The project ‘Dynamic assessment of communicative competence in children with developmental disorders’ is aimed at the development and validation of a computer-based tool that will serve the dynamic assessment of communicative competence in children with developmental disorders, i.e. children with cognitive, language and/or sensory impairment. In the assessment battery, dynamic learning tasks will be included in the domains of executive functioning and cognition, sensorimotor functions, language and communication, behaviour and emotional regulation. It will be examined (i) how the children with differential developmental disorders and typically developing children vary on each of these componential measures in the age range from 4-6, (ii) how these componential measures predict children’s communication, vocabulary and early literacy development, and (iii) to what extent the development of child functioning can be facilitated by means of guided instruction and intervention.

The project will not only provide scientific insight into the development of communicative competence in children with developmental disorders but also yield guidelines for dynamic assessment of communication, language and literacy development in perspective of intervention planning and enhancing optimal conditions for inclusive school success.

You should have:
- a Research Master’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Neuropsychology, Psycholinguistics, Behavioural Science, Educational Psychology, or another relevant study;
- extensive quantitative research experience, outstanding methodological and analytical qualities, and experience with collecting and analysing data;
- excellent oral and writing skills (in Dutch and English);
- organisational talent, accompanied by independence and perseverance;
- affinity with and understanding of the target group of children with developmental disorders and complex communication needs.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years (1.0 fte) or 5 years (0.8 fte).

the starting salary is €2,191 per month on a full-time basis, the salary will increase to €2,801 per month in the fourth year (P scale)
- you will be appointed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 or 3.5 years
- as part of the contract, you will participate in teaching for approximately 10% of your work time
- you will be classified as a PhD student (promovendus) in the Dutch university job-ranking system (UFO).

Radboud University

Strategically located in Europe, Radboud University is one of the leading academic communities in the Netherlands. A place with a personal touch, where top-flight education and research take place on a beautiful green campus in modern buildings with state-of-art facilities.

Faculty of Social Sciences

The project will be embedded in the Learning and Plasticity programme of the Behavioural Science Institute (BSI). This programme deals with the microanalysis of learning processes.

The BSI is a multidisciplinary behavioural research institute. Our researchers collaborate across the boundaries of psychology, educational science, and communication science. The BSI has seven research programmes covering three major research themes: 1) development and learning, 2) psychopathology, health and well-being, and 3) social processes and communication. The BSI conducts fundamental research as well as applied/translational research.

The BSI has state-of-the-art research facilities for observational studies, experiments, eye-tracking studies, EEG measurements and GSR recording, psychobiological research, and behavioural measurements in real and 3D virtual environments. The neuroimaging facilities of the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging (fMRI, MEG and TMS) are available for research on the neural bases of behaviour.

No commercial propositions please.