Dr Karen Daniels EdD, MA, PGCE TLHE, BEd (Hons) Primary English
Associate Professor in Early Literacies
- Sheffield Institute of Education
- Centre for Regional Economic and Social Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
- Social and Economic Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Institute
Summary
I began working at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ after a career of many years in school as a Primary and Early Years teacher. My main area of research focuses on young children's early literacy practices in all its diverse forms and expressions.
About
The main role I have undertaken while working at SHU has been English subject lead (Primary and Early Years) where I co-ordinated developments in English for our Initial Teacher Training courses, including BA QTS and PGCE in Primary and Early Years Education. I am currently the Doctorate in Education course leader.
I hold a number of external roles related to my field. I am an Executive Council member and trustee for the United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA), where I also act as publications committee convenor. I am co-editor of 'Literacy' journal and book reviews editor for the 'Journal of Early Childhood Literacy'. I am founder and co-convenor of UKLA's Early Literacy in Education Special Interest Group, a group of international colleagues interested in exploring literacy from a diverse and inclusive range of perspectives.
My doctoral thesis, 'Movement, Meaning and Affect: the stuff early literacies are made of' contributed to understandings of the significance of the moving, feeling body as young children's literacy practices emerge in early years classrooms. My thesis re-explores notions of cultural agency and how this is manifest in young children's everyday encounters in literacy classrooms. My work theorises the significance of the moving, feeling body and the kinds of symbolic meanings that are produced by children.
As well as leading the Doctorate in Education, I supervise doctoral students and work with the postgraduate team to enhance the research experience and culture of postgraduate researchers.
My teaching interests mainly involve the development of early language and reading and writing. I am also interested in how children's literature supports children literacy development.
Teaching
Sheffield Institute of Education
College of Social Sciences and Arts
I have been involved in a broad range of literacy research projects since joining Sheffield Hallam, including the following: EEF Evaluation of REACH; Book Trust Evaluations; collaborative grammar; Strategic School Improvement Fund projects (Oracy, Contextualise Grammar, Mastery English); Digital Literacies in the Early Years.
Subject Area
Post Graduate Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Courses Taught
- Doctorate in Education
- PGCE Primary and Early Years (Initial Teacher Education)
- Primary and Early Years Education (BA QTS)
- MA in Education
Modules(s) Current/Recent
- Developing your Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Focus
- Developing the Literature Review
- Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Methodologies and Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Design
Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
- Centre for Regional Economic and Social Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
- Social and Economic Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Institute
Current Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
English Mastery Evaluation
Co-researching Grammar
Strategic School Improvement Fund projects
Featured Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
- Evaluation of English Mastery
- Co-researching grammar
- Strategic School Improvement Fund projects
Collaborators/Sponsors
Reading for Pleasure Teachers as Readers Project in collaboration with the Open University.
Publications
Journal articles
Daniels, K., Duncan, S., Harmey, S., & Taylor, L. (2024). . Literacy, 58 (1), 1-2.
Daniels, K., & Taylor, L. (2023). . Literacy, 57 (3), 207-208.
Daniels, K., & Taylor, L. (2023). . Literacy, 57 (1), 1-2.
Daniels, K., & Taylor, R. (2022). . Literacy, 56 (3), 189-90.
Daniels, K. (2020). . English Teaching: Practice and Critique.
Daniels, K. (2019). . International Journal of Early Years Education.
Daniels, K., Burnett, C., Bower, K., Escott, H., Ehiyazaryan-White, E., Hatton, A., & Monkhouse, J. (2019). . Education and Information Technologies, 25 (4), 2415-2426.
Daniels, K., Burnett, C., Bower, K., Escott, H., Hatton, A., Ehiyazaryan-White, E., & Monkhouse, G. (2019). . Education and Information Technologies, 25, 2415-2426.
Daniels, K. (2019). . Journal of early childhood literacy.
Daniels, K. (2015). . English in Education, 50 (1), 12-34.
Burnett, C., Daniels, K., Gray, L., Myers, J., & Sharpe, S. (2015). . Teacher Development, 19 (3), 275-293.
Daniels, K. (2014). . Literacy, 48 (2), 103-111.
Burnett, C., Merchant, G., Daniels, K., Taylor, R., Bailey, C., & Monkhouse, J. (2013). Zombe Apocalypse: Children's problem-solving in a virtual world. English 4-11, (48), 7-10.
Daniels, K. (2013). Supporting the development of positive dispositions and learner identities: an action research study into the impact and potential of developing photographic learning stories in the Early Years. Education 3-13, 41 (3), 300-315.
Conference papers
Kontovourki, S., Daniels, K., & Hackett, A. (2021). . In Let's Talk About Literacy UKLA 2021 International Conference, Online, 2 July 2021 - 4 July 2021.
Kontovourki, S., Daniels, K., & Hackett, A. (2021). . In Let's Talk About Literacy UKLA 2021 International Conference, Online, 2 July 2021 - 4 July 2021.
