I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Centre for Advanced Research in Experimental and Applied Linguistics (ARiEAL) at McMaster University. My current research investigates the reading development of English language learners who are enrolled in a pre-university academic bridging program.
I design and conduct longitudinal psycholinguistic experiments. This involves the collection and analysis of eye movements during reading, cognitive-linguistic tests of language ability, and measures of academic attainment.
PhD in Cognitive Science of Language, 2016
McMaster University, Canada
MSc in Developmental Linguistics, 2011
University of Edinburgh, UK
BA in English Language and Linguistics, 2010
York St. John University, UK
I am currently investigating factors that predict the development of reading proficiency in students who use English as a foreign language (EFL students) enrolled in a pre-university English language bridging program. This work is supervised by Dr. Anna Moro and uses eye-tracking technology, clinical assessments of language skills, and statistical modelling to gain insight into EFL reading development. The results of this research is used to develop pedagogical interventions that are aimed at enhancing the language skills that are responsible for breakdowns in reading behavior.
I have taught the following university-level courses at Mcmaster University:
(2017, 2019, 2020, 2021). An introductory course to statistical methods custom-tailored to the needs of language researchers. This course provides an introduction to R, a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics.
(2018, 2020).This course studies computational tools and techniques of language processing using large electronic collections of texts. Students are trained in basic text-processing, statistical and programming skills using R.
(2017). This course offers senior undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in a learning-centred leadership program, involving peer-to-peer mentoring of students in the MELD program. The course provides up-front and on-going training and development in active leadership and mentorship.
An article about my current work at the MELD program at McMaster Univeristy
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