PAEDIATRIC LANGUAGE, LEARNING, & SPEECH OUTCOMES LAB
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A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO OUR LAB
The PedLLS Outcomes Lab at the University of Toronto is led by Dr. Karla N Washington, an associate professor at the University of Toronto and board-certified specialist in child language development and disorders. We conduct clinical research projects related to the developing child's language, speech, and functional commuincation across monolingual and multilingual contexts
Dr. Karla N Washington, Principal Investigator, Lab Director
Canada Research Chair (CIHR, Tier 2)
MISSION AND VISION
Our mission in PedLLS Outcomes Lab is to understand how speech and language production development differs in multilingual versus monolingual learners by using :
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Neuroimaging Techniques
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Behavioural Methods
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Acoustic Methods
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Art-Based Methods
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Culturally Responsive Tools
We welcome MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral students to join our research. Team members develop valuable skills in data analysis, knowledge translation, and clinical application.
WORDS FROM OUR STUDENTS
IN JAMAICA
My placement in Kingston, Jamaica, as part of the SLP program, was an incredible opportunity to conduct speech, language, and hearing assessments with preschool children for the Jamaican-Creole Language Project. This experience not only broadened my perspective on the field but also deepened my understanding of how cultural and linguistic differences can shape speech and language development.
Havane Emik, MHSc Student
LATEST NEWS
A brief summary of our recent projects
PedLLS Lab Celebrates Outstanding Achievements
Temerty Faculty of Medicine
NIH R01 Grant
Department of Speech-Language Pathology,
University of Toronto
2025 Trip to Jamaica
Jamaica
A massive congratulations to our incredible PedLLS Lab Director and Principal Investigator, Dr. Karla N. Washington, on receiving the 2025 Award for Teaching Excellence in an Academic Course! Your dedication, leadership, and passion for teaching continue to inspire everyone around you.
We also extend a big round of applause to Nicole Bazzocchi, PedLLS Lab Manager, for earning the RSI Conference Participation Award, the Polatajko-Howell Student Conference Fund, and for having her paper selected for the Media Award in Speech, Language, and Hearing. These outstanding achievements reflect the excellence, commitment, and impact of our team.
This fall, we are celebrating an extraordinary milestone for our department: Dr. Karla N. Washington has been awarded a prestigious NIH R01 Grant funded at over $2 million USD for the period 2025–2030.
Her project, Characterizing accuracy and variability in speech sound productions across bidialectal and bilingual preschoolers, investigates how children who are bidialectal or bilingual—such as speakers of African American English/Standard American English and Jamaican Creole/Jamaican English—develop speech.
By combining transcription-based accuracy measures with acoustic analyses, Dr. Washington’s research aims to reduce misdiagnosis and stigma while improving the accuracy of clinical assessments. Ultimately, this work will help ensure children receive the timely and appropriate support they need to thrive.
This year, our team traveled to beautiful Jamaica, connecting with families, professionals, and community partners. From sharing knowledge to learning alongside parents, our time together focused on strengthening communication, supporting child development, and building lasting relationships. We’re grateful for the warm welcome and the meaningful moments that made this trip so special.