Professor Jenny Thomson

BMedSci, PhD, MRCSLT

Human Communication Sciences, School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery

Speech and Language Therapist

j.m.thomson@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 2440

Full contact details

Professor Jenny Thomson
Human Communication Sciences, School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery
Room 303
362 Mushroom Lane
Sheffield
S10 2TS
Profile

I joined the department in 2013. Trained as a Speech and Language Therapist, my research and clinical work have been focused on the intersection between language and literacy difficulties. I 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.

I then continued researching developmental dyslexia through a postdoc at the University of Cambridge (2004-06) and more latterly through Assistant and Associate Professor positions at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (2006-2013). I also hold a visiting position at the National Reading Centre, University of Stavanger, Norway.

Research interests
  • Developmental dyslexia and digital literacies
  • The neuroscience of specific learning disabilities
  • Relationships between music, rhythm and literacy

Current Research Projects

  • Erasmus+ Grant (2018-202): A is for App (https://www.aisforapp.eu/), with school, university and literacy organization partners in Belgium, the Netherlands and Czech Republic.
  • Heather van der Lely Foundation (2018-2019): Digital assessment and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
  • Leverhulme Trust Research Grant (2015-2019): Evaluating the effect of exposure to digital text on early literacy development
  • White Rose DTC ESRC Network (2015 – 2019): Understanding and enhancing reading and language skills in children learning English as an Additional Language (EAL) (Academic Lead: Anna Weighall (University of Leeds); Collaborators: Claudine Bowyer-Crane and Emma Marsden (University of York), Silke Fricke and Jenny Thomson (University of Sheffield), Anna Weighall and Hannah Nash (University of Leeds); Partners: Born in Bradford (BiB))
  • COST E-Read (2014-18) Management Committee and Core Group member: http://ereadcost.eu/index.php/en/
Publications

Edited books

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

Preprints