My research explores how Typically Developing (TD) children, children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and children with other Developmental Disorders (DD) learn language; specifically words for novel objects. I am exploring word learning constraints such as the 'shape bias' and 'function bias' in the three groups of children. In addition to this, I am investigating how children with and without ASD use social (eye gaze, pointing) and associative (arrow positioned towards object, object lighting up) cues to form word-object mappings when a novel referent is labelled.
I am an associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) and a graduate member of the British Psychological Society (MPBsS). In addition to my theoretical psychological knowledge, I have many years applied experience working with children. I was employed as a part time teaching assistant and midday supervisory assistant in a primary school for over three years (January 2007 - September 2010) during my undergraduate degree and for a year out from formal study after. I have also volunteered at a preschool for children with autism and communication disorders (during my BSc), and a specialist school (during my MSc).
October 2012 (for two weeks); October 2013 - March 2014; October 2014 - March 2015; October 2015 to December 2015: Lab Demonstrator. PSYC 204 (Conducting Psychological Research) labs
January - March 2016: Lab Demonstrator. PSYC224 (Conducting Psychological Research) labs
January - March 2016: Seminar Tutor. PSYC207 (Personality and Individual Differences)
January - March 2016: Seminar Tutor. PSYC301 (Advanced Cognitive Psychology)
October - December 2015: Seminar Tutor. PSYC205 (Developmental Psychology)
October 2012 - March 2013; October 2014 - March 2015: Psychology Demonstrator. PSYC 102 Approaches labs
October 2012 - May 2013; January - May 2014: Seminar Tutor. PSYC101 Seminars
February - March 2012; January - March 2014: Statistics Demonstrator. PSYC102 Skills labs
October - December 2013: Seminar Tutor. PSYC201 (Cognitive Psychology) seminars
Word Learning in TD children and children with ASD.
