Kyleigh Melville

Thesis title: Neurodivergent students' experiences with multi-sensory environments in schools - A participatory action research approach

Biography

Background

Kyleigh is a first year ESRC-funded PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh. Her research explores neurodivergent students’ experiences with multi-sensory environments in schools using participatory action research methods. Kyleigh is also a Research Coordinator for the UCL Institute of Education on a pilot Widening Participation program for undergraduate students studying humanities and social sciences. Born and raised in Toronto (Canada), Kyleigh completed her BSc (Hons) in Psychology with Education at UCL and MEd in Psychology and Education at the University of Cambridge. Over the course and alongside her studies, Kyleigh has worked on numerous research projects on topics such as children's rights legislation and attitudes towards ethnic diversity in the Channel Islands, mental and physical health in global adult populations during Covid-19, and play and children's socio-emotional wellbeing during Covid-19.  Alongside her research, Kyleigh has worked as a Special Education Needs (SEND) educator in England for the past 8 years in public and private education as well as the third sector, specialising in working with autistic children and young people with co-occurring ADHD, dyslexia, socio-emotional mental health needs, profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), speech and language needs, and Down Syndrome.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) Psychology with Education | University College London (UCL), Institute of Education | 2017 - 2020

MEd Psychology and Education | University of Cambridge, Homerton College | 2020 - 2022 

Responsibilities & affiliations

Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the British Psychological Society

Undergraduate teaching

Teaching Assistant | UCL Institute of Education, 2018 - 2020

  • Assisted first and second year BSc students with using the SPSS software package to conduct exploratory data analysis and writing up quantitative and qualitative psychology reports
  • Facilitated group sessions on Cognitive Psychology in the Royal Free Hospital UCL Pathology Museum

Research summary

My research explores neurodivergent students' experiences with multi-sensory environments (MSEs) in schools. I plan to use participatory action research methods with neurodivergent students and educators and to co-produce local and/or national guidance on how to design and use MSEs effectively in schools. 

Current research interests

Autism, Neurodiversity, Sensory Environments, Universal Design, Co-production and Creative Methods, School-based Interventions (e.g. Lego-Based Therapy, Zones of Regulation, Sensory Circuits), Widening Participation in Higher Education

Past research interests

BSc (Hons) Thesis: Is there a correlation between visual word recognition and prevalence of autistic traits in dyslexic adults? MEd Thesis: "Talk to me about the LEGO!" A qualitative exploration of autistic students' experiences with LEGO-Based Therapy

Affiliated research centres

Conference details

Kaleidoscope 2022 - The Power of Storytelling in Education: Perspectives and Positionality

19th Annual Kaleidoscope Conference at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge

Online | 26 - 27 May 2022

Kaleidoscope 2022 : Faculty of Education (cam.ac.uk)

Papers delivered

Wong, K. K. Y., Loke, K., & Melville, K. M. K. L. (2022). Reflections, resilience and recovery: a qualitative study of COVID-19’s impact on an international adult population’s mental health and priorities for support. UCL Open Environment, 4.

In the press

Enabling Environments: A Human Rights Approach - Spotlight on Learning Disability (Oct 24th 2024)

Presentation - Designing multi-sensory environments in schools: what does this mean for neurodivergent students?

Enabling Environments — Scottish Ecological Design Association

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