Naomi Cocks

Senior lecturer - acquired language impairments

Qualifications

• BSc (Speech and Hearing Science) First Class Hons.
• PhD (Curtin University)

Naomi is currently a lecturer in Acquired Language Impairments in the Department of Language and Communication Sciences at City University. She has also previously worked in Human Communication Sciences in the School of Psychology at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia as a lecturer, clinical tutor and clinical supervisor.

Naomi's clinical experience has been in a range of settings including acute, rehabilitation and community facilities. Her main role in these settings has been the management of communication and swallowing disorders of a variety of caseloads including neurosurgery and the elderly.

Naomi was awarded her PhD from Curtin University in 2005. The topic of her PhD was the impact of right hemisphere stroke on gesture production and prosody. Her research interests include: right hemisphere damage, gesture, dysphagia, aphasia, head injury, acquired reading difficulties, and teaching and learning.

In addition to teaching and carrying out research, she also co-ordinates the Australia Exchange Project (information about this project can be found here) and is a Clinical Educator in the Compass Centre Reading Clinic (information about the clinic can be found here).

Recent publications

• Cocks, N., Dipper, L., Middleton, R. & Morgan, G. (in press). The impact of aphasia on gesture production: A case of conduction aphasia. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders.
• Cocks, N., Morgan, G., & Kita, S. (in press). Iconic gesture and speech integration in younger and older adults. Gesture.
• Cocks, N., Matthews, N., Barnett, L., Phillips, E., Middleton, R., Gregoire-Clarke, J., & Cruice, M. (2010). A preliminary investigation exploring the effectiveness of a functional reading therapy programme for acquired dyslexia. ACQuiring Knowledge in Speech, Language and Hearing, 12, 37-41.
• Cocks, N. & Cruice, M. (2010) The experiences and perspectives of overseas trained speech and language therapists working in the UK. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 12, 271-282.
• Cocks, N., Sautin, L., Kita, S., Morgan, G., & Zlotowitz, S. (2009). Gesture and speech integration: An exploratory study of a man with aphasia. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 44, 795-804.
• Cocks, N., Hird, K., & Kirsner, K. (2007). Gesture production accompanying spontaneous discourse: The impact of right hemisphere damage on the nature and frequency of gestures across four discourse genres. Aphasiology, 21, 299-319.
• Knight, R.-A. & Cocks, N. (2007). Rhythm in the speech of a person with right hemisphere damage: Applying the Pairwise Variability Index. Advances in Speech-Language Pathology, 9, 256-264.
• Whitehouse, A., Hird, K., & Cocks, N. (2007). The retention of Speech and Language Therapists: What do university students find important? Journal of Allied Health, 36, 131-136.

Recent presentations

• Cocks, N., Dipper, L. & Morgan, G. (2010). What can word-finding gestures in Aphasia tell us about the language system? 4th Conference of the International Society for Gesture Studies (ISGS), European University Viadrina Frankfurt Oder, Germany
• Dipper, L., Cocks, N., & Morgan, G. (2010). What can co-speech gestures in Aphasia tell us about the relationship between language and gesture? 4th Conference of the International Society for Gesture Studies (ISGS), European University Viadrina Frankfurt Oder, Germany.
• Cocks, N., Harding, C., Paynter, C., & Wright, J. (2009). Clinical Innovations: The Dysphagia Intensive.  Clinical Innovations Day, City University London, UK.
• Cocks, N. (2007). The impact of aphasia on gesture production and comprehension.  ESRC Sign and Gesture Research Workshop, Rome.
• Knight, R. & Cocks, N. (2007).  Rhythm in the speech of a person with right hemisphere damage:
  Applying the Pairwise Variability Index. Speech Prosody in Atypical Populations.  University of Reading, UK.
• Cocks, N. (2006).  Reduced visual prosody in the absence of dysprosodia following right hemisphere damage: An exploration of the dynamical systems hypothesis.  Neurocognition and Gesture Processing Workshop. Max Planck Institute, Leipzig. 

Funded research projects

• £68,000 Cocks, N., Dipper, L. & Morgan, G. Developing a diagnostic resource for aphasia using gesture and language production. Dunhill Medical Trust.
• £300,000   Wilson, S., Galliers, J., Marshall, J., Pring, T. & Cocks, N. GReaT  Project, EPSRC Research in The Wild Scheme
•  £100, 000. Marshall, J., Pring, T., Cocks, N., Cruice, M., Hickin, J, & Best, W. Enhancing communication in aphasia through gesture. Stroke Association (UK).
• £5000. Cocks, N., Kita, S., & Morgan, G. Do gestures help people with aphasia understand verbal messages: a pilot study. City University Pump-Priming.
• £4940. Dipper, L., Cocks, N., Morgan, G. & Kita, S. Gesture and speech interaction in narratives in people with aphasia. City University Pump-Priming.
• £2000. Roberts, B., Cocks, N., Harding, C., Seymor, K., & Buchanan, J. Training Dentistry and Speech and Language Therapists in carrying out oral hygiene programmes. CETL Seedcorn Grant.
• £15, 000. Cocks, N., Harding, C. & Holland, P. Enhancing Partnerships with Universities and Placement Partners.  Enhancing Learning Project Award, City University.