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Portrait of John Heilmann

John J. Heilmann, PhD, CCC-SLP

  • Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders

Education

Ph D Communicative Disorders University of Wisconsin-Madison
MA Speech-Language Pathology University of Cincinnnati
BS Speech & Hearing Sciences University of Cincinnati

Speaker Topics

  • Children's Language Development
  • Children with Language Disorders
  • Children with Disabilities (Emphasis on Language and Communication)
  • School-based Testing (Assessment/Measurement)

Interests & Expertise

The goal of my research is to improve the day-to-day lives of children with communication disorders. I have two lines of research to address this aim:

1) My foundational clinical research on language assessments provides an evidence base for practicing speech-language pathologists. This research addresses clinical use of language sample analysis, which empowers clinicians to assess children’s conversational, narrative, expository, and persuasive discourse.

2) My practice-based research examines how clinicians carry out best practices within real-world clinical settings. My team uses implementation science to test the impact of training programs and contextual factors on clinicians’ uptake of best practices in speech-language pathology.

Selected Publications

Heilmann, J. J., & Miller, J. F. (2023). Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts Solutions: A tutorial. Perspectives for the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(1), 1-18.
Baldwin, E., Heilmann, J. J., Finneran, D., Cho, C., & Moyle, M. (2022). Dialect Density, Language Abilities, and Emergent Literacy Skills of Prekindergarten Children Who Speak African American English. Journal of Research in Reading, 45(4), 567-586.
Heilmann, J. J., Moyle, M., Sparrow, T., & Meurer, J. (2022). Early Head Start Teachers’ Perception of Coaching Experiences. Early Childhood Education Journal, 50(7), 1233-1245.
Tucci, A., Plante, E., Heilmann, J. J., & Miller, J. F. (2022, January (1st Quarter/Winter)). Dynamic Norming for Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT). Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 65(1), 320-333.
Heilmann, J. J., Finneran, D., & Moyle, M. (2022). Comparing Measures from Computer-Administered and Examiner-Administered Narrative Retells in Spanish: A Pilot Study. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(5), 2175-2185.
Heilmann, J. J., & Bertone, A. (2021). Identification of Gaps in Training, Research, and School-based Practice: A Survey of School-based Speech-language Pathologists. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in the Schools, 52(4), 1061-1079.
Heilmann, J. J., Tucci, A., Plante, E., & Miller, J. F. (2020). Assessing functional language in school-aged children using language sample analysis. Perspectives of ASHA Special Interest Group 1: Language Learning and Education, 5(3), 622-636.
Heilmann, J. J., Malone, T. O., & Westerveld, M. (2020). Properties of Spoken Persuasive Language Samples From Typically Developing Adolescents. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in the Schools, 51(2), 441-456.
Finneran, D., Heilmann, J. J., Moyle, M., & Chen, S. (2020). An examination of cultural-linguistic influences on PPVT-4 performance in African American and Hispanic preschoolers from low-income communities. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 34(3), 242-255.
Heilmann, J. J., Moyle, M. J., & Rueden, A. M. (2018). Using Alphabet Knowledge to Track the Emergent Literacy Skills of Children in Head Start. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 38(2), 118-128.
Heilmann, J. J., Rojas, R., Iglesias, A., & Miller, J. F. (2016). Clinical impact of wordless picture storybooks on bilingual narrative language production: A comparison of the ‘Frog’ stories. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 51(3), 339-345.
Moyle, M., Heilmann, J. J., & Finneran, D. (2014). The role of dialect density in nonword repetition performance: An examination with at-risk African American preschool children. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics, 28(9), 682-696.
Heilmann, J. J., & Malone, T. (2014). The rules of the game: Properties of a database of expository language samples. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in the Schools, 45(4), 277-290.
Heilmann, J. J., DeBrock, L., & Riley-Tillman, T. C. (2013). Stability of measures from children’s interviews: The effects of time, sample length, and topic. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 22(3), 463-475.
Moyle, M., Heilmann, J. J., & Berman, S. (2013). Assessment of early developing phonological awareness skills: A comparison of the preschool individual growth and development indicators and the phonological awareness literacy screening-PreK. Early Education & Development, 24(5), 668-686.

Presentations

Pruitt-Lord, S., Finestack, L., & Heilmann, J. J. (November 2020). Enhancing Clinical Decision-Making through Language Sample Analysis - A Masterclass in SALT. Proposal accepted for the Annual convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, San Diego, CA (convention canceled).
Moyle, M., Finneran, D., & Heilmann, J. J. (November 2020). Examining Sentence Diversity in Preschoolers who Speak AAE. Proposal accepted for the Annual convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, San Diego, CA (convention canceled).
Heilmann, J. J., Bertone, A., & Veu, E. (November 2020). Facilitating Inclusive Service Delivery in School-based Settings: Insight from Expert SLPs. Proposal accepted for the Annual convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, San Diego, CA (convention canceled).
Heilmann, J. J., Moyle, M., Sparrow, T., & Meurer, J. (November 2020). Using LENA Grow to Promote Early Head Start Teachers' Use of Language Facilitation Techniques. Proposal accepted for the Annual convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, San Diego, CA (convention canceled).
Heilmann, J. J., Moyle, M. J., Meurer, J., & Sparrow, T. (November 2019). Promoting Language-Rich Classrooms: Early Head Start Teachers’ Views of Language-Based Coaching Using LENA Grow. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, Orlando, FL.
Heilmann, J. J., & Bertone, A. (November 2019). School-Based SLPs’ Perceptions of Preservice Training & Professional Development Needs. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, Orlando, FL.
Heilmann, J. J. (November 2019). Using Functional Assessments to Plan for Evidence-based Treatments. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, .
Heuer, S., & Heilmann, J. J. (April 2019). Measuring functional communication: A conceptual model of communicative participation for people with communication disorders.. Center for Advancing Population Science, Seminar Series, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Heuer, S., & Heilmann, J. J. (April 2019). Measuring functional communication: A conceptual model of communicative participation for people with communication disorders.. , Milwaukee, USA.
Heilmann, J. J., & Malone, T. (November 2018). The Evolution of Descriptive Assessments for Older Students: Evaluation of Expository and Persuasive Discourse. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, Boston, MA.
Heilmann, J. J., & Malone, T. (June 2018). Examining the Lexicon-Syntax Interface across Persuasive and Expository Discourse in Adolescents. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders, Madison, WI.
Heilmann, J. J. (November 2017). Taking a Snapshot of Children’s Discourse to Get the Big Picture of Language Functioning. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, Los Angeles, CA.
Miller, J. F., Heilmann, J. J., Nockert, A., & Andriacchi, K. (November 2017). New SALT App Streamlines Eliciting Language Samples with Digitized Frog Stories. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, Los Angeles, CA.
Heilmann, J. J., Moyle, M., & Finneran, D. (November 2017). Relationships Between Narrative Language Sample Measures & Dialect Density in Young AAE Speakers. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention, Los Angeles, CA.
Heilmann, J. J., Malone, T. O., & Andriacchi, K. (June 2017). Comparing Expository and Persuasive Discourse in High School Students with and without Language Impairment. Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders, Madison, WI.