Understanding how speech develops in kids who use two dialects or languages
Official title: Characterizing accuracy and variability in speech sound productions across bidialectal and bilingual preschoolers
Funded at University of Toronto · NIH-11402806 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We’re studying how young children who speak two dialects or languages produce speech sounds, to help clinicians tell apart typical differences from speech delays.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Toronto NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Toronto, Canada) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $465,698 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC023053-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402806 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children aged 4–11 who are bidialectal or bilingual, specifically AA E/SAE or JC/JE speakers, and their families.
✕Less likely to help
Children outside the bidialectal/bilingual focus or those not presenting speech sound concerns may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how children aged 4–11 who mix dialects like African American English and Standard American English, or Jamaican Creole and Jamaican English, produce speech sounds. Researchers will collect speech samples, analyze acoustics, and identify patterns that distinguish normal variation from speech sound disorder in bidialectal/bilingual kids. The study aims to build clearer guidelines for accurate diagnosis and better, more tailored interventions. It will involve collaboration with families and clinicians to ensure findings are practical for real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could improve diagnosis and treatment decisions for bidialectal and bilingual children with speech sound concerns.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows language variation influences speech assessments; this study expands on that by comparing two distinct bidialectal groups.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Washington, Karla N — University of Toronto
- Study coordinator: Washington, Karla N
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.