Bita Payesteh, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Contact

bpayesteh@twu.edu
940-898-2026
MCL 844

Biography

Bita Payesteh (she/her) is an assistant professor and a Persian-English bilingual speech-language pathologist. Prior to joining TWU, she worked as a speech-language pathologist in early childhood intervention and elementary and high schools.

Dr. Payesteh's interests broadly revolve around language disorders in children and cultural and linguistic diversity.

Her research focuses on bilingual populations (e.g., Spanish/English, Persian/English) and diversity education for graduate SLP students, and she is currently preparing a multi-year grant to study diversity education of graduate students. Dr. Payesteh teaches undergraduate and graduate coursework relating to language development, language disorders in children, diagnostics, and cultural and linguistic diversity, and she regularly supervises in the department clinic.

Dr. Payesteh established the SLP Multicultural and Diversity Studies Certificate Program at TWU, which is designed to prepare graduate SLP students to work effectively and equitably with diverse populations. This program allows for students to become leaders in the field and engage in advocacy. Dr. Payesteh also co-chairs the SLP Bilingual Certificate Program, which is designed to provide specialized education for graduate students in becoming Spanish-English bilingual SLPs.

Education

Ph.D., Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
M.S., Communication Disorders, Speech-Language Pathology, University of Texas at Dallas
B.A., Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas

Expertise

Language Disorders in Children; Cultural and Linguistical Diversity; Diversity Education for Speech-Language Pathologists and Students

Latest Articles

Cognate Performance in Spanish-English Bilingual Children with Language Disorders
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (2022)
Bita Payesteh, Giang T. Pham

Narrative language development of Persian-English bilingual children attending an immersion preschool
Clinical Archives of Communication Disorders (2021)
Bita Payesteh, Lizbeth H. Finestack

Influences of Language Input and Production on the Language Skills of Persian-English Bilingual Immersion Preschool Children
Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education (2020)
Bita Payesteh, Lizbeth H. Finestack

Recent Presentations

Cognate Facilitation in Bilingual Developmental Language Disorder: From School-aged Children into Adulthood
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention (2021)
Podium | Jonathan Robinson Anthony, Bita Payesteh, Henrike Blumenfeld, Giang T. Pham

Distance Learning and Research: Perspectives from a Graduate Student and Faculty Member
Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention (2021)
Poster | Bita Payesteh, Monica Ramirez

Examining the Narratives of Bilingual Children Attending an Immersion Preschool
The Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders (2018)
Poster | Bita Payesteh, Lizbeth H. Finestack

The Role of Input and Production in Bilingual Children Attending a Persian Immersion Pre-School
National Association for Bilingual Education (2017)
Podium | Bita Payesteh

The Role of Language Input in Bilingual Children Attending an Immersion School
American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) (2016)
Podium | Bita Payesteh

Metalinguistic Awareness in Persian-English Bilingual Children
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention (2015)
Poster | Bita Payesteh, Layla Safinia, Lizbeth H. Finestack

Language Development of Persian-English Bilingual Preschoolers for Speech-Language Pathologists
The Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders (2015)
Poster | Bita Payesteh, Lizbeth H. Finestack

Professional Affiliations

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Texas Speech-Language Hearing Association

Honors & Awards

• Hanover Grant Academy, Hanover Research, TWU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (2020)