IOE centre welcomes two new members to research project

Dr Claire Forrest recently completed a PhD at the University of Bath, investigating the pathways between Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and increased social and emotional difficulties in adolescents. She has published papers using data from a population study by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies (the Millennium Cohort Study) to examine early and mid-childhood factors that influence later emotional difficulties in children at risk of DLD.

Keeley Dobinson is a qualified primary school teacher and recently graduated from the MSc in Speech, Language and Communication Needs in Schools at UCL Institute of Education (IOE) and City University. She is interested in supporting teachers to provide high quality oral language instruction and, as part of her MSc, conducted a systematic review considering the effectiveness of universal interventions for the improvement of oral language in the primary classroom. 

Dr Forrest and Ms Dobinson will be working on the project 'Empowering staff to enhance oral language in the early years', led by Professor Julie Dockrell (IOE), with collaborators Professor James Law (Newcastle University) and Sandra Mathers (University of Oxford). The project, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, aims to support socially disadvantaged children's language skills and language-learning environment, through a universal intervention in early year’s settings. 

The intervention will use a resource developed by Professor Julie Dockrell and Professor Morag Stuart (Emeritus Professor, IOE), ‘Talking Time’, and designed to support staff in the early years in talking with children.

Dr Forrest and Ms Dobinson will soon be visiting nursery schools to implement the project.

If you are London-based, work in or support nursery classes and would like to hear more, please contact Dr Claire Forrest: claire.forrest@ucl.ac.uk

Links

• Centre for Language, Literacy and Numeracy: Research and Practice (LLNR&P)
• Q&A with Keeley Dobinson
• Dr Claire Forrest's research profile
• Professor Julie Dockrell's research profile
• 'Talking Time’ research article
• ‘Talking Time’: Teacher’s handbook and DVD resources
• Nuffield Foundation