Dr Mary E Chambers

Senior Lecturer in Special Educational Needs

Interests

I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education whose specialist area of work is in Special Educational Needs/Inclusive Education. I am a qualified teacher and have taught in both special and mainstream schools. Since joining the School of Education I have worked on a number of research projects in a number of different areas within special education.

I also contribute towards the teaching for the BA Childhood, Education and Culture/Childhood Studies degree and  masters level courses in generic aspects of special educational needs and developmental disorders.

My research interest include motor development in children, assessment, nature and intervention strategies for children with developmental coordination disorder, early intervention for children, good practice in delivering the National Curriculum to children with special educational needs and developmental disorders (disabilities) in children (ASD, DCD, ADHD and Dyslexia).

Current Research Projects

• Coordination disorders in the early years (funded by Action Medical Research) (with Professor David Sugden)

Other Research Projects include

• The CURRENT Project (Curriculum Entitlement for All) (with Professor David Sugden and Dr Sally Beveridge)
• Identification and assessment of movement difficulties in young children (with Professor David Sugden)
• Independent Way Finding (funded by the Nuffield Foundation)(with Dr Sally Beveridge and Dr Patrick Wiegand)
• Intervention approaches for children with developmental coordination disorder (funded by the University of Leeds) (with Professor David Sugden)
• Management and intervention in children with developmental coordination disorder using parents and teachers (funded by Action Research) (with Professor David Sugden)
• Monitoring the educational performance of children with developmental coordination disorder (funded by Action Research) (with Professor David Sugden)
• Good Move - Effective intervention with children with developmental coordination disorder (funded by NHS Executive Research and Development) (with Professor David Sugden, Dr David Cundall, Dr Mary Rudolf and Mrs Maggie Asquith)

I am a member of the Inclusive Education Academic Team within the School of Education.

Member of NASEN (http://www.nasen.org.uk), the National Handwriting Association (http://www.nha-handwriting.org.uk)  and the International Society for Research into DCD (http://amanda.kirby.users.btopenworld.com).

Developmental Coordination Disorder International Conference (DCDVIII) 23-26 June 2009, Baltimore, MD, USA. http://www.sph.umd.edu/KNES/faculty/jclark/research/DCDVIII/index.htm

Leeds University Motor Impairment Group (LUMIG) This is a recently formed group which has its origins in the School of Education and draws upon others in the University notably in Sports Science and in Health through the School of Medicine and associated clinical practices. The core of interest in the Group is the study of movement development and impairment in young children. This involves examining the progression from birth to maturity the development of movement skills with a particular emphasis on children who do not develop in an appropriate manner. LUMIG's activities include research plus consultancies and conferences. More details will shortly be available from LUMIG's website or please contact Professor David Sugden or Dr Mary Chambers.

Selected Publications

PAPERS

Green, D., Chambers, M.E. and Sugden, D.A. (2008). "Does subtype of developmental coordination disorder count: Is there a differential effect on outcome following intervention?". Human Movement Science, 27, 363-382.

Sugden, D.A. and Chambers, M.E. (2007). "Stability and Change in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder". Child: Care, Health and Development, 33, 520-528.

Sugden, D.A. and Chambers, M.E. (2003). "Intervention in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: the role of parents and teachers". British Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 545-561.

Chambers, M.E. and Sugden, D.A (2002). "The identification and assessment of young children with movement difficulties". International Journal of Early Years Education, 10, 157-176.

Sugden, D.A., Kirby, A., Chambers, M.E., Drew, S. and Jones, N. (2002). "Models of Provision for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder". Special, Autumn, 16-19.

Sugden, D.A. and Chambers, M.E. (1998). "Intervention approaches and children with developmental coordination disorder". Pediatric Rehabilitation, 2, 139-147.

Beveridge, S., Chambers, M., Hudders, W., Steill, B. and Wiegand, P. (1997). "Promoting independent wayfinding". The SLD Experience, 18, 11-12.

BOOKS

Chambers, M.E. and Sugden, D.A. (2006). "Early Years Movement Skills. Description, Diagnosis and Intervention". London: Whurr Publishers Ltd.

Sugden, D.A. and Chambers, M.E. (Eds.) (2005). "Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder". London: Whurr Publishers Ltd.

Sugden, D.A., Wright, H.C., Chambers, M.E. and Markee, A (2002). "Developmental Coordination Disorder. A Booklet for Parents and Professionals". Leeds: University of Leeds. Read Abstract.

CHAPTERS

Chambers, M.E., Sugden D.A. and Sinani, C. (2005). "The nature of children with developmental coordination disorder." in: D.A. Sugden and M.E. Chambers (Ed.) Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder. London: Whurr Publishers Ltd.

Sugden, D.A. and Chambers, M.E. (2005). "Models of intervention: towards an eco-developmental approach." in: D.A. Sugden and M.E. Chambers (Ed.) Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder. London: Whurr Publishers Ltd.

Extended list of publications.

This page last updated by Mary Chambers on 27th February 2009

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