Kerry Dally

Dr. Kerry Dally is a Senior Lecturer in Special Education and Early Childhood Education at the University of Newcastle. She joined the university in 2005 after completing her PhD in 2002 and working in research roles. Her teaching spans over 20 years, including roles in Special Education schools, primary education, and Early Childhood Intervention. Research interests include learning difficulties, values education, and early childhood intervention. She has conducted longitudinal studies on factors affecting reading acquisition and the impact of values education on school ambience.

• Education: PhD (University of Newcastle), Bachelor of Arts, Master of Special Education, and multiple diplomas in education.
• Administrative Roles: Acting Director of the Special Education Centre, overseeing agencies like Firstchance, Positive Partnerships, and Keyword Sign Australia.
• Collaborations: Advised NSW primary schools on values education projects and presented workshops in Australia and Hong Kong.

Research Interests: Dr. Dally focuses on inclusive education, teacher and student wellbeing, and special education. Her work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing transformative pedagogical approaches. Recent studies explore handwriting’s impact on literacy and the wellbeing of special education teachers.

Awards: 2002 Doctoral Thesis Award from the Australian Early Childhood Association. Over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters highlight her contributions to education research.

Grants: Secured funding for projects like the ATLAS obesity prevention program and evaluations of early childhood interventions. Total grant funding exceeds $699,000.

Supervision: Advised 14 completed and 3 ongoing PhD/Masters students, covering topics like disability standards, restorative practices, and deaf adolescents’ identities.

Labs/Teams: Leads initiatives within the Special Education Centre, promoting inclusive practices and family-centered early intervention for children with disabilities.