The University of Sheffield
Department of Human Communication Sciences

Jenny Leyden, BSc, MA, MRCSLT

Department of Human Communication Sciences
The University of Sheffield
31 Claremont Crescent
Sheffield
S10 2TA
UK
Tel: +44 (0) 114 22 22408
Fax: +44 (0) 114 273 0547

email : j.leyden@sheffield.ac.uk

Biography

I qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist in 1987, and within the NHS, worked predominantly with children with language and communication disorders in clinics, resourced units and mainstream educational settings. I have been associated with the Dept of Human Communication Sciences (HCS) here in Sheffield for over ten years, in the role of clinical teacher. More recently, I have also been involved in collaborative projects with the South East Sheffield Education Action Zone, aiming to develop the spoken language skills of all children in the Foundation Stage.

I successfully applied for an ESRC 1+3 studentship (full-time) and in 2004, completed my Masters in Educational Research (School of Education, University of Sheffield). I am currently undertaking the PhD component, based once again in HCS.

Research interests

This is a 3-year longitudinal follow-up study that investigates the relationships between spoken language skills in the early years and educational attainment of children living in areas of socio-economic deprivation. Influential home-school factors will also be explored.

Collaborators

Supervisors: Professor Joy Stackhouse and Dr. Marcin Szczerbinski

Selected publications

  1. Leyden, J., Stackhouse, J. & Szczerbinski, M. Spoken language skills in the early years and educational attainment of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Paper presented at the RCSLT Conference at the University of Ulster, Belfast 10-12 May 2006.
  2. Leyden, J. & Szczerbinski, M. (in review). Working and learning together: an evaluation of a collaborative approach to intervention. In J. Clegg & J. Ginsborg (Eds) Language and Social Disadvantage. Wiley.