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About Us

The CoE SLD is a provincial service designed to offer support and expertise in the areas of Communication, Speech, Language, Literacy, and Social Communication skills, herein providing evidence-based practices to school-teams in order to enable students who present with speech and language difficulties the opportunity to reach their unique potential.

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Our Vision

The Centre of Excellence for Speech and Language
Development is housed at the English Montreal School
Board (EMSB), and is part of the Inclusive Education Services
(IES), which is a provincial service designed to offer support and expertise to the English-speaking education community, having in mind the well-being and the academic success of all Anglophone students, notwithstanding their individual challenges. The IES is funded and mandated by the Ministère de l’Éducation (MEQ).

The CoE for SLD is a provincial service designed to offer support and expertise in the areas of Communication, Speech, Language, Literacy, and Social Communication skills, herein providing evidence-based practices to school-teams in order to enable students who present with speech and language difficulties the opportunity to reach their unique potential.

Together, enabling students to reach their potential through the buildingof effective communication skills.

Our Mandate:

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Support to Schools and School Boards across the province

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Contribution to the Development of Provincial Expertise

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Continuous Professional Development

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Research and Development Activities

The Objective of the Centre of Excellence for Speech and Language Development is to:

Provide English School Boards throughout Quebec the benefit of our
vast amount of knowledge, experience and expertise in the areas of Communication, Speech,
Language, Literacy, and Social Communication skills, providing school-teams
evidence-based practices to foster Language for Learning. Thus enabling students
who present with speech and language difficulties the opportunity to live successfully
across social, functional and academic spheres of life.

Our Team

3

Carol Jazzar

Coordinator
Speech-Language Pathologist
coesld@emsb.qc.ca

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1

Karina Ismail

Coordinator
Speech-Language Pathologist
coesld@emsb.qc.ca

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2

Razan Khobieh

Coordinator
Speech-Language Pathologist
coesld@emsb.qc.ca

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5

Amanda Hajaly

Team Member

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4

Michelle Sasson

Team Member

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Carol Jazzar, M.Sc., S-LP

Carol Jazzar has been a speech-language pathologist working in various educational settings for more than 35 years. She is presently a speech-language pathologist at the English Montreal School Board. Her undergraduate degree was earned at McGill University in the areas of Developmental Psychology and Linguistics, while her  graduate degree in Communication Disorders (Speech-Language Pathology) was earned at Boston University. Carol  has  been a coordinator of the Centre of Excellence for Speech and Language Development since 2001.

Karina Ismail, M.Sc.(A), S-LP

Karina is a bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist who greatly values inclusive practices favouring an approach of professional openness and equity, for all – across neurodiverse, multicultural and multilingual contexts. Today, she brings her expertise and advocacy to different professional tables. She is a member of the OOAQ’s EDI (Equity Diversity Inclusion) task force, has joined the Ministère de l’Éducation (MEQ) Direction de Soutien aux Milieux Scolaires et Partenaires de l’Éducation (DSMSPE) Team, and is a RADLD Canada National committee member. She has had the pleasure to be a coordinator at the Centre of Excellence for Speech and Language Development, as well as hold the role of ASRSE (Agente des Services Régionaux de Soutien et d’Expertise) – MEQ, since 2018.

Razan Khobieh, M.Sc.A, SLP-(c)

Razan Khobieh is a Speech-Language Pathologist at the English Montréal School Board. She has over 14 years of experience working in various settings and with diverse populations. She has earned her undergraduate degree in Honours Linguistics and a minor in Education at Concordia University, while her graduate degree in Communication Disorders  was completed at McGill University.  Razan is a certified member of the  Ordre des Orthophonistes et Audiologistes du Québec (OOAQ).  She is also certified in Hanen Parent Training Program, Lexercise (Structured Literacy) , and Lidcombe (Stuttering Program). Razan is one of the coordinators for the Centre of Excellence for Speech and Language Development.

Amanda Hajaly, M.H.Sc., S-LP

Amanda Hajaly is a speech and language pathologist and a certified member of the Ordre des Orthophonistes et des Audiologistes du Québec (OOAQ). Her undergraduate studies were completed at Concordia University where she obtained two bachelor of arts degrees in Honours Linguistics and in Psychology. She then earned her master’s in Health Sciences, specializing in Speech-Language Pathology, at the University of Ottawa. She is a bilingual (French/English) speech therapist at the English Montreal School Board. She continues to develop her expertise as one of the team members for the Centre of Excellence for Speech and Language Development.

Michelle Sasson, M.H.Sc., S-LP

Michelle Sasson is a Speech-Language Pathologist that has experience working in many different settings, with diverse populations. Her undergraduate degree was completed at McGill University in Honours Cognitive Science. She then earned her master’s degree in Health Sciences at the University of Toronto, specializing in Speech-Language Pathology. Michelle is a certified member of the Ordre des Orthophonistes et Audiologistes du Québec (OOAQ). She now works with school-aged children at the English Montreal School Board (EMSB), and helps them develop their speech, language, literacy, and more. Michelle is the newest team member of the Centre of Excellence for Speech and Language Development.
Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rachel Dorsey, M.Sc, CCC-SLP, Autistic SLP

May, 19, 2023

This presentation will examine autism and therapy practices for Autistic clients through a nuanced lens that is both neurodiversity-affirming and clinician-affirming. Therapy practices will be examined regarding social communication, cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and self-advocacy in a range of settings targeting self-advocacy and regulation, and fostering meaningful social connections for Autistic students.

