Division of Communication Disorders
1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3311
Health Sciences, 265
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: 307-766-6427
Fax: 307-766-6829
Email: comdis@uwyo.edu
Professor and Maggie & Dick Scarlett Chair in Speech-Language Pathology, Language
& Literacy
2010, Utah State University, Ph.D., Disability Disciplines: Speech-Language Pathology. Dissertation: Using Static and Dynamic Measures to Estimate Reading Difficulty for Hispanic Children
2002, Utah State University, M.Ed., Speech-Language Pathology
1999, Utah State University, B.A., Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education
1999, Utah State University, Minor, Spanish
dpeter39@uwyo.edu • (307) 766-5710 • Health Sciences Room 255
Research Interests:
Dr. Petersen researches the measurement of language and reading learning-potential in school-age students, focusing on the development and validation of dynamic assessments and curriculum-based universal screening and progress monitoring assessments that mitigate cultural, linguistic, and environmental bias. He also examines the extent to which data-driven, multi-tiered contextualized language intervention leads to meaningful language and literacy outcomes.
Teaching:
School-age Language Intervention, Language and Literacy Assessment, Language Science, Language Disorders
Affiliations, Associations, Consultations
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certified
American Board of Child Language and Literacy (ABCLLD) Board Certified Specialist in Child Language
Utah Speech, Language, Hearing Association
Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (SSSR)
Literacy Research Association
External Grant Funded Research:
Aurora. S. (PI), Petersen, D. B. (Senior Consultant for Research Methodology, Curriculum Development, and Program Design). ECHO for 3rd-5th Grade Literacy. W.K. Kellogg Foundation #FP10936. Funded 2021-2024: $1,050,000.
Petersen, D. B. (PI), Spencer, T. D. (Principal Investigator), Restrepo, M. (Principal Investigator). Development of a Dual Language Narrative Curriculum. Institute of Education Sciences (IES); CFDA 84.305A: Early Programs and Policies; Goal 2: Development and Innovation, Funded 2014-2017: $1,481,976; R305A140093.
Petersen, D. B., Spencer, T. D., & Derick, R. F. Validation of the Predictive Early Assessment of Reading and Language (PEARL). (Submitted August 2020; Score 2.4. Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Under Review: $2,000,000.
Foster, M. (PI), Spencer, T. D. (PI), Petersen, D. B. (PI), & Derick, R. F. (PI). Development and Validation of a Dynamic Assessment to Predict Math Difficulties. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Under Review: $2,000,000.
Spencer, T. D. (Principal Investigator), & Petersen, D. B. (Principal Investigator). Predictive Early Assessment of Reading and Language (PEARL): Feasibility, Reliability, & Validity. Northern Arizona University Preliminary Studies Grant. Funded 2013-2014: $65,000.
Journal Publications:
Petersen, D. B., Staskowski, M., Spencer, T. D., Foster, M. E., & Brough, M. P. (2022). The effects of a multi-tiered system of language support on kindergarten oral and written language: A large-scale randomized controlled trial. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 53, 44-68. (data-based, student author)
Romero, M. F. & Petersen, D. B. (2021). The accuracy of a Spanish dynamic assessment of narrative language in identifying developmental language disorder: A cross validation study. Revista de Logopedia, Foniatría y Audiología. (data-based, student author)
Petersen, D. B., Mesquita, M. W., Spencer, T. D., & Waldron, J. (2020) Examining the Effects of Multitiered Oral Narrative Language Instruction on Reading Comprehension and Writing: A Feasibility Study. Topics in Language Disorders, 40(4), E25-E39. (data-based, student author)
Petersen, D. B., Konishi, A., Sellars, T. P., Foster, M. E., & Robertson, D. (2020). Using parallel, narrative-based measures to examine the relationship between listening and reading comprehension. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 51(4), 1097-1111. (data-based, student author)
Spencer, T. D., & Petersen, D. B. (2020). Narrative Intervention: Principles to Practice. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 51(4), 1081-1096.
