Staff Profile

Christine is a research associate in the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences.

Her doctoral research focused on the implementation and use of educational technologies in early years settings. A key element was the link between practitioners’ technological and pedagogical beliefs. She used qualitative and quantitative research methods, including working with early years practitioners on action research projects.

Christine taught for eight years in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, and Northumberland. She supported schools across Northumberland to use ICT effectively before joining the Northern Grid for Learning. As eLearning Manager she provided support and training to primary, secondary and special schools across the North East and UK. She also led a group of eLearning consultants to develop digital resources for teachers and pupils. Christine completed an MBA in Education in 2006, at Keele University.

 Christine has worked as an education consultant and freelance researcher. She has contributed to a range of projects, conducting and analysing qualitative and quantitative research with universities, nurseries, schools and colleges.

Christine is working on the LIVELY project a randomised controlled trial evaluating the  effectiveness of language interventions for pre-school children in nursery contexts with significant language difficulties.

Language Intervention in the Early Years 

Christine has taught across education and Speech and Language Sciences. Recent modules include:

§  MSc Clinical Linguistics Evidence Based Practice: Scientific Writing (SPE8307), Research Project Management (SPE8320)

§   EDU2009: Social Constructions of Childhood: Childhood and Technology, Childhood and Play

§   EDU1007: Social Policy and Learning: Education and Early Years Provision

• Preston E, Rose N, Ashton E, Conn K, Jack C, Letts C, Pert S, Ridgeway O, Sandham J, Stringer H, Trebacz A, Wareham H, McKean C. Developing a spoken sentence scoring measure for use in early language development. In: North East SLT Research Network. 2022. In Preparation.
• Jack C, Ashton E, Conn K, Letts C, Pert S, Preston E, Rose N, Sandham J, Stringer H, Trebacz A, Wareham H, McKean C. Reflection on the impact of COVID on schools’ support for children with language and communication needs – challenges and opportunities​. In: North East SLT Research Network. 2022. In Preparation.
• Ashton E, Ahmed S, Czaplewska E, Jack C, Letts C, Pert S, Warriach Z, McKean C. Working with bilingual clients: what we have learned. In: North East SLT Research Network. 2022. In Preparation.
• Jack C. Creative research methods in education: Principles and Practice. International Journal of Research and Method in Education 2021, 44(5), 555-556.
• McKean C, Benson K, Jack C, Letts CA, Pert S, Preston E, Trebacz A, Stringer H, Wareham H. ISRCTN10974028: Language intervention in the Early Years - comparing the effectiveness of language intervention approaches for pre-school children with language difficulties. 2020. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10974028.
• McKean C, Benson K, Jack C, Letts CA, Pert S, Preston E, Trebacz A, Stringer H, Wareham H. Language intervention in the early years - comparing the effectiveness of language intervention approaches for pre-school children with language difficulties. BioMed Central Ltd, 2020. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10974028.
• McKean C, Stringer H, Letts C, Pert S, Masidlover M, Jack C, Trebacz A, Wareham H, Preston E, Baker J, Benson K. Staying faithful: Exploring the challenges of treatment fidelity. In: North East SLT Research Network: Symposium. 2020, North East SLT Research Network.
• Letts C, Pert S, Czaplewska E, Ashton E, Benson K, Preston E, Stringer H, Trebacz A, Wareham H, McKean C, Jack C. Working with bilingual children at risk of developmental language disorder: adapting assessment and intervention for the nursery-aged bilingual child. In: NALDIC 28 Conference. 2020. In Preparation.
• Letts C, Pert S, Czaplewska E, Ashton E, Benson K, Preston E, Stringer H, Trebacz A, Wareham H, McKean C, Jack C. Working with bilingual children at risk of developmental language disorder: adapting assessment and intervention for the nursery-aged bilingual child. In: NALDIC 28 Conference 2020: Multilingual Britain: Successes, challenges and future directions. 2020, Virtual: National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum.
• Jack C, Higgins SE. Embedding educational technologies in early years education. Research in Learning Technology 2019, 27, 1-17.
• Jack C, Higgins SE. What is educational technology and how is it being used to support teaching and learning in the early years?. International Journal of Early Years Education 2019, 27(3), 222-237.
• Jack C. Enhancing the use of Educational Technology in the Early Years. In: Imagining Better Education: 2018 IBE Conference. 2018, Durham: School of Education, Durham University.