Dr David Ben Shannon

(Neuro)Queering Childhoods (March 2023) and (Neuro)Queering Education (March 2024)

With the Children and Childhoods research group at Manchester Met, I have coordinated two international research and practice sharing events on how ideas from queer studies and critical autism studies might be put to work in educational practice.

Follow @NeuroQueerChld for more.

Teaching for Neurodiversity

I have delivered seminars and lectures based on my own research and that of others on the topic of “Teaching for Neurodiversity.” I have done this on initial and continuing teacher education programmes at University of Melbourne, University of Buckingham, and Manchester Metropolitan University, as well as for the Montessori Network.

Research Mobilities in Primary Literacy Education (2021-2024)
PI: Prof Cathy Burnett, Sheffield Hallam University; with Dr Gil Adams, SHU; Prof Julia Gillen, Lancaser; Dr Terrie-Lynn Thompson, Stirling.
I was Researcher on this ESRC-funded project investigating how literacy research evidence moves to and between primary teachers and what happens to it as it does so.

Supporting Young Children’s Language through Place and Movement in Museums (2022)
Humber Museums Partnership. PI: Dr Abigail Hackett, Sheffield Hallam University, with Christina Macrae, Manchester Metropolitan University.

Language and Place (2022)
PI: Dr Abigail Hackett, Manchester Metropolitan University
I was Research Assistant on this project reviewing extant literature related to the entanglement of children’s language with place.

Neuroqueer(ing) Noise (2017-2021) 
My doctoral research-creation project explores how neurodiversity unfolds through music composition in the early childhood classroom.

Oblique Curiosities (2018-ongoing)
with Dr Sarah E. Truman (University of Melbourne)
This project explores research-creation praxis: we write songs as a way of thinking through method and theory.

I teach on the Early Years and Childhood Studies (EYCS) BA, Educational Psychology BA, and Education Studies BSc undergraduate degrees. In 2023-2024, I am unit leader for:

• Inclusion and Disability (Education Studies, BA and EYCS, BA: Level 5),
• Psychology for Inclusive Education (Educational Psychology, BSc: Level 6).

I am also unit tutor on:

• Key Discourses, Debates, and Understandings In Education ( Education, MA)
• What is Development? (EYCS, BA: Level 4),
• Science of Prevention (Education Psychology, BSc: Level 4),
• Individual Differences in Education (Education Psychology, BSc: Level 5),
• Disrupting Childhoods (EYCS, BA: Level 6).

In previous academic years, I have taught:

• Deconstructing Child Development (EYCS, BA: Level 5), 
• Introduction to Primary Education (EYCS, BA: Level 5),
• Perspectives of Play (EYCS, BA: Level 5),
• Queering Child Development (EYCS, BA: Level 6).
• Academic and Professional Practice (Early Years and Childhood Studies, BA: Level 5).

I welcome applications from prospective post-graduate research students interested in critical autism studies or disability studies in education, queer studies, early childhood education, or sound- or arts-based methods. My current PhD supervisions include:

• Joanna Szupien: “Mobilisations of the intense interests of autistic children within special education classrooms.”
• Laura Jinkins: “Neurodivergence and Education: Using Zine Creation as a Methodological and Material Practice.”
• Auto/ethnography and Primary Initial Teacher Training: Approaches to Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion

Complete Masters supervisions include:

• “Perspectives on the inclusion of trans identities in school on Twitter.”

My research interests include:

• special education and neurodiveristy in early childhood education;
• how queer-feminist theories of the materiality of disability, race and colonisation  complicate notions of identity and ability in the classroom;
• the entanglement of early language with affect and place;
• arts-based research methods (e.g., research-creation).

ARTICLES IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS

Shannon, D. B., & Hackett, A. (2024). The entanglement of language and place in early childhood: A review of the literature. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies. (Open Access)

Shannon, D. B. Hackett, A. (2024). Opaque Reciprocity: Theorising Glissant’s ‘right to opacity’ as a communication and language praxis in early childhood education. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education. (Open Access)

Truman, S. E., Shannon, D. B., & Yusoff, K. Y. (2023). Cosmic Beavers: Queer counter-mythologies and the practice of research-creation. Angelaki: Journal of the Theoretical Humanities. 28(6). (Open Access)

Shannon, D. B. (2023). ‘Trajectories matter’: Affect, neuroqueerness and music research-creation in an early childhood classroom. Qualitative Inquiry. 29(1) (Open Access)

Shannon, D. B. (2024). Perversity, precarity, and an embarrassment of (neuro)queer failures: Tracing a ‘more precise typology’ of the affects of failure and anxiety in an in-school research-creation project. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. 37(3) (Open Access)

Shannon, D. B. (2021). A/autisms :: a ‘queer labor of the incommensurate’: Holding onto the friction between different orientations towards autism in an early childhood research-creation project. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education.  (Open Access)