Spencer, T. D., Moran, M. K., Thompson, M. S., Petersen, D. B., & Restrepo, M. A. (2020). Early efficacy of multi-tiered dual language instruction: Promoting preschoolers’ language comprehension skills in Spanish and English. American Educational Research Journal, 6(1), 233-285. (data-based, student author)
Petersen, D. B., Tonn, P., Spencer, T. D., Foster, M. E. (2020). The classification accuracy of a dynamic assessment of inferential word learning for bilingual English/Spanish-speaking school-age children. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 51(1), 144-164. (data-based; student author)
Spencer, T. D., Petersen, D. B., Restrepo, M. A., Thompson, M. & Gutierrez Arvizu, N. (2019). The effect of Spanish and English narrative intervention on the language skills of young dual language learners. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1-16. DOI 10.1177/0271121418779439 (data-based)
Petersen, D. B., & Richardson, A. (2018). Psychometric requirements of oral and written language progress monitoring assessments. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups. (invited, student author)
Petersen, D. B., Gragg, S. L., & Spencer, T. D. (2018). Predicting reading problems 6 years into the future: Dynamic assessment reduces bias and increases classification accuracy. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 49(4), 875-888. (invited, data-based; student author)
Brandel, J., & Petersen, D. B. (2018). A framework for curriculum-based language evaluations. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 3(3), 67-87. (invited)
Spencer, T. D., & Petersen, D. B. (2018). Bridging oral and written language: An oral narrative language intervention study with writing outcomes. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 49(3), 569-581. (data-based)
Spencer, T. D., Petersen, D. B., (2018). Bridging oral and written language: An oral narrative language intervention study with writing outcomes. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools. Doi:10.1044/2018_LSHSS-17-0030. (data-based)
Spencer, T. D., Weddle, S. A., Petersen, D. B., & Adams, J. A. (2018). Research-to- Practice Summary: Implementing a multi-tiered model of narrative language intervention in Head Start preschool classrooms. National Head Start Association Dialog: The Research-to-Practice Journal for the Early Childhood Field, 20(1), 96-100. (data-based; student authors)
Spencer, T. D., Weddle, S. A., Petersen, D. B., & Adams, J. A. (2018). Multi-tiered narrative intervention for preschoolers: A Head Start implementation study. National Head Start Association Dialog: The Research-to-Practice Journal for the Early Childhood Field, 20(1), 1-28. (data-based; student authors)
Petersen, D. B., Chanthongthip, H., Ukrainetz, T. A., Spencer, T. D., & Steeve, R. W. (2017). Dynamic assessment of narratives: Efficient and accurate classification of bilingual students with language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, Hearing Research, 60(4), 983-998. (data-based; student author)
Petersen, D. B., & Petersen, J. W. (2016). Re-conceptualizing expository language as narration. Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 1(1), 109-117. (invited)
Petersen, D. B., Allen, M. A., & Spencer, T. D. (2016). Predicting reading difficulty in first grade using dynamic assessment of decoding in early kindergarten: A large-scale
longitudinal study. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 49(2) 200-215. (data-based)
Weddle, S., Spencer, T. D., Kajian, M., & Petersen, D. B. (2016). An examination of multi-tiered system of language support for culturally and linguistically diverse preschoolers: Implications for early and accurate identification. School Psychology Review, 45(1), 109-132. (data-based, student author)
Mason, L. L., Rivera, C. J., Spencer, T. D., O’Keeffe, B. V., Petersen, D. B., & Slocum, T. A. (2016). A preliminary investigation of visual goal markers to prompt fluent oral reading. Psychology in the Schools, 53(1) 58-72. (data-based)
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2016). Using Narrative Intervention to Accelerate Canonical Story Grammar and Complex Language Growth in Culturally Diverse Preschoolers. Topics in Language Disorders, 36(1), 6-19. (invited)
Castilla, A., Petersen, D. B., Spencer, T. D., Hammer, K. (2015). Narrative Development in Monolingual Preschool Spanish-Speaking Children. Early Education and Development, Online First. (data-based)
Petersen, D. B., Thompsen, B., Guiberson, M., & Spencer, T. D. (2015). Cross-linguistic interactions from L2 to L1 as the result of individualized narrative language intervention with children with and without language impairment. Applied Psycholinguistics, 37(3), 703-724. (data-based; student author)
Spencer, T. D., Petersen, D. B., & Adams, J. (2015). Tier 2 language intervention for diverse preschoolers: An early stage randomized control group study following an analysis of response to intervention. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 24, 619-636. (data-based; student author)
