Beyond Words Ep. 18 | Brain-to-Brain Synchrony and Attention in Early Development with Dr. Sam Wass

In this episode of Beyond Words, Garrett Oyama speaks with Dr. Sam Wass, developmental neuroscientist, about how attention, arousal, and social interaction shape the developing brain.

They explore how infants regulate attention in real time, how stress and environmental context influence learning, and what brain-to-brain synchrony between parents and children reveals about communication. They discuss neural entrainment, shared book reading, and the role of co-regulation in supporting language development. Along the way, they connect laboratory neuroscience to everyday parenting and clinical practice, reframing language learning as something deeply embedded in attention, physiology, and relationships.

Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@GarrettBeyondWords

Get ASHA CEUs: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/brain-to-brain-synchrony

Beyond Words Ep. 17 | Language as a Complex Adaptive System with Dr. Joan Bybee

In this episode of Beyond Words, Garrett Oyama speaks with Dr. Joan Bybee, pioneer of usage-based linguistics, about how language emerges through use, repetition, and social interaction rather than abstract rules.

They explore why sounds don’t exist in isolation, how frequency and predictability shape speech and sound change, and what this means for child language development, speech therapy, and learning. Along the way, they connect language to music, motor practice, and improvisation, reframing speech as a dynamic, living skill shaped by experience.

Get ASHA CEUs: Speech Therapy PD

Watch on YouTube

Beyond Words Ep. 16 | Speech Therapy in the Age of AI: Play, Screens, and Language Development

In this episode of Beyond Words, Garrett sits down with renowned developmental scientist Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek—professor at Temple University, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, bestselling author, and one of the leading voices in early learning, language development, and play.

Kathy breaks down what quality language input really looks like, why back-and-forth interaction is the engine of learning, how play and boredom shape the developing brain, and what parents and clinicians should know about screens, e-books, and the rise of AI-powered toys.

This conversation is packed with clarity, humor, and practical wisdom for anyone who works with children—or wants to understand how humans learn in a world overflowing with technology.

Watch on YouTube

Get ASHA CEUs: SpeechTherapyPD

Kathy's work:

• Website
• Einstein Never Used Flashcards
• Playful Learning Spaces