Amy Johnston is a SEND music specialist teacher and researcher based in the UK. She completed her EdD at the University of Reading in 2023, the focus of which was on evaluating the efficacy of a skills-based intervention on the readiness of generalist teachers in a special school to teach music. Amy has since shared findings from her doctoral research at a number of international music education conferences and has guest lectured at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Alongside Professor Adam Ockelford (Roehampton University) and Sarah McCarthy (Roehampton University/University of Surrey), she has secured funding from SEMPRE to investigate how targeted Continuing Professional Development (CPD) may be able to empower Teaching Assistants to draw upon their own musicality and established SEND pedagogy to design and facilitate meaningful music-making activities with children with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD). Amy is also currently the Headteacher of a large primary special needs school and has previously worked as an Associate Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University in the areas of music teacher training and inclusion.
special interests
Amy’s particular areas of interest relate to SEND music provision and pedagogy, inclusive music education, and generalist primary teacher training/CPD in music, specifically in special needs schools. In future research, Amy hopes to explore the wider applicability of her EdD research findings, further exploring links with Early Years music provision and the specific support practitioners need to meet the increasing complexity of need in both mainstream and special school classrooms.
contact details
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