PhD Candidate: Development and Teaching of Literacy for Children with Complex Communication Needs

Updated: almost 2 years ago
Deadline: 15 Jun 2022

Would you like to conduct relevant research for non-speaking children with multiple disabilities who use augmentative and alternative communication? As a PhD candidate, you will provide an important contribution to the development and teaching of literacy skills for these children. Therefore, you will also contribute to new insights into the broader topics of education, learning, and participation.

The project called ‘Development and Teaching of Literacy for Children with Complex Communication Needs’ is aimed at gaining insight into the process of literacy development and teaching for children and teenagers who are non-speaking. Most of them have multiple developmental disabilities (any combination of intellectual, sensory, and / or motor disability) and rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC; e.g. manual signs, speech generating devices, body language, and graphic and tangible symbols). Next to the development of communication and language skills, functional literacy skills are of great importance for participation and inclusion, in education and in the broader society.

The present project will examine (i) what the current curriculum or clinical practice for literacy development is for children with complex communication needs and how they are currently being taught (qualitative research, field observations, interviews), (ii) which predictors play a role in the literacy development of these children and what/how they should be taught (cross-sectional and longitudinal, with possible intervention research)  and (iii) which skills and what conceptual, theoretical and didactic framework is needed for teaching literacy to these children. As a PhD candidate, you will be expected  to write the research proposal (research design and research questions). You will be invited to provide your own insights and perspectives in determining the final direction of this project.

The project will provide scientific insights into (a) the literacy development of children and teenagers with complex communication needs, (b) the skills and actions needed to teach literacy to these children. The project will also supply guidelines for the assessment and teaching of literacy skills and thus enhance optimal conditions for (more) inclusive school success.

Participation in teaching is not part of the contract, although you may be asked to tutor students of Pedagogical Sciences writing their Bachelor’s or Master’s theses, when these theses are directly related to the current project.



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