Dr. Kathleen Peets

Biography

Kathleen Peets is an Associate Professor in the Early Childhood Studies program at Toronto Metropolitan University. With a background in linguistics and developmental psychology, she holds a BA from York University and both an EdM and EdD from Harvard University. Her research primarily focuses on the development of language and its relationship with early literacy, approached from sociocultural and social interactionist theoretical frameworks. Kathleen’s work involves collaboration with community partners in Canada and Nigeria, notably leading contributions to the Early Childhood Development Initiative. She is currently engaged in a SSHRC-funded project that analyzes the implementation of play-based learning in collaboration with local educators in Nigeria. Her commitment to integrating the perspectives of children, teachers, and parents illustrates her dedication to understanding aspects of language, literacy, and cognitive development within play-based curricula. Kathleen has also been involved in various research projects, including exploring the role of discourse in listening and reading comprehension among children with language impairments, and community-based research supporting children's language literacy.

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