Home

Karen Tzanetopoulos, M.S., CCC-SLP

Co-author: How Children Learn Math: The Science of Math Learning in Research and Practice
Owner: Learning to Full Potential, LLC

Karen is an expert in the science of math learning and the science of reading. She provides professional development to teachers, math interventionists, and school districts on incorporating the science of math learning into their math instruction. As co-author of the book, Karen read thousands of research articles and books on the cognitive process of how children learn math which informs her own instruction with students, teachers and parents, and she keeps up with current research each month. Karen’s experience as a speech and language pathologist provides a deep understanding of the essential role of language and reading in learning mathematics and leads to improved math instruction. She continues to work with students with dyslexia and math difficulty, both in-person and online.

Contact Karen

How Children Learn Math Book Cover

How Children Learn Math: The Science of Math Learning in Research and Practice

by Nancy Krasa, Karen Tzanetopolous, and Colleen Maas


Written for pre-service and in-service teachers, parents, and grandparents of children in pre-school through grade 6, this book connects research in cognitive development and math education to offer an easily understood and practical introduction to the science of math learning. It is the first book to review the cognitive research on how children learn math and includes practical activities and strategies to help children develop their math brain from early childhood.

Podcast: Karen Tzanetopoulos on the Science of Math Learning in Research and Practice

"In this episode of the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast, Karen spoke with host Brendan Lee, sharing how she started working out of an office that was like a janitor’s closet to quietly do her own structured literacy with students and how her interest in math began while working in the public schools, as she observed that many of her students with language disorders also struggled to learn math and then she made a connection between the two."

Knowledge for Teachers Podcast
THINK FORWARD EDUCATORS LOGO

Article: Five Ways To Start Teaching Fractions

"Following on from last year’s successful series of blog articles on 5 ways to implement the science of reading, this year experts will be providing ready-to-use tips on the science of maths....The second blog post of the series comes from Karen Tzanetopoulos, co-author of the book, “How Children Learn Math: The Science of Math Learning in Research and Practice” (2023)."

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Professional Development on how to incorporate the Science of Math into daily math instruction with any curriculum.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Karen provides in-person and online professional development for teachers, math interventionists, and parents on how to build foundational math skills from pre-K through pre-algebra, based in the science of how children learn math.

THERAPY SERVICES

Karen provides speech pathology services in these areas of expertise:

Math

The science of math learning is an emerging and much needed field. As co-author of the book, How Children Learn Math: The Science of Math Learning in Research and Practice, Karen read thousands of research articles on the cognitive processes
required for math learning.

Reading, Spelling and Writing

Karen uses structured literacy to teach reading, spelling, and writing, specifically a speech to print approach. Many schools use a leveled literacy approach which is insufficient for children with most reading disorders, thus leaving many students to struggle unnecessarily.

SPEAKING

Karen is an experienced and well-received presenter on the pedogogy of math instruction. 

RECENT CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

As a result of Karen’s research and expertise in the role of language in learning math and in the science of math learning, she has been invited to speak at a variety of conferences and conventions. Recently Karen has presented at:

  • International Dyslexia Association DyslexiaCon 2023
  • International Dyslexia Association - Rocky Mountain Branch 2023
  • Illinois Speech Language Association 2023

Quick Contact

Please enter your name.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a valid phone number.
Please type your message.

KAREN TZANETOPOULOS, M.S., CCC-SLP
LEARNING TO FULL POTENTIAL, LLC

Math and Language Therapy and Speaking Nationwide