Bilingual Clinical Supervisor
ASHA CEU Administrator
Educational Meanderings: I went through the New York City public school system through eighth grade. Then I went to Syracuse University upstate then back to Hunter College (I went to the High School). I got married and went to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where I finally received a B. A. in English Literature. I had three children along the way? I was next seen in North Carolina where I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a masters in speech science. On to the public schools of North Carolina and then... North Carolina Central University! This is my second time at Central, interrupted by doctoral studies in speech-language pathology at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Research Interests: My research interests are clinically based. They include: bilingual testing and treatment across the lifespan; bilingual child language development including phonology and biliteracy; and training professionals in bilingualism. I have a Starfish grant from ASHA's Division I: Partnership to train bilingual speech-language pathologists. The data from that training will be used to develop similar programs through out the state. I am also standardizing a Bilingual Preschool Screen which will be distributing statewide.
Teaching: I train graduate students and practicing clinicians in the state of the art of bilingual/multicultural aspects of speech-language pathology. I am the Director and Founder of ¡HABLEMOS! which is a therapeutic toddler school for Spanish speakers. In the summer, I am the faculty leader for a Spanish practicum in medical clinics and special schools in Orizaba, Mexico. In the fall, I coordinate the annual Bilingual Institute. I am trained in accent modification and supervise students who are interested in this area as clients become available.
Autobiographical Sketch
When I was five years old, I entered kindergarten in this country. There were no teachers of English as a Second Language for children. I remember going through all the stages of acquiring yet another language (we spoke a few at home). This early experience has motivated me to help people who have a communication disorder and speak a language other than English.
I have always been interested in languages. I have three children who all speak at least one language other than English. Not all of the languages they know are Indo-European. My grandchildren are bilingual, as well. My family has always traveled to different countries. I have instilled in children the same respect for other cultures that I was taught.
I worked as a clinician in the public schools of North Carolina, New York, and California. What I learned about bilingualism from these disparate parts of the country, I have tried to bring back into my supervisory and teaching opportunities. For example, when there were over five toddlers who were Spanish speaking and needed treatment because of communication issues, I created ¡HABLEMOS! This is a bilingual therapeutic preschool which is manned by student clinicians who I supervise.
I make sure my students take an active part in my research, pedagogical, clinical, and community efforts. For example, the annual Bilingual Institute could not be successful without the participation and work of the graduate students. Students have an opportunity to personally talk with nationally known figures in our field. Another example is the practicum in Mexico which started in 2007 with six graduate students going to a medical clinic, a school for special children, and a regular school. My graduate students had a Spanish immersion experience; they lived with local families and they studied Spanish formally at a university.
I came into the field of communication disorders a little later than most people. I have tried to make a difference in the training of speech-language pathology students and in the knowledge base of practitioners in bilingualism. I have helped make NCCU the leader in bilingualism in North Carolina. I want North Carolina Central University's speech and language program and its alumni to be recognized nationally and internationally for its excellence.
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