Dual Lanaguage Learning and Development Lab (DLLD) Skip to main content
Child Language Labs

Dual Language Learning and Development Lab (DLLD)

June 24, 2024 04:59 PM
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The Dual Language and Development Lab is led by Dr. Connie Summers. Our research focuses on language learning in bilingual children and culturally responsive practices for bilingual children and their families. We aim to improve the language outcomes of dual language learners with evidence-based assessment practices and interventions. We work with children, their families, and future clinicians.



Navigate the Explore tabs below to learn more about our lab or how to get involved!
Explore DLLD
Team Members
Current Projects
Publications & Presentations
For BYU Students

Dr. Connie Summers, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

June 24, 2024 05:20 PM
Headshot of Dr. Connie Summers
Dr. Summers is an associate professor at BYU and has been a licensed speech language pathologist for over 20 years. Her research focuses on culturally responsive practices for children with language disorders and their families. She is passionate about preparing students to serve multilingual populations. As a bilingual clinician, she has experience with children from birth through adolescence. She enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and reading and listening to interesting stories.

Graduate Students

Megan Buckley

October 18, 2024 10:14 AM
Megan Buckley
Megan Buckley is a first-year graduate student in the Communication Disorders program. She is from Kimberly, Idaho and obtained her undergraduate degree from Utah State University. Megan loves reading, crafting, swimming, playing board games, and spending time with loved ones. After graduation, Megan hopes to work in post brain injury speech and language rehabilitation.

Jessica Driskill

October 19, 2024 11:10 AM
Jessica Driskill
Jessica Driskill is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Disorders program. She grew up in a military family, living in Germany and five different US states before graduating high school. She double majored in Communication Disorders and Portuguese Studies at BYU. Jessica enjoys outdoor activities like running and hiking as well as indoor activities such as reading and binging tv shows with her husband. Upon her graduation in 2025, Jessica is excited to pursue her career as a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist.

Alexa Darracq

October 21, 2024 05:02 PM
Alexa Darracq
Alexa Darracq-Vainerere is from Arkansas! She is currently a second-year graduate student at BYU studying communication disorders for speech-language pathology. She hopes to work as a bilingual SLP, and her thesis is about the undergraduate COMD peer mentoring program. Alexa loves to act, sing, and run!

Jessica Folsom

October 22, 2024 12:44 PM
Jessica Folsom
Jessica Folsom is a first-year graduate student in the Communication Disorders program. She obtained her undergraduate degree from BYU with a minor in Family Life and a Spanish Certificate. She is from Issaquah, Washington and enjoys wake surfing, hiking, painting, crafts, snow skiing, pickleball, bowling, and watching movies.

Carolyn Ferguson

February 12, 2025 08:15 AM
Carolyn Ferguson
Carolyn Ferguson is a first-year graduate student in the Communication Disorders program from Brigham City, Utah. She obtained her undergraduate degree from BYU in Communication Disorders with a secondary major in Spanish Studies. She enjoys playing pickleball, watching movies, traveling, and taking her dog on walks. After graduation, Carolyn looks forward to working as a bilingual SLP in a school setting.

Liz Hunt

February 13, 2025 02:07 PM
Liz Hunt
Liz Hunt is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Disorders program. She's from Richland, Washington, and completed her undergraduate degree at BYU, with a minor in Spanish. Liz loves waterskiing, wake surfing, playing pickleball, eating sushi, and spending time with her family.
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Undergraduate Students

Iva Nelson

September 12, 2024 11:06 AM
Iva Nelson
Iva Nelson is from Farr West, Utah. She is a senior in the Communication Disorders program with a minor in Spanish. Iva loves to travel and learn about new cultures/food with her family and friends. Iva plans to get her Doctor of Audiology and eventually participate in hearing humanitarian missions in Spanish-speaking countries.

Maddy Ward

September 16, 2024 10:11 PM
Maddy Ward
Maddy Ward is from Saratoga Springs, Utah. She is a senior in the Communication Disorders program with a minor in Music. Maddy plans to get her master’s in Speech Language Pathology and is interested in using music to help future clients to further develop their speech, language, and auditory skills. Some of her hobbies include playing the violin and piano, being outside, running, and petting dogs.

Kylie Van Dyke

October 08, 2024 11:17 AM
Kylie Van Dyke
Kylie Van Dyke is from Bakersfield, California. She is a senior in Communication Disorders with a minor in Family Life and Gerontology. Kylie enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking, camping, reading, playing and watching sports, cooking, singing, and learning different cultural dances. Kylie plans to receive her master's in Speech Pathology and hopes to work in either schools or medical settings with the intention of eventually opening a private practice from her home.

Kylee Wasano

October 21, 2024 10:08 AM
Kylee Wasano
Kylee Wasano is from Aiea, Hawaii. She is a Junior in the Communication Disorders program with a minor in Family Life. Kylee enjoys playing volleyball, boogie boarding, spending time with loved ones, and eating delicious food. Kylee plans to get her Doctorate in Audiology and eventually do baby hearing screenings and cochlear implants.

Allison Craner

October 22, 2024 12:48 PM
Allison Craner
Allison Craner is from Portland, Oregon. She is a junior in the Communication Disorders program with a secondary major in Spanish. Allison loves to be outside exploring and is usually found on the ski slopes during the winter weekends. After graduating, she plans to get her master’s in Speech Language Pathology and hopes to help those who come from Spanish speaking backgrounds.