Shannon, D. B. (2021). What do ‘propositions’ do for research-creation? Truth and modality in Whitehead and Wittgenstein. Matter: Journal of New Materialist Research. 2(2) (Open Access)

Shannon, D. B. (2020). Neuroqueering Noise: Beyond ‘mere inclusion’ in a neurodiverse early childhood classroom. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies. 9(5) (Open Access)

Shannon, D. B., & Truman, S. E. (2020). Problematizing sound methods through music research-creation: Oblique Curiosities. International Journal of Qualitative Methods. 19 (Open Access)

Shannon, D. B. (2019). ‘What could be feminist about sound studies?’: (in)Audibility in young children’s soundwalking. Journal of Public Pedagogies. (4) (Open Access)

Truman, S. E., & Shannon, D. B. (2018). Queer sonic cultures: An affective walking-composing project. Capacious: Journal for Emerging Affect Inquiry. 1(3) (Open Access)

​

CHAPTERS IN EDITED BOOKS

Shannon, D. B. (2023). “Oh, I could do that!” Cheap but good advice for playing music in a classroom. In P. Gibson, R. Morgan, & A. Brett, (Eds.), Primary Teacher Solutions: Ready Pedagogy and Inspirational Ideas. Routledge.

REPORTS

Ĉermákóva, A., Adams, G., Burnett, C., Gillen, J., Thompson, T.L., Shannon, D., Shetty, P. And Vackova, P. (2024). Investigating Research Mobilities: A Methods Resource. Project Report. Sheffield Hallam University. https://doi.org/10.7190/shu-reports-24008 

Burnett, C., Adams, G., Gillen, J., Thompson, T.L. , Čermáková , A., Shannon, D., Shetty, P. (2024). Engaging with research: Briefing for teachers. Project Report. https://doi.org/10.7190/shu-reports-24003

Burnett, C., Adams, G., Gillen, J., Thompson, T.L. , Čermáková , A., Shannon, D., Shetty, P. (2024). How does research about literacy education move to, among and around teachers? Research briefing for school/trust leaders. Project Briefing. https://doi.org/10.7190/shu-reports-24007

Burnett, C., Adams, G., Gillen, J., Thompson, T.L. , Čermáková , A., Shannon, D., Shetty, P. (2024). How does research about literacy education move to, among and around teachers? Research briefing for teacher educators. Project Briefing. https://doi.org/10.7190/shu-reports-24005

Burnett, C., Adams, G., Gillen, J., Thompson, T.L. , Čermáková , A., Shannon, D., Shetty, P. (2024). How does research about literacy education move to, among and around teachers? Research briefing for policy makers. Project Briefing. https://doi.org/10.7190/shu-reports-24001

Burnett, C., Adams, G., Gillen, J., Thompson, T.L. , Čermáková , A., Shannon, D., Shetty, P. (2024). How does research about literacy education move to, among and around teachers? Research briefing for independent consultants. Project Briefing.https://doi.org/10.7190/shu-reports-24002

Burnett, C., Adams, G., Gillen, J., Thompson, T.L. , Čermáková , A., Shannon, D., Shetty, P. (2024). How does research move to, among and around teachers? Briefing for researchers. Project Briefing. https://doi.org/10.7190/shu-reports-24004

CONFERENCE PAPERS

Shannon, D. B., and Truman, S. E. (January 2024). Cosmic Beavers: Queer counter-mythologies and the practice of research-creation. European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ECQI). Helsinki, Finland.

Shannon, D. B., and Truman, S. E. (January 2024) Queering nostalgia: Speculating with “Doctor Who” character Alpha Centauri towards utopic futures.  European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ECQI). Helsinki, Finland.

Shannon, D. B., and Hackett, A. (January 2024) The ‘right to opacity’ in early childhood education: Reciprocity and Relation.  European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ECQI). Helsinki, Finland.

Shannon, D. B. (September 2023).  Neuroqueer(ing) intimacy as an animate literacy: The queer intimacy of intensive interactions in the special education classroom. Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education (RECE).

Adams, G., Burnett, C., Shannon, D. B., Shetty, P. (August 2023). Is a Diversification in Sources of Expertise Accompanied by Lack of Diversity in the Research that Gains Influence? European Congress of Educational Research (ECER). Glasgow, UK.

Shannon, D. B. (August 2023). Problematising Competence in Special Education Classrooms through Intensive Interactions communication strategies. European Congress of Educational Research (ECER). Glasgow, UK.

Shannon, D. B. & Cermakova, A. (June 2023). ​Using case studies to examine movements of research​. UK Literacy Associated (UKLA). Exeter, UK.

Shannon, D. B. (June 2023). A/autisms :: A queer labor of the incommensurate. Child as Method symposium. Manchester, UK.

