Diahann Gallard

I qualified as a Primary school teacher in 1997 and taught for six years as a class teacher in Foundation, Key Stage One and Key Stage Two.  Whilst teaching I completed a postgraduate qualification in Early Years Education and then returned to university to complete a psychology degree (with research focussing on ASD and Systemizing/Empathising Quotients in pre-school children).  Whilst studying psychology I had my first article published in ‘Psychtalk’ (the student journal for The British Psychological Society).  I worked for a short period as a research assistant for the LJMU School of Psychology, liaising with schools and overseeing testing with Reception children on a funded project (looking at working memory and mathematical attainment) before going on to completed an M.A. in Education (with research focussing on emotional intelligence).  Currently, in addition to my part-time lecturing post, I am collecting data for my PhD research which focuses on the cognitive and emotional outcomes from relationships between young children and animals and, more recently, the animal-child interaction opportunities in English Primary schools

Current Post

Senior Lecturer in Early Years Education

Qualifications

B.Ed. (Hons)  Primary Education
P.G. Cert. (Early Years Education)
B.Sc. (Hons)  Applied Psychology
M.A. in Education
LJUM Advanced Mentor recognition
Certificate of Attendance for Introduction to Play Therapy (PTUK accredited CPD)
PhD [in progress]

Courses (Subjects) taught

In 20011/12
Modules I lead:
5104ECHILD   EFFECTIVE PEDAGOGY
5112EDSTUD   SUPPORTING CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION IN THE EARLY YEARS
6104EDSTUD   CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
6113EDSTUD   LEARNING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE  
Modules I also teach on:
4101ECHILD   INTRODUCTION TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT
5101EDSTUD   DEVELOPING EMPLOYMENT SKILLS  
I am also a supervisor for:
6101EDSTUD INDEPENDENT PROJECT I am also a Peer Learning Group leader in Level 4 (ECS) and Level 5 (ES)

Professional and Research Interests

I am a graduate member of The British Psychological Society (BPS), the General Teaching Council (GTC) and Early Education (The British Association for Early Childhood Education). 
I am also a member of the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ).  This is a multi-disciplinary group that promotes studies of human-animal relationships through published research, meetings and disseminated data.
My areas of interest for research are the early years of education, educational psychology and educational anthrozoology.

Professional activity/Consultancy/successful bids

In March 2010 I spent time with Reggio Children in Reggio Emilia, Italy.   I was able to engage in dialogue with the practitioners of ‘Reggio’, the world renowned early years pedagogy and provision that informed the English EYFS.  A particular highlight was attending a keynote speech by Carla Rinaldi (President of Reggio Children in Reggio Emilia) which has greatly influenced my viewpoint for the value of environment, dialogue and relational pedagogy in the early years and the development of two new modules  5104ECHILD   Effective Pedagogy and 5112EDSTUD   Supporting Creativity and Imagination in the Early Years. In March this year I spent time in Denmark as part of an international study group and I was able to see quality early years outdoor provision first-hand. This has led to my current research into the recent policy and practice shift in England towards a nature pedagogy in the early years and the development of a new module 6113EDSTUD Learning inside and outside.
I work with various publishers as a reviewer for books, drafts and proposals for forthcoming educational texts.

Publications

Book Chapters:

D. Gallard.  How People Learn.  In Kassem, D., Mufti, E., & Murphy, L. (2008). Education Studies: An Introduction to Key Issues. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
D. Gallard.  The Psychology of Childhood.  In Kassem, D., Murphy, L., & Taylor, E. (Eds). (2009).  Childhood and Youth Studies: Critical Issues.  London: Routledge.
D. Gallard &  A. Garden.  The Psychology of Education.  In Dufour, B. & Curtis, W. (Eds).  (2011).  Studying Education: An introduction to the key disciplines in education studies.  Berkshire: Open University Press.

Conference papers:

Accepted for oral presentation
Gallard. D. (2011).  Animal-child interaction opportunities in English Primary schools.   The International Society for Anthrozoology (20th Annual Conference),  Indianapolis, USA.