Karla Washington

Karla N. Washington, PhD, S-LP(C), CCC-SLP, BCS-CL is an associate professor, University of Toronto, Department of Speech-Language Pathology, where she directs the Pediatric Language, Learning, and Speech (PedLLS) Outcomes Lab. Her clinical-research interests focus on speech-language development for monolingual and multilingual preschoolers. Her research characterizes language learning and use in typical and disordered contexts with an interest in understanding how children’s contextual factors (i.e., Environmental and Personal, as defined by WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health framework) are related to their outcomes. Along with colleagues in communication disorders, linguistics, education, physics, and engineering, she applies different methodologies (e.g., acoustic duration, fMRI) to document learning and impairment across linguistic contexts. Dr. Washington is a board-certified specialist in child language development and disorders and is active in NIH-sponsored research. She is an invited member, International-Expert-Panel-on-Multilingual-Children’s-Speech, is an Editor for Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, and is an ASHA Fellow.

Recent Publications

1. Washington, K. N., Fritz, K., Crowe, K., Kelly, B*., & Wright Karem, R*. Bilingual preschoolers’ spontaneous productions: considering Jamaican Creole and English. Language, Speech, & Hearing Services in Schools. 2019 April 1; 50, 179-195. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_LSHSS-18-0072. Impact Factor: 2.983. Relative Citation Ratio: 3.31. Altmetric: 53^rd%tile. Principal Author.
2. Crowe, K., Cuervo, S^*., Guiberson, M., & Washington, K. N. A systematic review of interventions for multilingual preschoolers with speech and language difficulties. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2021; 64(11): 4413-4438. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_JSLHR-21-00073. SCmigo Journal H-Index: 138, Impact Factor: 2.408. Co-Author.
3. Wright Karem, R. N* /^**., & Washington, K. N. The cultural and diagnostic appropriateness of standardized assessments for dual language learners: A focus on Jamaican preschoolers. Language, Speech, & Hearing Services in Schools. 2021 July; 52, 807-826. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_LSHSS-20- 00106. Impact Factor: 2.983. Trainee Publication: The first author was an NIH and DOE funded PhD student in my lab. Senior Responsible Author.
4. León, M^*., Washington, K. N., Fritz, K., Leon, M^*., Basinger, M^*., & Crowe, K. Intelligibility in Context Scale: Sensitivity and specificity in the Jamaican context. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics. 2021; 35 (2): 154-171. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2020.1766574. SCmigo Journal H-Index: 51, Impact Factor: 1.675. The first author is an NIH and DOE funded doctoral candidate in my lab. Senior Responsible Author.
5. Yarian, M. ^*, Washington, K. N., Spencer, C^*., Vannest, J., & Crowe, K. Exploring predictors of expressive grammaracross different assessment tasks in preschoolers with and without DLD. Communication Disorders Quarterly. 2021; 42(2), 111-121. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/1525740119868238. SCmigo Journal H-Index: 29. Impact Factor: 1.223. The first author is a MA research student in my lab. Senior Responsible Author.
6. Washington, K. N., Westby, C., Fritz., K., Crowe, K., Wright Karem, R^*., & Basinger, M^*. The narrative competence of bilingual Jamaican Creole- and English-speaking preschoolers. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools. 2021; 52(1), 317-334. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_LSHSS-20-00013. SCmigo Journal H-Index: 69, Impact Factor: 2.983. Principal Author.
7. León, M^*., Washington, K. N., McKenna, V^**., Crowe, K., Fritz, K, and Boyce, S. Characterizing speech sound productions in bilingual speakers of Jamaican Creole and English: Application of durational acoustic methods. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. Accepted. Trainee Publication: The first author is an NIH and DOE funded doctoral candidate in my lab. Senior Responsible Author.
8. Canta, A^*., Abu El Adas, S^*., Washington, K. N., & McAllister, T. Variability, accuracy, and cross-linguistic transfer in bilingual children speaking Jamaican Creole and English. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics. Accepted. The first author is MA SLP student at MGH Institute of Health Professions who completed a research rotation in my lab. Co-Senior Responsible Author.
9. Kokotek, L^*., Cunningham, B^**., & Washington, K. N. Validation of the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS) Total and Profile Scores: The relationship between communicative-participation and functional speech in the Jamaican context. Communication Disorders Quarterly. Accepted. Impact Factor: 1.223. Trainee Publication: The first author is an NIH and DOE funded doctoral candidate in my lab. Senior Responsible Author.
10. Hashemi Hosseinabad, H^**., Washington, K. N., Boyce, S. E., Silbert, N., & Kummer, A. Agreements of intelligibility in children with velopharyngeal insufficiency: the relationship between Intelligibility in Context Scale and experimental measures. Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica. In press. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1159/000516537. SCmigo Journal H-Index: 47, Impact Factor: 1.175. The first author was a completed doctoral candidate. I served as a dissertation committee. Mentor and Co-Author.
11. León, M^*., Washington, K. N., McKenna, V^**., Crowe, K., and Fritz, K. Linguistically informed acoustic analysis and perceptual analysis of bilingual children’s speech productions: An exploratory study in the Jamaican context. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2022; 65(7)): 2490-2509. SCmigo Journal H-Index: 138, Impact Factor 2.48. Trainee Publication: The first author is an NIH and DOE funded doctoral candidate in my lab. Senior Responsible Author.
     

Honours & Awards

• 2022 | Honorary Research Fellow - Department of Language, Linguistics, and Philosophy, University of the West Indies
• 2022 | Faculty Excellence Award - University of Cincinnati, Office of the Provost and Office of Research, (Awarded $2,000USD)
• 2021 | Fellowship of the Association -  American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, USA
• 2021 | Award for Continuing Education - American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, USA
• 2021 | Excellence in Teaching Award - Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati (Awarded $1000USD)
• 2019 | Transdisciplinary Research Fellow - University of Cincinnati, Office of Research (Awarded $22,289USD) 
• 2019 | Certificate of Appreciation for Excellence in Research and Education - Sisters of Mercy Diocese, Alpha Infant School Board, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies
• 2018 | Outstanding Undergraduate Research Advisor Award - University of Cincinnati
• 2018 | Excellence in Service Award Education Abroad - College of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati (Awarded $1000USD)