BAppSc(SpPath)(Hons1) University of Sydney, 1995
PhD The University of Sydney 2008
Grad Cert (Higher Education) 2009

Speech Pathology Australia
  . Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist
  . Scientific Affairs Leader, NSW Branch
Member of the speechBITE steering committee
International Association for the Study of Child Language
Hanen Certified Speech Language Pathologist
Member of the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY)

Normal communication development, Language impairments in children, Phonetics, Professional development, Advanced Topics: Lexical acquisition in the preschool and school-aged child.

Language development and disorders, emergent literacy, the interaction between the lexicon and phonology, theories of lexical acquisition, auditory processing, treatment efficacy and evidence based practice, early intervention, clinical education, developmental disabilities, and parent-child interaction.

Current Areas of Research

Natalie completed her PhD thesis at the University of Sydney on word learning abilities in children with language impairment. Through a series of experimental word learning studies, Natalie investigated the quality of word learning (fast/slow mapping) abilities in children with language impairment and their typically developing peers. Natalie has also conducted two feasibility studies investigating the relative merits of parent-implemented and clinician-led interventions that focused on semantic and phonological awareness skills in preschool and early school-aged children with language impairment. As part of emergent literacy approaches, Natalie is also investigating parent-child storybook interactions as an intervention context for children with language impairment. 

Disability and Community Research Group
Communication and Inclusion Team