Dr Lenka Janik Blaskova

About me:

Lenka is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and a trained guidance counsellor. Her research interests centre around the intersection of mental health, social inclusion, and relationships in schools. Lenka's current project targets teachers’ wellbeing and the development of skills to support social and emotional capacities in children and young people.

Lenka comes from Slovakia and is interested in seeking ways to translate established strategies and approaches around mental health and wellbeing support in schools into educational systems in Central and Eastern Europe in culturally-sensitive and context-specific ways. She is an advocate of participatory approaches to research and has been actively involving children, young people, and adults in her research activities.

I am particularly interested in researching:

• Peer relationships
• Mental health & wellbeing
• Teacher training and psychosocial upskilling
• Social cognitive development
• Inclusive education
• Playful learning
• Childhood & adolescence
• Social and emotional experiences
• Positive psychology

My methodological expertise includes:

• Qualitative research
• Interviews and focus group
• Participatory research with children and young people
• Art-based / visual methods
• Classroom and playground observations
• Psycholinguistic assessment
• Sociometric methods
• Phenomenological qualitative analysis
• Thematic / framework qualitative analysis

Janik Blaskova, L., & Gibson, J.L. (2024). Exploring concepts of friendship formation in children with language disorder using a qualitative framework analysis. International Journal of Language and Communication, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.13021

Kilgour, S., & Janik Blaskova, L. (under review) Book Chapter: Play as Inclusive Practice. In P. Ramchandani & S. Baker (Eds), Unlocking Research: Play. Routledge.

Janik Blaskova, L., & Gibson, J.L. (2023). Children with language disorder as friends: The perspectives of their classroom peers. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 39(1), 39–57. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590221139231

Janik Blaskova, L., & Winter, L. (2023). Duševné zdravie a psychická pohoda uiteov na Slovensku [Mental health and psychological well-being of teachers in Slovakia]. Conference proceedings. Stredná zdravotnícka škola v Prešove [Secondary medical school in Prešov].

Janik Blaskova, L. (2023, March 29). The hows and whys of improved interactions with international students. Times Higher Education. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/hows-and-whys-improved-interactions-international-students

Janik Blaskova, L., & Gibson, J.L. (2021). Reviewing the link between and language abilities and peer relations in children with Developmental Language Disorder: The importance of children’s own perspectives. Autism & Dev Lang Impairments. https://doi.org/10.1177/23969415211021515

Hofmann, R., Arenge, G., Dickson, S., Marfan-Sanchez, J., Ryan, M., Tiong, N.D., Radia, B.K., & Janik Blaskova, L. (2021). The COVID-19 learning crisis as a challenge and an opportunity for schools: an evidence review and conceptual synthesis of research-based tools for sustainable change. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1133

Janik Blaskova, L., Le Courtois, S., Baker, S.T., Gibson, J.L., Ramchandani, P.G., O’Farrelly, CH., & Fink, E. (2020). Participant engagement with play research - examples and lessons learned from the Centre for Play in Education, Development and Learning. International Journal of Play, 9(4), 365-381. https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2020.1843804

Kittredge, A. K., Day, N., Janik Blaskova, L., Zhang, H., & Baker, S. T. (2018). Teachers’ views on supporting self-regulated learning in early childhood science education. 13th International Conferences of the Learning Sciences (ICLS). Conference proceedings.

Janik Blaskova, L., & McLellan, R.W. (2017). Young people’s perceptions of wellbeing: The importance of peer relationships in Slovak schools. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology.

PhD in Education (Psychology of Education), University of Cambridge

MPhil Education (Psychology of Education), University of Cambridge, Distinction

British Psychological Society graduate conversion course, University of Cambridge

MA Applied Psychology (Guidance Counselling), University College Cork, Ireland, First Class Honours

Diploma in Social and Psychological Health Studies, University College Cork, Ireland, First Class Honours

Fellow with the Higher Education Academy

2017 - 2020 Research Assistant, University of Cambridge, joined Faculty of Education & NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough project

Papworth FICE project: Barriers and facilitating factors to impact change in clinical practice through CPD

• Interviewing medical practitioners, cardiology & anaesthesia trainees: recruiting participants; preparing interview schedules; organising interviews, recordings and transcriptions
• Coding data in NVivo, supporting the conceptualization of findings, leading to survey preparation
• Coordinating and facilitating focus groups with medical trainees to validate survey questions

2019 - 2019 Research Consultant, Cambridge Assessment, Cambridge-Malaysia Collaboration, Educational Reform

• Monitoring and evaluation of the CEFR–Cambridge English curriculum roll-out in schools
• Contributing to the qualitative analysis report for the Ministry of Education in Malaysia

2016 - 2018 Research Assistant, University of Cambridge, Play in Education, Development and Learning (PEDAL) Research Centre

Social Play, Social Lives research area: Children Relationships through Play

• Video coding dyadic play of children at the age of 5-6 years

Stepping stones in science: Guiding playful learning’ research area

• Piloting measures on autonomy, motivation and executive functions in primary school classrooms
• Developing child-led pedagogical approaches for teaching science in primary schools
• Working with teachers as co-researchers, organising and facilitating workshops
• Conducting literature review to support Theory of Change for the role of play in education
• Preparing summary documents and graphical displays of findings
• Reception and Year 1 children – Disclosure & Barring Service Certificate

2018 - 2021 Teaching Assistant, University of Cambridge