Julia Yi, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
Dr. Yi's research focuses on adolescent language and literacy, with particular current attention to school- and system-level factors that shape the identification and delivery of language and literacy supports for adolescents. Her research is guided by more than a decade of experience as a speech-language pathologist.
Prior to getting her Ph.D., Dr. Yi worked extensively with children and adolescents in schools in urban communities, such as New York City and Los Angeles, and in her literacy-focused private practice. She was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Carolina Postdoctoral Program for Faculty Diversity (2020-2022) and earned her Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Sciences with a focus on literacy from UNC-Chapel Hill (2022). She holds M.S. and B.S. degrees in Speech-Language Pathology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and New York University, respectively.
- B.S., Teaching Students with Speech and Language Disabilities, New York University
- M.S., Speech-Language Pathology, Teachers College, Columbia University
- Ph.D., Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dr. Yi’s areas of expertise include the assessment and intervention of spoken and written language (literacy) in school-age children and adolescents. In her work, she seeks to understand and develop solutions for older students with language disorders/challenges, considering school- and system-level contexts that shape the identification and delivery of language and literacy supports.
Dr. Yi has published numerous papers - some titles are highlighted below. You can view a complete listing of Dr. Yi's publications on Google Scholar or in her CV.
Yi, J. J. (2025). Integrating evidence-based approaches to address an adolescent’s word-level reading challenges: A case report. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 47(1), 36-49.
Yi, J.J. (2025). Trauma-informed care: A guide for speech-language pathologists in the schools. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 57(1), 24-39.
Yi, J. J., & Erickson, K. A. (2024). Learning about literacy: Speech-language pathologists’ pre-service and in-service training experiences in the United States. Seminars in Speech and Language, 45(3), 242-261.
Yi, J. J., & Erickson, K. A. (2024). Literacy coursework in speech-language pathology graduate programs: An exploration of 50 programs. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Group (SIG 10: Issues in Higher Education), 9(3), 627-641.
Yi, J. J. (2023). The spoken language, written language, and executive functions of female adolescents with high risk factors. Reading Psychology, 45(4), 337–361.
Dr. Yi's most recent publications listed here focus on two things:
- Examining the "state of literacy" in the field of speech-language pathology, particularly as it pertains to pre-service training in graduate programs and speech-language pathologists' in-service and clinical experiences related to literacy. These three publications highlight the need for increased pre-service training in literacy in speech-language pathology graduate programs and illuminate the needs and opportunities in the field related to literacy training and practice in the field.
- Understanding the spoken language, written language, and executive functions of female adolescents with high-risk factors (the publication listed as #4). This study demonstrated that a majority of the participants had needs in the area of both spoken language and written language; however, the majority of them did not have a diagnosis or classification of speech/language impairment or learning disability. This indicates a need for better identification and supports in the areas of language and learning for female adolescents with high risk factors.