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Rena Lyons

Senior Lecturer & Head of Discipline
Tel: 353-91-492918
Email: rena.lyonsnuigalway.ie

Background and Qualifications

In February 2003, Rena Lyons was appointed by NUI Galway, as a Senior Lecturer, to establish a new BSc degree programme in speech and language therapy. Prior to this position, she worked as a speech and language therapy manager in Community Services in the HSE (formerly known as the Western Health Board) from 1998-2003, as a senior speech and language therapist from 1991-1998 and as a basic grade therapist from 1987-1991. She has a broad range of clinical experience with children and adults with developmental speech and language impairments and voice disorders. In addition to clinical experience, she has experience of management and planning of services for people with communication disability.

Her research interests are in the areas of listening to the experiences and perspectives of people with communication impairments, social models, developmental speech and language impairments, voice disorders, evaluating the effectiveness of interventions, curriculum design and teaching/learning strategies. Rena’s MSc thesis was on measuring the effectiveness of group therapy in the management of adults with muscle tension dysphonia. She is currently reading for a doctorate degree in the University of West England and her research topic is listening to the perspectives and experiences of children and young people with communication impairments.

She is currently involved, in conjunction with the Child and Family Research Centre and the School of Education, NUI Galway, in a research project funded by Barnardos which is evaluating the outcomes of an intergenerational early intervention reading programme. She has also been involved in a national interdisciplinary and interagency study on services for children with Auditory Processing Disorders in Ireland, which was funded by the HSE.

She is currently co-editor of the Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies.

Qualifications

2008 Masters level module on Listening to Children: Research and Consultation, University of Edinburgh

2007 Registered for PhD (part-time), University of West England

2004-2006 Postgrad. Cert. in Teaching & Learning at Third Level, Centre for Excellence in Learning & Teaching, NUIG

1994-1999 MSc by Research (part-time), University of Dublin, TCD

1983-1987 BSc (Hons) in Remedial Linguistics (First class honours) & gold medal awarded, University of Dublin, TCD

Membership of Professional Associations

Member of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT)
Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
International affiliate of the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA)

Teaching Responsibilities

Rena is director of the B.Sc. (Hons.) in Speech and Language Therapy. Her teaching responsibilities include: Professional Studies, Developmental Speech and Language Impairments and Voice Disorders. Rena also coordinates the final year research projects.

Publications

Lyons, R., Fives, A., Kearns, N., Canavan, J., Devaney, C. & Eaton, P. (2013). Exploring the utility of the Simple View of Reading in Irish children attending schools designated as socially disadvantaged. Journal of Education and Training Studies, (In Press).

Fives, A., Russell, D., Kearns, N., Lyons, R., Eaton, P., Canavan, J., Devaney, C., O’Brien, A. (2013). The role of random allocation in Randomized Controlled Trials: Distinguishing selection bias from baseline imbalance, Journal of MultiDisciplinary Education (In Press).

Fives, A., Russell, D., Kearns, N., Lyons, R., Eaton, P., Canavan, J., Devaney, C., O’Brien, A. (2013). The association between academic self-beliefs and reading achievement for children experiencing delays in reading, The Journal of Research in Reading (In Press).

Lyons, R. (2011). Using narrative inquiry to explore identity in children with speech, language, and communication needs. In S. Roulstone & S. McLeod (Eds.), Listening to children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (pp. 121-130). Albury: J & R Press.

Logue-Kennedy, M., Lyons, R., Carroll, C., Dignan, E., O'Hagan, L. & Byrne, M. (2011). Service for children with (Central) Auditory Processing Disorders in the Republic of Ireland: current and future service provision. American Journal of Audiology, Vol. 20, 9-18.

Lyons, R. (2010). Audit of assessment practice: reflections on the implications for future practice. Speech and Language Therapy in Practice, Summer 24-28.

Healy, J., Lyons, R., O'Malley, M.P. & Antonijevic, S. (2010). Preparing health care workers for a bilingual and multicultural context: learning from an undergraduate speech and language therapy programme. Translocations, 6 (1) ( www.translocations.ie/volume_6_issue_1/index.shtml)

Lyons, R., O’Malley, M.P., O’Connor, P. & Monaghan, U. (2010). 'It’s just so lovely to hear him talking': Exploring the early-intervention expectations and experiences of parents. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 2010 26: 61-76.