Spencer, T. D., Petersen, D. B., Slocum, T. A., & Allen, M. M. (2015). Large group narrative intervention in Head Start preschools: Implications for response to Journal of Early Childhood Research, 13(2), 196-217. (data-based)
Petersen, D. B. & Gillam, R. B. (2015). Predicting reading ability for bilingual Latino children using dynamic assessment. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(1), 3-21. (data- based)
Spencer, T. D., Kajian, M., Petersen, D. B., & Bilyk, N. (2014). Effects of an individualized narrative intervention on children’s storytelling and comprehension Journal of Early Intervention, 35(3), 243-269. (data-based, student authors)
Petersen, D. B., Brown, C., Ukrainetz, T. A., Wise, C., Spencer, T. D., & Zebre, J. (2014). Systematic individualized narrative language intervention on the personal narratives of children with autism. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 45, 67-86. (data-based, student authors)
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2014). Narrative assessment and intervention: A clinical tutorial on extending explicit language instruction and progress monitoring to all students. Perspectives on Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations, 21(1), 5-21. (invited)
Petersen, D. B., & Gillam, R. B. (2013) Accurately predicting future reading difficulty for bilingual Latino children at risk for language impairment. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 28(3), 113-128. (data-based)
Gillam, S., Fargo, J., Petersen, D. B., Clark, M. (2012). Assessment of Structure Dependent Narrative Features in Modeled Contexts: African American and European American Children. English Linguistics Research, 1(1), 1-17. (data-based)
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2012). The Narrative Language Measures: Tools for language screening, progress monitoring, and intervention planning. Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 19(4), 119-129. (invited, data-based)
Petersen, D. B., & Gardner, K. (2011). Trastorno especifico del lenguaje: Una revisión. (specific language impairment: A review). Revista Chilena de Fonoaudiología, 10, 19-32. (student author)
Petersen, D. B. (2011). A systematic review of narrative-based language intervention with children who have language impairment. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 32(4), 207-220. (data-based)
Allen, M.M., & Petersen, D.B. (2011). Reading comprehension: A proposal for a hybrid approach. Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 18, 13-19. (invited)
Petersen, D. B., Gillam, S. L., Spencer, T. D., & Gillam, R. B. (2010). The effects of literate narrative intervention on children with neurologically based language impairments: An early stage study. Journal of Speech, Language, Hearing Research, 53, 961-981. (data-based)
Spencer, T. D., & Petersen, D. B. (2010). Narrative intervention for preschool classes. The Utah Special Educator, 32(4), 26-29. (invited)
Petersen, D. B., Gillam, S. L., & Gillam, R. B. (2008). Emerging procedures in narrative assessment: The index of narrative complexity. Topics in Language Disorders, 28(2), 111-126. (data-based)
Spencer, T. D., Petersen, D. B., & Gillam, S. L. (2008). Picture exchange communication system (PECS) or sign language: An evidence-based decision making example. Teaching Exceptional Children, 41(2), 40-47.
Refereed Books, Book Chapters, Assessments, Curriculum
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2022). The CUBED 3 Assessment. Laramie, WY: Language Dynamics Group.
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2017). Story Champs: Spanish. Laramie, WY: Language Dynamics Group.
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2016). Story Champs Second Edition. Laramie, WY: Language Dynamics Group.
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2016). The CUBED 2 Assessment. Laramie, WY: Language Dynamics Group.
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2014). The Predictive Early Assessment of Reading and Language (PEARL). Laramie, WY: Language Dynamics Group.
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2010). Story Champs. Laramie, WY: Language Dynamics Group.
Gillam, R. B. & Petersen, D. B. (2010). Language disorders in school-age children. In R. B. Gillam, T. P. Marquardt, & F. N. Martin (Eds.), Introduction to communication sciences and disorders: From science to clinical practice (2nd ed., pp. 437-459). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Petersen, D. B., & Spencer, T. D. (2010). The CUBED Assessment. Laramie, WY: Language Dynamics Group.
Division of Communication Disorders
1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3311
Health Sciences, 265
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: 307-766-6427
Fax: 307-766-6829
Email: comdis@uwyo.edu