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Scholarship-supported research project
Australian Catholic University (ACU) is offering one full-time PhD scholarship to undertake research investigating children's ability to match initial mispronunciations (e.g., "TONG-OO") to correct pronunciations (e.g., "tongue") as they learn to read new words that do not follow phonics pronunciations rules.
The successful candidate will work with Dr Signy Wegener on her Australian Research Council-funded DECRA project, 'Bridging the decoding-vocabulary gap during children's reading'. The project aims to discover how children adjust their initial mispronunciations as they learn to read irregular words. This ability is sometimes referred to as set for variability, or mispronunciation correction. The project will involve conducting experimental training studies within primary school settings. Ultimately, results of this project will shed light on how to improve the teaching of irregular word reading in Australian classrooms.
| Study mode | Full-time, internal, on-campus for up to 3.5 years. |
|---|---|
| Location | ACU North Sydney campus |
| Places available | One |
| Commencing | As soon as possible. |
| Supervisor | Dr Signy Wegener |
| Research group |
Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy The Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy was established in 2023 with the twin aims of conducting world-leading research on how children learn to read and translating this research into effective teaching practices. In establishing the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, the Faculty of Education and Arts at Australian Catholic University sought to appoint both established and early career reading researchers of the highest calibre both domestically and internationally. This goal has been achieved. The Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy is now host to the largest number of high-calibre researchers working on questions related to reading acquisition in this country. Researchers in this team both generate and translate knowledge about evidence-informed literacy instruction and interventions across the school years. The Centre is developing a range of courses and graduate certificates, while also actively collaborating with schools across the education sector to ensure teachers have access to high-quality professional learning and co-designed classroom interventions based on the latest research. |
| Scholarship package |
The successful applicant will be awarded a scholarship package consisting of:
International candidates will also receive:
The scholarship package is subject to satisfactory progress and full-time study mode. The scholarship conditions align with the ACU Research Training Program Scholarship Policy. |
Applications close: Tuesday 22 April 2025, 11:59 PM AEST
To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must submit all documentation required for an application to the PhD program at ACU, as detailed in the How to Apply instructions, plus:
When completing the PhD application form, please indicate that you are also applying for a stipend scholarship and include the name of this project "Bridging the decoding-vocabulary gap during children's reading".
Interested candidates should contact Dr Signy Wegener before applying for the PhD program and scholarship:
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