Get excited about this lineup of speakers and topics, because it's incredible! Why? The goal of this summit is to help you implement neurodiversity-affirming strategies that will help you connect with and engage your autistic students. In turn, this will place compassion over compliance and help your classroom run more smoothly. ❤️
Below, you will find the summit schedule and access links.
*Note: All times are shown in CDT!
Hi, I’m Tara Phillips!
I’m a speech-language pathologist who’s spent over 25 years working with young autistic children. I started Autism Little Learners because I couldn’t find the resources or training we truly needed—especially at the preschool level.
Most professional development just didn’t fit. So, I decided to change that. Now, I’m bringing everything I’ve learned to you in this 3-day event!
This summit isn’t just about strategies—it’s about heart. I believe in honoring each child’s unique way of communicating, learning, and connecting. My goal is to empower educators and families with compassionate, neurodiversity-affirming tools that actually work in real-life preschool settings. Together, we can create environments where autistic children feel seen, safe, and supported every day.
💕 Tara
Sunday, July 13th
6:00 pm CDT - Kickoff Call & Put-In Activities "Make & Take" with Tara. Download and print the materials for this first make & take session in your summit hub. Let's have some fun and create an activity you can use right away in the classroom!
DAY 1
Monday, July 14th - Supporting All Ways of Communicating
8:00 am CDT - Day 1 videos become available inside the summit hub
9:00 am CDT - Live interview with Sarah Habib for All Access Pass holders!
2:00 pm CDT - Live Make & Take session for All Access Pass holders.
6:00 pm CDT - Live Autistic Adult Panel for All Access Pass holders.
🎟 Get your All Access Pass here 🎟
Explore various strategies and tools to enhance communication skills and autistic preschoolers. By the end of the day, you will have all the practical knowledge and actionable ideas to support and enhance communication and language development in autistic preschoolers.
AMY ZEMBRISKI
Speak Simply, Connect Effectively: Gaining Buy-In For Supporting Gestalt Language Processors
VICTORIA MATOWSKI
Using Songs to Support Gestalt Language Processors
PAULINA ELIAS & AMANDA BLACKWELL
Embracing Multilingual Minds: Gestalt Language Processing and Multimodal Communication
RACHEL MADEL
Stuck in the AAC Requesting Rut? Moving Beyond "I Want"
NICOLE CASEY
Rethinking Progress Beyond 80% Accuracy in Child-Led Therapy
CARI EBERT
Using Deep Interests to Support Early Learning in Autistic Children
DR. TAYLOR DAY
Identifying and Understanding Autistic Traits
TARA PHILLIPS
What Most Teachers Miss When It Comes To AAC: And Why It’s Holding Students Back
DAY 2
Tuesday, July 15th - Foundations of Regulating and Relating
8:00 am CDT - Day 2 videos become available inside the summit hub
9:00 am CDT - Live presentation with Barry Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism for All Access Pass holders.
2:00 pm CDT - Live Make & Take session for All Access Pass holders.
6:00 pm CDT - Live interview with Jordyn Zimmerman for All Access Pass holders. Join live as there will not be a replay option for this session.
🎟 Get your All Access Pass here 🎟
Learn about tools and techniques to support students with emotional regulation, play, and independence through positive relationships and strength-based approaches. By the end of the day, you'll be equipped with practical approaches for dysregulated students in the classroom.
BARRY PRIZANT
Uniquely Human:
A Different Way of Seeing Autism
MADEHA AYUB
Sensory Support for Preschoolers
SARAH HABIB
Goals for the Classroom: Mindfulness to Reduce Disruptions
ERIN FORWARD
DIR/Floortime and the Magic of Relationship in Supporting Autistic Students
LISA MARNELL
Explode the Code: How to Write Strengths-Based IEP Goals
JENNIFER HOFFERBER
The Power of Us: Strengthening Team Dynamics in Special Education
TARA PHILLIPS
Potty Training Reimagined: Respectful, Child-Centered, and Effective
JESSIE GINSBURG &
CHRIS WENGER
Reframing Autism: How to Talk to Families in a Neuroaffirming Way
Casey Ehrlich
Understanding PDA and the "PDA Lens"
Dr. Hayley Crain
Navigating Power Struggles: Real Tools for Inside and Outside the Classroom
DAY 3
Wednesday, July 16th - Creating a Neuro-affirming Classroom
8:00 am CDT - Day 3 videos become available inside the summit hub
9:00 am CDT - Live session with Andy Roszak on Creating a Risk Assessment for Schools
2:00 pm CDT - Live session with Alexandria Zachos on gestalt language processing
6:00 pm CDT - Live Make & Take session for All Access Pass holders.
🎟Get your All Access Pass here.🎟
Learn to build strong foundations for teaching in neurodiversity-affirming ways that foster engagement, growth, and confidence. By the end of the day, you'll walk away with tools and ideas to create a supportive and effective learning environment that meets each child where they are.
LORRAINE SCOTT & LYNDSAY BARLOW
The Power of Joyful Learning: Attention Autism & the Curiosity Programme in Action
LUCY PERILLO
Rotation Stations: Small Group Instruction
ANDI PUTT
Simple Ways to Talk About Autism with Preschoolers
DR. DESTINY HUFF, LPC
Neuroaffirming Self-Advocacy for Autistic
Pre-K Learners
MEG FERRELL
Strengths-Based Visual Supports for Daily Life
JORDYN CARROLL
The Intersection of Race and Neurodivergence
TERA SUMPTER
Perceptual Differences in Autism: An Executive Function Perspective
Polina Shkadron
The "Not So Picky"
Picky Eater
SUMMIT WRAP UP
Thursday, July 17th - Wrap Up Call & Bonus Training
9:00 am CDT - Live session with Kyanne Fields from Weave Chat AAC
2:00 pm CDT - Live session with Dr. Angelyn Franks on Overcoming Burnout
6:00-7:15 pm CDT - Summit Closing Call, prizes, and a live bonus training titled:
"3 Key Strategies For Supporting Autistic Students With High Support Needs"!
Join Tara for a final call, where prize winners will be announced. Then, there will be a bonus training on the topic of teaching young autistic children with high support needs.
Want More Time To Watch The Presentations + Exclusive Perks?
Upgrade to the All Access Pass and get the most out of the Preschool Autism Summit! With the All Access Pass, you’ll receive:
✅ One full year of access to all 25+ presentations (no rush to watch!)
✅ Exclusive speaker bonuses valued at $500+
✅ Private podcast feed so you can listen on the go
✅ 4 live make & take sessions packed with practical tools
PLUS – a portion of your purchase helps fund AAC devices for non-speaking children through our partner nonprofit, Lilly’s Voice.
Join us in creating compassionate classrooms and making a real difference.
Giving Every Child a Voice: Partnering with Lilly’s Voice
We are proud to be partnering with Lilly's Voice again for the 2025 Preschool Autism Summit!
Lilly's Voice is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices to children in need.
Lilly's Voice was founded in 2021 and inspired by a young autistic girl named Lilly, the organization has already supplied over 400 AAC devices, empowering non-speaking children to communicate effectively.
By purchasing an All Access Pass in our summit, you will not only gain valuable insights and strategies for supporting preschool-age autistic children but also contribute to this beautiful cause.
A portion of the proceeds from the summit will be donated to Lilly's Voice, helping to give a voice to those who need it most. Join us in making a difference and supporting the mission that every child deserves a voice.
Click here to learn more about Lilly's Voice!
