معرفی
Dr. Silke Fricke is a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Human Communication Sciences at the School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield. She serves as Course Director for the PGCert/PGDip/MSc in Speech Difficulties and PGCert/PGDip/MSc in Acquired Communication Disorders programs, Deputy Lead for Postgraduate Researchers in her School, and Deputy Chair of the Faculty of MDH Early Career Researcher Committee.
Her educational background includes:
- PhD in Human Communication Sciences (2009) from University of Sheffield & University of Applied Sciences Fresenius Idstein
- MSc in Human Communication Sciences Research (2005) from University of Sheffield
- Staatlich anerkannte Logopädin (equivalent to BMedSci in Speech and Language Therapy) (2001) from College of Speech and Language Therapy Göttingen, Germany
- Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (2013) from University of Sheffield
- Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) (2014) from University of Sheffield
Dr. Fricke is a Speech and Language Therapist with extensive research expertise in speech, language, and literacy development in both monolingual and multilingual children. Her work examines the interrelationships between these skills and evaluates early support and intervention approaches. Key research areas include:
- Speech, language, and literacy development and difficulties in monolingual and multilingual children
- Cognitive predictors of literacy acquisition (particularly phonological awareness)
- Relationships between oral and written language in diverse linguistic contexts
- Assessment and management of children with Speech Sound Disorders (SSD)
- Evaluation of intervention approaches for children with speech/language weaknesses
Dr. Fricke's recent publications reveal a strong focus on post-pandemic educational and language outcomes, cross-linguistic transfer in multilingual settings, and intervention efficacy for children with language disorders. Her work spans both theoretical investigations of language acquisition mechanisms and practical applications of intervention strategies in educational and clinical settings. Notably, she has been leading research on the impact of the pandemic on children's language development (ICICLES project) and evaluating digital interventions for early language development.
Among her notable recognitions are the Exceptional Contribution Award (2012) and the Dedicated Outstanding Mentor Recognition (2017). She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Dr. Fricke actively supervises PhD students working on diverse topics including speech sound disorders, language development in specific dialects, and intervention for children with cleft palate. Her current projects include the ICICLES project (2021-2025) examining pandemic impacts on children, evaluation of BBC's Tiny Happy People resources, and developing care pathways for children with cleft palate.
