Ashley Blake

Ashley Blake

Department of English Language and Linguistics
Doctoral researcher

Contact details

PhD title: Cognitive Predictors of Individual Differences in Language Acquisition
SupervisorsProfessor Dagmar Divjak  and Dr Nick Riches (University of Newcastle)  
PhD English Language and Applied Linguistics

Qualifications

  • MSc Psychology (Distinction)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies (Childhood and Youth) 1:1 

Research

My research investigates individual differences in children’s language acquisition. In particular, I am interested in how the speed of automatization predicts differences in children's linguistic ability. This is part of a large-scale research project investigating first and second language acquisition and attainment, led by Professor Ewa Dąbrowska. My research explores typical and atypical language development (for example, developmental language disorder). 

Other activities

Online presence

Presentations at conferences

  • IMPRS Conference: June 2020 (Nijmejen, Netherlands) Online poster presentation. Title: Cognitive Predictors of Individual Differences in Children's Language Acquisition.
  • UK-Cognitive Linguistics Conference:  July 2020 (University of Birmingham). Online talk with Professor Ewa Dąbrowska. Title: Speed of automatization predicts performance on 'decorative' grammar in second language learning.

Memberships

  • Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society
  • Member of the ReproducibiliTEA Club for Open Science at the University of Birmingham

Research grants

  • BPS Cognitive Psychology Section: Postgraduate Rapid Project Grant (October 2000)
  • Doctoral scholarship: Alexander von Humboldt Foundation 2019-2023