Lucy is a doctoral candidate at The Open University, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies. Her professional background is in early childhood practice, where she focused on promoting broad early literacy curricula that value and build upon the practices and interests that children bring to the classroom.
Her research is grounded in cultural historical approaches to studying children and explores 3- 4-year-olds’ experiences of literacy in homes, community spaces and an early childhood setting in England. In addition to developing a conceptual lens to frame young children’s literacy experiences, the research illuminates the expanse of texts that children purpose and repurpose in their play and everyday lives. Whilst predominantly using video observation, the study also explored innovative methods of capturing children’s views about literacy and about themselves as text users.
Lucy is co-convener of the Early Years Education SIG at the UK Literacy Association, works on the UKLA / OU Reading for Pleasure project and is Chair of Governors at a maintained nursery school.