Lyons, R., McMenamin, R., Dinneen, S. & Finn, Y. (2009). The community as a learning environment: engaging with people with communication disability through a pilot interdisciplinary service learning experience. (Abstract) Campus Engage Conference, Dublin, 2009.

Lyons, R., Byrne, M., Corry, T., Lalor, L., McGinty, C. & Shanahan, R. (2008) Assessment and diagnosis of children with specific language impairment (SLI) in Ireland, International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 10(6): 1-13.

Lyons, R., O’Malley, M.P., O’Connor, P. & Monaghan, U. (2008). “I assume that we wouldn’t be interfering”: parents’ experiences of early intervention, Physical Therapy Reviews, 13, 2.

Logue-Kennedy, M., Dewitt, P., Dignan, E., O’Hagan, L., Lyons, R. & O’Shaughnessy, C. (2008). Collaboration in addressing current and future service provision for auditory processing disorder (APD) for children in Ireland, Physical Therapy Reviews, 13, 2.

Lyons, R. and Kinneen, L. (2007/2008). A case for contracting in speech and language therapy. Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, Vol. 16, 94-101.

Lyons, R. and Kinneen, L. (2007). Sharing the learning. Bulletin, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, April Issue 660.

Lyons, R. (2004). Children with speech and language difficulties: a collaborative approach to training resource teachers. REACH – Journal of Special Needs Education in Ireland, Vol. 18, No. 1, 16-27.

Lyons, R. (1996). Outcome measurement in voice therapy. IASLT Update.

Lyons, R. and Rodden, M. (1994). A group approach to the management of dysphonia. Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, Vol. 4, No. 1, 36-44.

Lyons, R. and O’Connor, P. (1994). The speech zone project. IASLT Update, November Issue.

Heslin, C. and Lyons, R. (1991). Moebius syndrome: a case study. Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, Vol. 1, 103-112.

Published Reports

Lyons, R., Eaton, P., & Stewart, M. (2009). Report on a study to identify suitable outcome measures for a randomised controlled trial early intervention reading programme. NUI Galway.

Logue-Kennedy, M., Lyons, R., O'Shaughnessy, C., Byrne, M., DeWitt, P., O'Hagan, L., & Dignan, E. (2008). Current and future service provision for children with auditory processing disorder in Ireland. Dublin: Cahill Printers.

Logue-Kennedy, M., Lyons, R., Carroll, C., O'Hagan, L. & Dignan, E. (2011). An evaluation of different modes of delivery for an interdisciplinary learning event. Professional Education, HSE and Discipline of Speech and Language Therapy, NUI Galway.

Conference and Oral Presentations

Brennan, S., Lyons, R. & Carroll, C. (2012). A qualitative exploration into the value of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in understanding parental perspectives regarding the everyday lives of children with Down Syndrome, at the Down Syndrome Ireland Special Interest Group Study Day, Athlone, November.

Lyons, R. (2012) (invited). Using narrative inquiry to explore identity construction in children with primary speech and/or language impairments, at Speech and Language Sciences Seminar Series, School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, Newcastle University, UK, November.

Lyons, R. (2012). Exploring identity in children with speech and/or language impairments, Listening to children and young people with speech, language and communication needs, Bristol, June 2012.

Lyons, R. (2012). Identity construction and meaning-making in children with primary speech and/or language impairments, Narrative Matters 2012: Life and Narrative, Paris, May 2012.

Lyons, R., Barrow, R. & Byrne, B. (2012) (invited). Stories of communication disability and identity across the lifespan: Tools and techniques for listening differently, IASLT AGM and Study Day, Dublin, April 2012.

Lyons, R. (2011). What's it like to be a child with a primary speech/language impairment? Exploring children's perspectives. IASLT Biennial Conference, Dublin, November 2011.

Tobin, L. & Lyons, R. (2011). An investigation of speech and language therapy students' experiences of pseudo-stuttering. IASLT Biennial Conference, Dublin, November 2011.

Stack, A. & Lyons, R. (2010). Confidence of students working with people who stutter. European Symposium on Fluency Disorders, Antwerp, Belgium, April 2010.

Lyons, R., McMenamin, R., Carroll, C., Antonijevic-Elliot, S., O’Malley, M.P. & Loftus, L., NUI Galway (2009). Building research capacity in speech and language therapy: sharing the learning, at the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapy Conference, Galway, October 2009.

Lyons, R., Parker, A., Loftus, L., & Henn, A. (2009). Building placement capacity: increasing the quantity and quality of clinical placements, at the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapy Conference, Galway, October 2009.

