Nicola Gillen

My research is focused on the auditory processing skills of preschool children and how these skills may relate to their language and later literacy development. For my PhD, I am investigating the most appropriate methods to accurately and reliably estimate auditory discrimination thresholds in preschool children (3-4 years old). I use a combination of computational and behavioural methods to investigate the most appropriate auditory discrimination task parameters for using with young children.

The overall objective of this project is to apply my findings to the development of an auditory processing screening device which will aim to identify preschoolers who may be at risk of language and later literacy difficulties. This would then enable potential extra support and intervention to be provided to these children at an early stage in their primary school education.

• Auditory Perception
• Speech Perception
• Language and Literacy Development
• (A)Typical Child Development