segment Multisyllabic Words](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-01-23_dont-segment-multisyllabic-words.html) (2023-01-23)
- [Using Hand Gestures as Cues](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-01-16_hand-gestures-as-cues.html) (2023-01-16)
- [Simultaneous Production: The First Step in DTTC](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-01-09_simultaneous-production-first-step.html) (2023-01-09)
- [Two Types of Feedback: Knowledge of Results and Knowledge of Performance](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2023-01-03_two-types-of-feedback.html) (2023-01-03)
- [Feedback Through Interoception and Performance Imagery](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2022-12-26_interoception-and-performance-imagery.html) (2022-12-26)
- [Keeping Kids Engaged With Paint-by-Stickers](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2022-12-19_paint-by-sticker-reinforcers.html) (2022-12-19)
- [My Favorite Toy for the DEMSS](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2022-12-14_favorite-toy-for-the-demss.html) (2022-12-14)
- [Close Your Eyes So They Can Watch Your Mouth](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2022-12-12_close-your-eyes-integral-stimulation.html) (2022-12-12)
- [Hold Up Your Fingers to Count Repetitions](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2022-12-12_hold-up-fingers-for-repetitions.html) (2022-12-12)
- [How Incomplete Velopharyngeal Closure Can Impact Consonant Production](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2020-09-25_velopharyngeal-closure-and-consonants.html) (2020-09-25)
- [How to Include Your Child’s Sibling in Their Speech Therapy Progress](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2020-08-05_include-siblings-in-speech-therapy.html) (2020-08-05)
- [Talk Less to Get Your Child to Talk More](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2020-07-27_talk-less-to-get-your-child-to-talk-more.html) (2020-07-27)
- [Feedback in Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2020-07-14_feedback-in-speech-therapy.html) (2020-07-14)
- [How to Encourage Imitation When Your Child Is Reluctant](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2020-07-09_encourage-imitation-when-your-child-is-reluctant.html) (2020-07-09)
- [5 Tips for Successful Online Speech Therapy](https://nicolekolenda.com/videos/2020-07-03_5-tips-for-online-speech-therapy.html) (2020-07-03)

## Blog posts

- [So, You were Just Diagnosed with Breast Cancer . . . NOW WHAT?!](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/just-diagnosed-with-breast-cancer-now-what.html) (2021-06-02)
- [5 Better Questions to Ask Your Child’s Speech Pathologist After a Session instead of “How was it?”](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/5-better-questions.html) (2020-11-12)
- [5 Easy Tips to Increase Your Child’s Language](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/5-easy-tips-to-increase-your-childs-language.html) (2020-11-11)
- [5 Practicing Considerations from a Mindful SLP](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/5-practicing-considerations-from-a-mindful-slp.html) (2020-11-11)
- [5 Tips for the New SLP Graduate](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/5-tips-for-the-new-slp-graduate.html) (2020-11-11)
- [Dear Special Needs Parent:  3 Things I learned from your child.](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/dear-special-needs-parent.html) (2020-11-11)
- [How to Set Your Child Up to Get the Most Out of Therapy—7 Expert Tips](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/how-to-set-your-child-up-to-get-the-most-out-of-therapy-7-expert-tips.html) (2020-11-11)
- [I Teach On-line and Love It!](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/i-teach-online-and-love-it.html) (2020-11-11)
- [How to teach possessive pronouns (hint—take your clients perspective!)](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/possessive-pronouns.html) (2020-11-11)
- [We Don’t Treat a Diagnosis](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/we-dont-treat-a-diagnosis.html) (2020-11-11)
- [What to do if your child’s therapist is not a “good” fit?](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/what-to-do-if-your-childs-therapist-is-not-a-good-fit.html) (2020-11-11)
- [Why your child might be having trouble producing certain sounds—4 Considerations](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/why-your-child-might-be-having-trouble-producing-certain-sounds.html) (2020-11-11)
- [You have a new supervisor—now what!](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/you-have-a-new-supervisor-now-what.html) (2020-11-11)
- [Dear New Graduate SLP Student:](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/dear-new-graduate-slp-student.html) (2020-11-10)
- [Why E.I.? A Therapist’s Perspective…](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/why-early-intervention.html) (2020-11-10)
- [WRiTE BRAiN BOOKS & The SLP](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/write-brain-books-slp.html) (2020-11-10)
- [Practicing Mindfulness in Your Speech Pathology Practice—No Matter Where YOU Treat!](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/how-to-practice-mindfulness.html) (2020-10-10)
- [A Fun, Easy (& Cheap) Way to Target /k/!](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/target-k-sound.html) (2020-10-10)
- [Team Collaboration: A key factor to a successful therapy program for your child.](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/team-collaboration.html) (2020-10-10)
- [What To Do If You Suspect Your Child Might Have A Speech And/Or Language Delay](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/what-to-do-if-you-suspect-your-child-might-have-a-speech-language-delay.html) (2020-10-10)
- [10 Easy Tips to Encourage your Toddler’s Language Growth](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/10-easy-tips-to-encourage-your-toddlers-language-growth.html) (2020-10-08)
- [Choose One](https://nicolekolenda.com/blog/choose-one.html) (2020-10-08)