Mads Poulsen

Mads Poulsen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Humanities. His academic work focuses on reading development and psycholinguistics, with particular emphasis on understanding the cognitive and linguistic processes that underpin reading comprehension and difficulties.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Linguistics from University of Copenhagen (2005)
• MA in Danish from University of Copenhagen (2001)
• BA in Danish from University of Copenhagen (1999)

Poulsen's research primarily centers on reading development and psycholinguistics, with several key areas of investigation. His work on syntactic comprehension has revealed that children's ability to use word order information is as strong a correlate of reading comprehension as well-known prerequisites like decoding ability and vocabulary. He has conducted longitudinal studies on the correlation between lexical processing and reading, showing how different types of naming tasks relate to various aspects of reading. Poulsen was also involved in developing a web-based test for identifying reading difficulties for the Danish Ministry of Education, which is uniquely used from Grade 3 to university level. Additionally, he has developed and tested an app for computer-assisted instruction in early reading.

Analysis of Poulsen's recent publications shows a consistent focus on the relationship between syntactic comprehension and reading ability. His work spans multiple methodologies including experimental studies, longitudinal research, systematic reviews, and practical interventions. The research demonstrates how syntactic processing, lexical access, and other linguistic factors contribute to reading comprehension across different age groups and language contexts.

Poulsen is actively involved in teaching Linguistics I, Language and Psychology II, and Statistics in the BA program in Audiologopedics. He also teaches specialized courses in Audiologopedic data interpretation and Project design at the MA level, and supervises students in reading, psycholinguistics, and grammatically oriented logopedics. His research has been supported by grants including funding from the Danish Ministry of Education and an IRFD grant for intervention studies on syntax instruction.