I have been an Associate Lecturer in Psychology in Education (Teaching and Scholarship) since February 2020, following a completion of my PhD in the same Department. Alongside my PhD, I also worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) in the Department for a number of years.
I obtained my BA and MA degrees from the University of Zagreb, majoring in English Language and Linguistics (with a focus on teaching). Prior to coming to York to do my PhD, I worked as a TESOL teacher and Director of Studies at a foreign languages school in Zagreb, Croatia.
My PhD research focused on second language acquisition of morpho-syntax, focusing on the processing and production of English article and tense-aspect. More recently, my research interests have expanded to other aspects of language, and I have worked on projects involving the development of child language, both first and second/foreign.
In addition to teaching and research, I am interested in academic mental health, especially in PhD student and have given a number of invited talks on the topic. As part of my current role (scholarship), I am also hoping to work on improving the training provisions for our Department’s GTAs.
I teach/have taught on a range of modules.
Undergraduate:
Postgraduate:
I am interested in various aspects of language learning and development. I have particularly focused on the processing and acquisition of second language morpho-syntax in both adults and children. More recently, I have worked on a project investigating the impact on early life experiences on child language and behaviour development.
I am currently working with a colleague from the University of Costa Rica on a project which explores foreign language anxiety in international university students and its impact on student engagement with online learning.
O'Reilly, J., d'Apice, K., & von Stumm, S. (under review). Predicting developmental outcomes in middle childhood from early life language and parenting experiences. Developmental Psychology. Preprint:
O’Reilly, J. & Jakupcevic, E. (under review). An exploration of target L2 morphemes in oral production by young EFL learners in Croatia. Language Learning and Development.
O’Reilly, J. & Roberts, L. (in progress). Online processing and production of L2 English articles by L1 Mandarin and L1 Croatian speakers. Applied Psycholinguistics.
O’Reilly, J. & Garcia Castro, V. (data collection in progress). An exploration of foreign language anxiety in university students studying online triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal TBC.
I supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students on a range of topics related to language and psychology in education.
O’Reilly, J. (2018). Looking after your mental health while doing a PhD. Invited talk for the Department of Environment and the Department of Health Sciences, University of York.
O’Reilly, J. (2018, July). Student mental health. Talk given to visiting university students on a course at the Centre for Global Programmes, University of York.
O’Reilly, J. (2017, June). Research methods in linguistic research. Talk given to visiting teacher trainees on a course at the Centre for Global Programmes, University of York.
O’Reilly, J. (2017, August). Learning English as a second language. Talk given to visiting university students on a course at the Centre for Global Programmes, University of York.