2022 Eminent Researcher Award
Professor Emerita Linnea Ehri
The Eminent Researcher Award is sponsored for LDA by Routledge, publishers of the Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties. The award is presented by invitation to a researcher whose career has involved major contributions to the field of learning and learning difficulties. LDA is honoured to announce that the 2022 Eminent Researcher Award has been accepted by Distinguished Professor Emerita Linnea Ehri. Dr Ehri, of the Graduate Centre of the City University of New York, is a pioneer in the development of the Science of Reading, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential researchers and theorists in the field. Her most recent contributions to our understanding of the process of learning to recognise and spell words, involve research into the development of orthographic mapping skills.
For further information about the AJLD Eminent Researcher Award and list of previous receipients click here.
2022
LDA Awards
The Mona Tobias Award
Emina McLean & Dr Nathaniel Swain
The LDA Mona Tobias Award is presented to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to Australian education of people with learning difficulties, in the areas of leadership, research, practice, teacher and community education.
In 2022 there were two joint recipients of the Mona Tobias Award: Emina McLean and Dr Nathaniel Swain. These two worthy educators have collaborated very constructively together in recent years, and are pioneers in the translation of research on the science of learning into accessible pedagogical practice.
Emina McLean is currently Head of English and Literacy at Docklands Primary School, a consultant, and an instructional coach, and is a much sought-after speaker at professional learning events. She has shown outstanding leadership as she has implemented and documented a whole-school Response to Intervention approach.
Dr Nathaniel Swain is currently a classroom teacher and instructional coach at Brandon Park Primary School, where he and his colleagues are teaming up to develop useful freely available online resources for the provision of evidence-based teaching strategies. He has spear-headed the very popular Think Forward Educators network, which provides quality professional development and mentoring.
For further information about Mona Tobias and list of previous recipients of the Mona Tobias Award click here.
The Bruce Wicking Award
Jocelyn Seamer
The LDA Bruce Wicking Award is presented to a person or organisation who has provided outstanding innovative programs or practices relating to the teaching of children with learning difficulties.
In 2022 the recipient of the Bruce Wicking Award was Jocelyn Seamer, an educational consultant now based in Tasmania, with a strong background of innovative school leadership involving enabling systematic instruction in challenging circumstances. Jocelyn has a strong online presence and provides original teaching resources and regular blog posts that are not only systematic and aligned with the science of reading and writing, but are also exceptionally practical, teacher-friendly, and considerate of the needs of students with learning difficulties.
For further information about the Bruce Wicking Award and list of previous recipients click here.
The Tertiary Student Award
Haley Tancredi
The LDA Tertiary Student Award is presented in recognition of academic excellence and significant research which advances the understanding of theoretical and practical issues in the field of learning difficulties, carried out by a student in the course of their tertiary level studies.
In 2022 the Tertiary Student Award was presented to Haley Tancredi in recognition of her ongoing doctoral studies at the University of Technology Queensland, where she is completing research towards a thesis entitled: The impact of Accessible Pedagogies on the classroom experiences, engagement, and academic output of students with language and/or attentional difficulties. Haley’s research is highly relevant both to supporting young students with attentional and/or language difficulties as they navigate their way into adult society, and also supporting their teachers.
Two additional Highly Commended Tertiary Student Awards were presented in 2022, to Dr Katrina Kelso and Dr Tessa Weadman.
Dr Katrina Kelso’s doctoral thesis, from the Curtin School of Allied Health, was entitled: Identification, profiling, and interventions for “poor comprehenders” in the middle-upper primary years. Katrina’s research involved developing screening assessments and intervention strategies for students with reading comprehension difficulties.
Dr Tessa Weadman’s doctoral thesis, from La Trobe University, was entitled: The Emergent Literacy and Language Early Childhood Checklist for Teachers (ELLECCT). Tessa’s research involved developing a checklist that could be used to support Early Childhood Teachers as they use the storybook reading context to help develop young children’s emergent literacy skills.
For further information about the Tertiary Student Award and list of previous recipients, click here.
The Rosemary Carter Award
Mim Davidson
The LDA Rosemary Carter Award recognises an outstanding LDA Consultant Member who has contributed to the field of learning difficulties through work with students, their advocacy for students and their families, and through education of the wider community.
The 2022 Rosemary Carter Award was presented to Mim Davidson, who is a Melbourne based LDA Consultant in private practice. Mim has for many years provided expert and caring advice to students and their families in a range of educational settings, working closely with SPELD Victoria.
For further information about the Rosemary Carter Award, click here.
The AJLD Early Career Researcher Award
Dr Signy Wegener
The Early Career Researcher Award is sponsored for LDA by Routledge, publishers of the Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties (AJLD). The award is presented to a researcher who has submitted an exceptionally high-quality article to the AJLD, and whose career shows promise of further contributions to the field of learning and learning difficulties. LDA is delighted to announce that the recipient of the 2022 Early Career Researcher Award was to Dr Signy Wegener, on the basis of an article published in the AJLD, Vol. 27(2), entitled: ‘Oral vocabulary knowledge and learning to read new words: A theoretical review’.
For further information about the AJLD Early Career Researcher Award and list of previous receipients click here.