Dr Hannah Nash

Dr Hannah Nash

Profile

Hannah is a developmental psychologist studying the factors that contribute to typical language and literacy development and why some children develop disorders like SLI, dyslexia, ADHD & Narcolepsy. Hannah completed her BSc, MsC & PhD at the University of York (2007) and has since worked as a research fellow at Lancaster University, the University of York and most recently UCL, before joining the School of Psychology as a Lecturer in October 2013. Her work contributes to the ‘Successful childhood development’ Grand Challenge within the School of Psychology. Within the School, Hannah heads the Language and Memory Lab and she represents Psychology at Language@Leeds and the Leeds Centre for Interdisciplinary Childhood and Youth Research.

Responsibilities

  • Link tutor for Psychology with Education

Research interests

Hannah’s research focuses on typical (for example, how do children learn to read exception words such as Island and Yacht) and atypical language and reading development and she has worked with children with a range of developmental disorders. Current research includes, The ICKLE (The impact of COVID-19 related school closures on foundation skills in reception children) PROJECT (https://ickle.leeds.ac.uk) the DART (Dynamic Assessment of Reading Test) Project (https://dart.leeds.ac.uk), the LeedsPASS project (a longitudinal study of the impact of sleep difficulties on functioning in children with ADHD) and a White Rose DTC ESRC Network understanding and enhancing reading and language skills in children for whom English is an additional language.

Grants

UKRI ESRC (2020) The impact of COVID-19 related school closures on foundation skills in reception children. £150,755

The Nuffield Foundation (2018) Can experimental learning tasks identify children at risk of reading difficulties? £332,042

The Waterloo Foundation (2017) Sleep in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and its impact on daytime functioning, cognitive development, academic attainment and wellbeing; £35,333

Blackwell, J.E. (2017) Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF) Early Career Researcher Fellowship. (01/01/2018 -31/12/2018). Psychological well-being and cognitive function in children with narcolepsy: A longitudinal follow up study. Mentor Dr Hannah Nash; £50,615

Child Brain Research (2015) Using a portable, objective measure of sleep to investigate the relationship between sleep, cognition and psychosocial well-being in paediatric narcolepsy; £7,500

White Rose ESRC DTP Studentship Network (2015) Understanding and enhancing reading and language skills in children learning English as an Additional Language (EAL); ~£170, 000

 

Professional memberships

  • Voting member of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading

Student education

Hannah teaches the level 3 module Development of Language and Literacy (PSYC3538) and the Masters module Typical and Disordered Development (PSYC5911M)

Research groups and institutes

  • Language and memory

Current postgraduate researchers

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>