Shannon, D. B. (April 2023). Neuroqueering ‘literacies:’ Contesting competence in a primary special education literacy classroom. American Educational Research Association (AERA). Chicago, US.

Shannon, D. B. and Truman, S. E. (April 2023). The Queer Temporal Contours of Alpha Centauri: Mobilising Future-Oriented Nostalgia as a Praxis for Imaging Queerer Worlds Through Musical Fan Fiction. American Educational Research Association (AERA). Chicago, US.

Truman, S. E. and Shannon, D. B. (January 2023). Conceptual Vaudeville: Songwriting Methodologies with Oblique Curiosities. European Congress on Qualitative Inquiry. Portsmouth, UK.

Shannon, D. B. (January 2023). European Congress on Qualitative Inquiry. Portsmouth, UK.

Shannon, D. B. (June 2022). Reciprocity as semiosis: Thinking literacy beyond meaning in ‘Intensive Interactions’. Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education. 

Shannon, D. B. (June 2022). ‘Intensive interactions’: Neuroqueering ‘literacy’ in the special education classroom. The International Association for Research in L1 Education (ARLE). Cyprus.

​Shannon, D. B. (May 2022). ​‘Intensive interactions’: (Neuro)Queer intimacies, and ‘animate literacies’ in the special education classroom. Canadian Sociological Association. Virtual.

Truman, S. E. and Shannon, D. B. (May 2022). Cosmic Beavers: Queer counter-mythologies and the practice of research-creation. Association for Philosophy and Literature. Banff.

​Truman, S. E. and Shannon, D. B. (April 2021). Counter-archives of feeling: In-school speculations on queer pasts and anticolonial futures. American Education Research Association (AERA). Virtual conference.

Truman, S. E. and Shannon, D. B. (August 2020). Speculative Songwriting and Queer Futurities. European Congress of Educational Research (ECER). Glasgow, Scotland. [Conference cancelled]

Shannon, D. B. (April 2020). Beyond the “state of permanent tension”: Listening affirmatively to Black Madness in the music classroom. American Education Research Association (AERA). San Francisco, California, USA. [Conference cancelled]

Shannon, D. B. (April 2020). Affirming neuro-queer rhetorics in early childhood education. American Education Research Association (AERA). San Francisco, California, USA. [Conference cancelled]

Shannon, D. B. (April 2020). Refusing volition, refusing music, refusing time: Neuroqueer sonic/autonomic refrains in early childhood composition. American Education Research Association (AERA). San Francisco, California, USA. [Conference cancelled]

Shannon, D. B. (December 2019). (in)Audible, (in)Audacious and (in)Affective: Neuroqueering the soundwalk. Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE). Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Shannon, D. B. (December 2019). Contesting chrono-ableism: Neuroqueer refrainic refusals in young children’s musical compositions. Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE). Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Truman, S. E. and Shannon, D. B. (December 2019). Queer textualities and temporalities: speculating-with Alpha Centauri. Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE). Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Truman, S. E. and Shannon, D. B. (December 2019). Luring Feeling: Composing with public’s affective milieu. Cultural Studies Association of Australia (CSAA). Brisbane, Queensland , Australia.

Shannon, D. B. (July 2019). Sounding a neuroqueer future: Walking-composing in Northern England. Disability and Disciplines: The International Conference on Educational, Cultural, and Disability Studies (CDS).  Liverpool, UK.

Shannon, D. B. (May 2019).  Chrono-ableist contours of neuroqueer meanderings: Electrodermal activity and sonic research-creation in northern England. International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI). Illinois, ON. 

Shannon, D. B. (April 2019).  (Neuro)queer temporalities: ‘Surprising deviants’ in northern England. American Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies (AAACS). Toronto, ON. 

Shannon, D. B. (April 2019). Rhetorical inclusion beyond the “Inclusion” rhetorics: Neuroqueer literacies in Northern England. American Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies (AAACS). Toronto, ON. 

Truman, S. E. and Shannon, D. B. (August 2018). Queer sonic cultures: An affective walking-composing project. Capacious: Affective Inquiry/Making Space. Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Shannon, D. B. (August 2018). Affect and Neuro-diverse learning in the Early Years: Sound-art as relational pedagogy. Capacious:Affective Inquiry/Making Space. Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Shannon, D. B. and Truman, S. E. (July 2018). Queer the landscape: Walking-songing-researching from Melrose to Lindisfarne. Beyond The Pedestrian. Liverpool, UK. 

INVITED LECTURES

Shannon, D. B. (May 2022). ​Neuroqueering literacy: Intimacies and intensities in the special education classroom. MMU: Language, Place and Childhood.

​Shannon, D. B. (August 2021). Trajectories matter: Theories of affect and disability justice in an in-school research-creation project.