International Conference 2024 - Keynote Speaker: Professor Jenny Thomson
Tuesday 10 October 2023
Jenny Thomson is a Professor of Language and Literacy and Director of Research and Innovation for the School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield. Jenny’s research focuses on individual differences in learning to read, as well as the impact of children reading in a digital world. Trained as a Speech and Language Therapist, she completed a PhD at the Institute of Child Health, University College London which explored causal mechanisms in developmental dyslexia using both neuroscientific and behavioural measures. She has held positions at the University of Cambridge, the Harvard Graduate School of Education and currently holds an associate position at the National Reading Centre, University of Stavanger, Norway.
Q & A with Professor Jenny Thomson...
What do you love about being a researcher/educator?
I love that I can spend my days at the "edges" of knowledge; both reading about the newest findings from researchers around the world, as well as being part of creating that new knowledge myself. It barely feels like a job!
What are you working on right now?
I am working with collaborators in both Norway and Canada to look at how we can best use the "big data" generated from digital games designed to teach children literacy skills. We now have a treasure trove of information from digital learning games, which has the potential to help us detect risk of dyslexia earlier, as well as understand different pathways of learning. My work focuses on how to responsibly and appropriately use this data, and also how to best understand it, despite its deep complexity.
Why is it important and what impact do you hope it will have?
"Big data" and AI are increasingly becoming integral to everyday life - just think of things like ChatGPT, and face/voice recognition. It is crucial that we understand the positive potentials of such technology, as well as the risks that need to be mitigated. I hope the work I do with my collaborators can contribute to these efforts.
Where can I find out more?
My Google Scholar page here
What other historic or current research are you particularly interested in and why?
My PhD with Prof Usha Goswami looked at the links between music/rhythm sensitivity and dyslexia, and I am still fascinated by this subject! It's exciting to see the steady stream of research which continually confirms the validity of this link.
What do you hope will be researched in the future?
We still need a lot more research on what types of dyslexia intervention work for whom. Also, I would love to see more research and resulting clearer guidance on approaches to use when a systematic phonics approach is not enough.
If you could recommend one book or article to a member of the public interested in dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties, it would be:
Coping with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and ADHD: A Global Perspective Cammie McBride
Tell us something interesting!
I have a long-standing meditation practice and often ponder (whilst trying to mediate!) how helpful mindfulness feels for reading comprehension. Maybe that's a future project...