 

With the rise of Autistic advocacy reaching education and healthcare fields, SLPs are starting to shift their practice towards neurodiversity-affirming practice. However, SLPs are now faced with the task of integrating neurodiversity-affirming practices with the knowledge they’ve gained from their own education and clinical experience.

 

Unlocking Sentences: A method for teaching sentence-level reading comprehension

Bonnie Singer, Ph.D, CCC-SLP

April 2022

Problems with syntax are common in students who struggle with language. They need to know how sentences are built to understand what they read. Sentence comprehension is measurably influenced by working memory, and students with a variety of language and learning challenges present with working memory limitations. As such, these students are at high risk for academic difficulty in reading.

This workshop presents methods for teaching sentence-level comprehension that explicitly support working memory. We will cover four sentence types and four grammatical concepts, outlining new approaches for direct instruction and curriculum-based intervention. Applied practice with concepts presented will be provided.

 

Supporting Literacy and Academic Learning in Students with DLD in the Classroom

Lisa Archibald, Ph.D, SLP

January 2022

Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a spectrum disorder because it affects several related language skills with affected skills differing in severity and combination across individuals. About half of those with DLD can be expected to also have dyslexia, which refers to difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word reading. Broadly speaking, dyslexia and DLD can be considered to correspond to difficulties with the Simple View of Reading’s two components, word recognition and language comprehension, respectively. Children with DLD and dyslexia require explicit, systematic, intense, and targeted learning opportunities. In this talk, we will consider how to create the best language and literacy learning opportunities for these children in the classroom. The greater focus will be on evidence-based SLP-educator classroom collaboration for supporting children with DLD.

 

Meeting Students’ Reading, Writing and Spelling Challenges: It takes a team

Kenn Apel, Ph.D, CCC-SLP

March 2019

The success of students’ academic, vocational, and social endeavors often hinges on their reading, writing, and spelling abilities. This workshop will take an integrative look at how educators and specialists can provide instruction/intervention to improve students’ literacy skills. Understanding the spoken and linguistic awareness skills that support reading, writing, and spelling helps these professionals targe the specific needs of students who struggle in their literacy skills. The workshop will provide a review of reading , writing, and spelling development followed by specific guidelines and suggestions for assessment, instruction, and remediation.

 

Learn it Today – Use it Tomorrow! Practical Strategies to Improve Executive Function Skills

Sarah Ward, M.S. CCC-SLP

April 2018

This workshop provided a detailed understanding and foundation of the executive function skills for immediate use in home, school and clinical settings. Going beyond symptom management these skills are guaranteed to improve executive functioning for more independent and less stressful living. You will leave this seminar with an increased competency as well as many new tools for your tool box including client resources.

2023 ASHA Convention
November 16-18, 2023, 
Boston Massachusetts

The theme of this year’s American Speech, Language and Hearing (ASHA) Annual Convention is “Igniting Innovation”. Please visit www.asha.org for detailed information.

2023 Annual IDA Conference

October 12-14, 2023

Columbus, Ohio

The theme of this year’s International Dyslexia Association Conference is “Reading, Literacy and Learning”.  Please visit www.dyslexiaida.org for detailed information.
Meeting Students’ Reading, Writing and Spelling Challenges: It takes a team

Kenn Apel, Ph.D, CCC-SLP

March 2019

The success of students’ academic, vocational, and social endeavours often hinges on their reading, writing, and spelling abilities. This workshop will take an integrative look at how educators and specialists can provide instruction/intervention to improve students’ literacy skills. Understanding the spoken and linguistic awareness skills that support reading, writing, and spelling helps these professionals targe the specific needs of students who struggle in their literacy skills. The workshop will provide a review of reading , writing, and spelling development followed by specific guidelines and suggestions for assessment, instruction, and remediation.

Supporting Literacy and Academic Learning in Students with DLD in the Classroom

Lisa Archibald, Ph.D, SLP

January 2022

Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a spectrum disorder because it affects several related language skills with affected skills differing in severity and combination across individuals. About half of those with DLD can be expected to also have dyslexia, which refers to difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word reading. Broadly speaking, dyslexia and DLD can be considered to correspond to difficulties with the Simple View of Reading’s two components, word recognition and language comprehension, respectively. Children with DLD and dyslexia require explicit, systematic, intense, and targeted learning opportunities. In this talk, we will consider how to create the best language and literacy learning opportunities for these children in the classroom. The greater focus will be on evidence-based SLP-educator classroom collaboration for supporting children with DLD.

Unlocking Sentences: A method for teaching sentence-level reading comprehension

Bonnie Singer, Ph.D, CCC-SLP

April 2022

Problems with syntax are common in students who struggle with language. They need to know how sentences are built to understand what they read. Sentence comprehension is measurably influenced by working memory, and students with a variety of language and learning challenges present with working memory limitations. As such, these students are at high risk for academic difficulty in reading.

This workshop presents methods for teaching sentence-level comprehension that explicitly support working memory. We will cover four sentence types and four grammatical concepts, outlining new approaches for direct instruction and curriculum-based intervention. Applied practice with concepts presented will be provided.