I am a researcher investigating how we acquire linguistic knowledge and how language experience supports learning across domains and throughout the lifespan. I am particularly interested in the transition from language as a goal in early development to language as a tool for thinking and learning in later years, and how this shift shapes language use and knowledge acquisition. In addressing these questions, I focus particularly on how prior knowledge shapes new learning, how learning mechanisms evolve across the lifespan, and how they adapt to different settings and instructional conditions. I use tools from cognitive science, neuroscience, and corpus linguistics in my research. A central aim of my work is to design instruction that supports learning rather than creates unintended barriers.
I am currently a Vice-Chancellor’s Research Prize Fellow (tenure-track) in the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment at Aston University. Previously, I was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Rastle lab at Royal Holloway, University of London. I completed my PhD at Macquarie University and University of Potsdam through the IDEALAB PhD programme.
I have a strong interest in applied statistics and care deeply about open science and healthy research culture. I am also passionate about making research accessible and involving diverse voices into research to drive positive change. If you’re an educator, parent, or policymaker interested in collaborating, I’d love to hear from you!
Contact
m [dot] korochkina [at] aston [dot] ac [dot] uk