Child Language and Literacy

What we do

The Child Language and Early Literacy Translational Team works with community members across Arizona to develop and implement new methods for preventing and treating language and reading problems in children. One key goal is to understand the complex nature of language and reading and the mechanisms that contribute to better outcomes. Additionally, the team aims to enhance the quality and access of early childhood educators to new ideas and professional development that supports their work.

Woman in a blue polka dot blouse engaged with children.

Engagement

Team leads

Neelima Wagley

Neelima Wagley is an Assistant Professor in the area of Speech and Hearing Sciences in the College of Health Solutions and director of the Learning and the Multilingual Brain (LAMB) Lab. Her research focuses on language and reading development in children from culturally and linguistically different backgrounds. Using behavioral and neuroimaging approaches (fNIRS, fMRI), she examines individual differences in children's language skills, the environmental contexts that support bilingualism, and brain development for language through early childhood.

Team Co-Lead
Assistant Professor, College of Health Solutions
[email protected]

Bjorg LeSueur

Björg LeSueur is a Clinical Associate Professor specializing in Early Childhood and Special Education. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Björg has dedicated her career to working with and advocating for young children with disabilities and their families. Her diverse experience includes serving as an infant and preschool teacher, a special education preschool teacher, and a preschool coordinator for special education services. In these roles, she developed a deep understanding of the unique needs of young children and the importance of inclusive practices.

Team Co-Lead
Clinical Associate Professor, Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation
[email protected]

Julie Bufkin

Julie is a Research Project Coordinator who has been working at ASU since the year 2000, providing administrative support for Dr. Gray's various research projects. Julie graduated from ASU with degrees in Science of Healthcare Delivery MS and Clinical Research Management MS with a certificate in Health Innovation. As a former elementary school teacher, Julie is proud of the work that we do to help our kids and educators. She has a BA in Mathematics from NYU and coaches robotics clubs.

Project Coordinator
[email protected]

Student Involvement

Students volunteer through the LAMB (Dr. Wagley) and CHILL (Dr. Gray) labs, as well as enroll in CHS 484, to participate in the coordination of ECHO programs. They can assist in the ECHO sessions, providing IT support to participants not familiar with Zoom, facilitating small group discussions and taking attendance. Students also participate in research with data entry tasks and recruitment.

In the past, speech and hearing students have reported they learned a great deal about the topics covered in the ECHO sessions as well as the challenges faced by early care and education providers that they would not have otherwise been exposed to. The experience gave them a deeper understanding and appreciation of the expectations and complexities of working with very young children and their families.

Interested students should contact Neelima Wagley

Community Partners

Where we work

Arizona Early Childhood Professional Development Collaborative

Arizona State University College of Health Solutions
Speech and Hearing Science
Address: 975 S. Myrtle Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287 (Lattie F. Coor Hall, Second Floor)

Current projects

We are a team of early childhood professionals from Arizona State University, agencies and organizations around Arizona dedicated to improving the outcomes of children in our state. We coordinate with existing early childhood professional development systems in Arizona to address community-specific training needs. We provide professional development to early childhood providers through Project ECHO.

Specialists stationed at a central "hub" collaborate with primary care providers statewide, empowering them with essential skills for delivering specialized care services. The driving force behind Project ECHO is the movement to democratize medical knowledge and amplify local capacity to address the needs of the most vulnerable patients by equipping communities with the right knowledge, at the right place, at the right time. The result? Patient’s get the high-quality care they need, when they need it, close to home.

Learn more about the Arizona Early Childhood Professional Development ECHO model and about Project ECHO at ASU.

Institutes for Higher Education Preservice Faculty ECHO
Cultivating Curiosity: Approaches to Science in Early Childhood ECHO

Topics for this ECHO series include: environmental support, materials adaptation, activity simplification, special equipment, and adult support.

Completed projects

Between 2020 and 2025, the collaborative sponsored the following ECHOs for all early care and education professionals, faculty, staff and students from institutes of higher education, and families across the state of Arizona

Business Practices for Child Care Programs During COVID
Strengthening Business Practices for Child Care Programs
Early Literacy and Language — Conversations to Build Language
Supporting the Emotional Well Being of Teachers and Children
Promoting Equity in Early Childhood Settings
Early Literacy and Language — Phonological Awareness
Developmentally Appropriate Practices (two series completed)
Higher Education Pre-Service Faculty Coordination
Literacy Rich Centers and Classroom Environments
Crafting Enriching Environments for Ages 0-3
Enhancing Early Learning Environments to Successfully Include Children with Disabilities
Relationships Over Behavior: A Class-Informed Approach, Birth- 3
Curriculum Modifications to Support Young Children with Disabilities
Math Literacy for Early Childhood Educators