Nathan Naillon

February 11, 2025 11:00 AM
Nathan Naillon
Nathan Naillon is from Longview, Washington. He is a junior in the communication disorders program with a minor in Spanish. Nathan loves Star Wars, Legos, and Star Wars Legos (in that order). He also loves to sing and is a member of the BYU Men's Chorus. He is especially interested in speech and second language acquisition and plans to pursue graduate studies in communication disorders.

Samantha Barahona

February 11, 2025 02:47 PM
Samantha Barahona
Samantha Barahona is from New Orleans, Louisiana. She is a junior in the Communication Disorders major with a minor in Spanish. Sam plans to get a masters in Speech-Language Pathology and help Spanish-speaking clients. She enjoys painting, traveling, watching movies, and trying new foods!

Elena Rawlins

February 13, 2025 12:19 PM
Elena Rawlins
Elena Rawlins is from Spokane, Washington. She is a junior in the Communication Disorders undergraduate program. She served a mission in Chihuahua Mexico, and plans to incorporate her Spanish knowledge into her career as a Speech Language Pathologist. She plans to work with Spanish-speaking patients, and children with autism. Outside of school, she loves to be in the mountains backcountry skiing in the winters, running in the summers, traveling, baking, and spending time with people that she loves!

Emily Asay

February 21, 2025 02:17 PM
Emily Asay
Emily Asay grew up in Minnesota and Iowa. She is a senior in the Communication Disorders program. She served a mission in Santiago, Chile, where she learned Spanish. Emily plans on applying her language abilities to help future patients and clients. Her dream is to eventually open a SLP clinic somewhere in Chile to aid the many beautiful people there who lack adequate intervention resources.
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Nonword Repetition Task for Dual Language Learners

Nonword Repetition Task for Dual Language Learners

This study looked into nonword repetition tasks as a potential less-biased assessment measure for diagnosing language disorders in dual languages learners. The study specifically analyzed the diagnostic accuracy of nonword repetition tasks in both English and Spanish. Results showed that nonword repetition tasks can be used to rule-in language disorders in dual languages learners.
Dialogic Reading Workshops

Dialogic Book Reading Workshops for Parents of Preschool Children

We partner with a local preschool to do a 2 week parent workshop in both English and Spanish. We discuss interactive reading strategies that strengthen a parent's bond with their children. We emphasize the quality of reading time matters more than the quantity, empowering parents to make the most of every shared story.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Peer-Mentoring Program in Communication Disorders

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Peer Mentoring Program in Communication Disorders

Multilingual Assessment Practices by Speech-Language Pathologists

This project seeks to better understand the current state of multilingual assessment practices in schools across the US. The project is based on a survey that will be sent to educational professionals that includes questions about multilingual assessment, collaboration, and bias.

The following publications are open source:
Taliancich-Klinger, C.L., Summers, C., & Greene K.J. (2022). Mazes in Spanish-English dual language learners after language enrichment: A case study. Speech, Language and Hearing. 25(3), 269-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/2050571X.2021.1877049
Free PDF

Smith, V., Cano, I., Valles, L., & Summers, C. (2021). Adapting a picture description task for grammatical analysis in English-Spanish bilingual preschool children. Communication Disorders Quarterly 42(3). 185-192. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525740120950274
Free PDF

Smith, V., Summers, C., Mueller, V., Carrillo, A, & Villaneda, G. (2018). Evidence-based clinical decision making for bilingual children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Guide for Clinicians. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 3(SIG 14), 19-27. doi:10.1044/persp3.SIG14.19
Free PDF

Summers, C., Smith, V., Mueller, V., Alexander, V., & Muzza, A. (2017). Language of intervention in bilingual children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 2(SIG 1), 203-211. doi:10.1044/persp2.SIG1.203
Free PDF

Gibson, T., Summers, C., Peña, E., Bedore, L., Gillam, R., Bohman, T. (2015). The role of language structure and experience in bilingual children’s nonword repetition performance. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 18(3), 551-560.
doi:10.1017/S1366728914000248

Bedore, L.M., Peña, E.D., Summers, C., Boerger, K., Resendiz, M., Greene, K., Bohman, T., & Gillam, R.B. (2012). The measure matters: Language dominance profiles across measures in Spanish/English bilingual prekindergarten students. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 15, 616-629. 
doi: 10.1017/S1366728912000090
Free PDF

Summers, C., Bohman, T., Peña, E.D., Bedore, L.M., & Gillam, R.B. (2010). Bilingual performance on nonword repetition in Spanish and English. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 45, 480-493.
doi:10.3109/13682820903198058
Free PDF

Thomason, K.M., Gorman, B.K., & Summers, C. (2008). English literacy development for English language learners: Does Spanish instruction promote or hinder? EBP Briefs, 2, 13-24.

Fujiki, M., Brinton, B., Isaacson, T., & Summers, C. (2001). Social behaviors of children with language impairment on the playground: A pilot study. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 32, 101-113. doi:10.1044/01611461

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Welcome BYU Student! Are you interested in getting involved in the Dual Language Learning and Development Lab? Fill out the following survey which will be submitted to Dr. Connie Summers. She will reach out to you when an opening on a research team becomes available.

Dr. Summers' Research Application for BYU Students