Logue-Kennedy, M., Lyons, R., O’Shaughnessy, C., Dignan, E., O’Hagan, L. & Dewit, P. (2009). Service provision for children with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) in Ireland: current and future service provision, at the Composium on Central Auditory Processing Disorders, in Cairo, March 2009.

Lyons, R., Logue-Kennedy, M., O’Shaughnessy, C., Dignan, E., O’Hagan, L., Dewit, P., Byrne, M. & Kinneen, L. (2009). Current and future service provision for children with auditory processing disorders in Ireland, at the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist Scientific Conference – Partners in progress: Spreading the word, London, March 2009.

Lyons, R., O’Malley, M.P., O’Connor, P. & Monaghan, U. (2008). “ I assume that we wouldn’t be interfering”: parents’ experiences of early intervention, at the Rehabilitation and Therapy Research Society 4^th Annual Conference, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, May 2008.

Lyons, R. and Parker, A. (2008). Increasing placement capacity in a time of transformational change, at Irish Network of Medical Educators Inaugural Scientific Meeting, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, February 2008.

Kinneen, L. and Lyons, R. (2007). The importance of contracting in SLT services, at the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapy (IASLT) Conference Spotlight on Speech and Language Therapy, Kilkenny, March 2007.

Lyons, R., Byrne, M., Corry, T., Lalor, L., McGinty, C., Murphy, B. & Shanahan, R. (2007). Assessment and diagnosis of children with SLI in Ireland, at the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapy (IASLT) Conference Spotlight on Speech and Language Therapy, Kilkenny, March 2007.

Lyons, R. (2000). The development of speech and language therapy services in an Irish speaking area, at the Multicultural Perspectives in Speech and Language Therapy Conference, Trinity College Dublin.

Lyons, R. (1997). Gary – A case study, at the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapy Conference, Trinity Centre, Dublin.

Lyons, R. (1995). Working on word finding skills, at the Specific Language Disorder Conference, Trinity College Dublin.

Poster Presentations

Logue-Kennedy, M., Lyons, R., Carroll, C., Dewitt, P., Dignan, E. & O'Hagan, L. (2012). Investigating current and future service provision for children with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) in Ireland, at the American Academy of Audiology Annual Conference, Boston, USA .

Dempsey, T., Carroll, C. & Lyons, R. (2012). A retrospective review of paediatric referrals: outcomes of screening for cases designated as 'no further action' in a community care, speech and language therapy clinic, at the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist Conference - Driving transformation using evidence-based practice, Manchester, September 2012.

Murphy, C., Lyons, R. & Drinnan, M. (2009). The voice and its care: a comparison of student teachers and other university students, at the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist Scientific Conference – Partners in progress: Spreading the word, London, March 2009.

O'Shaughnessy, C., Lyons, R., McMenamin, R., O Malley, M.P., Antonijevic-Elliot, S., Logue-Kennedy, M., & Loftus, L. (2008). “Re-designing a curriculum to achieve integration and reflect the values of student and client centeredness: The NUI Galway Speech and Language Therapy Team’s experience”, at the National Academy for Integration of Research and Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL), Second Annual Conference in Waterford Institute of Technology, November 2008.

Lyons, R., Byrne, M., Corry, T., Lalor, L., McGinty, C., Murphy, B. & Shanahan, R. (2007). An exploration of assessment practices of children with SLI in Ireland, at the Afasic 4^th International Symposium, Understanding developmental disorders: from theory to practice, University of Warwick, April 2007.

Lyons, R. and Kinneen, L. (2007). The experience of setting up a new degree programme: sharing the learning, at the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapy (IASLT) Conference Spotlight on Speech and Language Therapy, Kilkenny, March 2007.

Lyons, R., Byrne, M., Corry, T., Lalor, L., McGinty, C., Mulry, A.M., Murphy, B., Ruane, H. & Shanahan, R. (2006). An examination of speech and language therapists’ assessment and diagnosis of children with specific language impairment in Ireland, at Realising the Vision, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Belfast, May 2006.

Lyons, R. and Kinneen, L. (2006). The experience of setting up a new degree programme: sharing the learning, at Realising the Vision, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Belfast, May 2006.

Discipline of Speech and Language Therapy
National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
Phone: 353 91 492957; Fax: 353 91 495540
E-mail: Speech and Language Therapy
This page was last updated Thursday, March 21, 2013