My broad research interests include language and learning.  I am interested in how children and adults respond to different forms of feedback, for example person feedback, which focuses on traits (e.g. “You’re really good at this”) compared to process feedback, which focuses on effort and methods (e.g. “You must have tried really hard”).  As well as investigating responses to praise, criticism and encouragement I am also interested in teachers’ feedback delivery and their understanding of feedback.  Similarly I am also interested in cross cultural differences in the effects of feedback and learning.

I also research varied social, developmental and educational topics such as the implicit messages inherent in educational systems and how they affect learners, particularly during times of transition, factors which can ease transition from primary to secondary school and how children in multi ethnic classrooms interact and how working and playing together impacts their relationships.