Book chapters
Daniels, K., & Hussain, J. (2025). . In Daniels, K., & Helks, M. (Eds.) An introduction to Diverse Literacies in Primary Classrooms: Perspectives on pedagogy and practice. (pp. 9-23). London: Routledge:
Daniels, K., & Hussain, J. (2025). . In Daniels, K., & Helks, M. (Eds.) An introduction to Diverse Literacies in Primary Classrooms: Perspectives on pedagogy and practice. (pp. 9-23). London: Routledge:
Daniels, K., & Helks, M. (2025). . In Daniels, K., & Helks, M. (Eds.) An introduction to Diverse Literacies in Primary Classrooms: Perspectives on pedagogy and practice. (pp. 1-8). London: Routledge:
Daniels, K., & Helks, M. (2025). . In Daniels, K., & Helks, M. (Eds.) An introduction to Diverse Literacies in Primary Classrooms: Perspectives on pedagogy and practice. (pp. 1-8). London: Routledge:
Borland, S., & Daniels, K. (2025). . In Daniels, K., & Helks, M. (Eds.) An introduction to Diverse Literacies in Primary Classrooms: Perspectives on pedagogy and practice. (pp. 107-123). London: Routledge:
Borland, S., & Daniels, K. (2025). . In Daniels, K., & Helks, M. (Eds.) An introduction to Diverse Literacies in Primary Classrooms: Perspectives on pedagogy and practice. (pp. 107-123). London: Routledge:
Daniels, K., & Myers, J. (2025). Developing subject knowledge in English. In Getting into Primary Teaching. (pp. 64-90). Routledge:
Burnett, C., & Daniels, K. (2019). . In Woods, A., & Exley, B. (Eds.) Literacies in Early Childhood: Foundations for equitable, quality pedagogy. Oxford University Press, Australia and New Zealand:
Daniels, K., & Taylor, R. (2018). . In Fitzgerald, D., & Maconochie, H. (Eds.) Early Childhood Studies: A students' guide. (pp. 47-62). London: Sage:
Daniels, K. (2017). Children’s Engagement with iPads in Early Years Classrooms: Exploring Peer Cultures and Transforming Practices. In The Case of the iPad. (pp. 195-210). Springer Singapore:
Daniels, K. (2017). . In Burnett, C., Merchant, G., Simpson, A., & Walsh, M. (Eds.) The case of the iPad mobile literacies in education. (pp. 195-210). Singapore: Springer:
Daniels, K. (2016). . In Kucirkova, N., & Falloon, G. (Eds.) Apps, technology and younger learners : international evidence for teaching. (pp. 280-292). London: Routledge:
Burnett, C., Daniels, K., & Sawka, V. (2016). . In Wyse, D., & Rogers, S. (Eds.) A Guide to Early Years and Primary Teaching. (pp. 125-144). Sage:
Burnett, C., & Daniels, K. (2015). . In Garvis, S., & Lemmon, N. (Eds.) Understanding Digital Technologies and Young Children : an international perspective. (pp. 18-27). Routledge
Books
Daniels, K., & Helks, M. (n.d.). An Introduction to Diverse Literacies in Primary Classrooms. Routledge.
Reports
Culliney, M., Daniels, K., Booth, J., Coldwell, M., & Demack, S. (2021). REACH Primary Evaluation Report. Education Endowment Foundation.
Burnett, C., Merchant, G., Daniels, K., & Garrick, R. (2014). Expert Review of Booktrust Resources.
Burnett, C., Daniels, K., & Bailey, C. (2014). The Impact of Early Years Bookgifting Programmes on Literacy Attainment: A Literature Review.
Presentations
Daniels, K. (2023). Representation, Movement and Affect. Presented at: 29th Annual RECE conference Pathways: Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, Where We Want to Go, Manchester Metropolitan University
Daniels, K. (2022). The Affective Dimensions of Superhero Play. Presented at: 2022 United Kingdom Literacy Association International Conference, McDonald Burlington, Birmingham
Monkhouse, J., & Booth, J. (2022). Teaching Assistants' Insights following a one-to-one Year 3 Reading Intervention: Gentle negotiations. Presented at: 2022 United Kingdom Literacy Association International Conference, McDonald Burlington Hotel, Birmingham
Taylor, R., & Daniels, K. (2022). Teachers' Perceptions of Post Pandemic Classroom Talk. Presented at: UKLA International Conference, Birmingham Macdonalds Hotel
Daniels, K. (2021). Movement, Meaning and Affect in Early Literacy Classrooms. Presented at: Educational Futures Cluster (invited seminar), Open University, Milton Keynes
Daniels, K., & Taylor, R. (2020). . Presented at: Literacy Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Association 2020 Annual Conference, Virtual, 2020
Daniels, K. (2019). Movement, meaning and affect in early literacy classrooms. Presented at: UKLA 55th International Conference: Literacy and Play for All: Improvisation, possibility and imagination, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, UK
Daniels, K. (2019). Movement, meaning and affect in early literacy classrooms. Presented at: UKLA 55th International Conference Literacy and Play for All: Improvisation, possibility ad imagination, Sheffield, UK
Daniels, K., & Smith, L. (2019). Working with the United Kingdom Literacy Association. How can UKLA support your school in advancing practice in the teaching of English? Presented at: Sheffield Institute of Education Festival of Education, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Daniels, K. (2019). Movement and semiotic orchestrations of meaning in early years classrooms.Participation in Interaction: Multimodal Understandings of Interaction in a Range of Education Settings. Presented at: AERA 19 Symposium Participation in Interaction, Toronto, Canada
Daniels, K. (2019). Movement, meaning and affect in early literacy classrooms. Presented at: American Educational Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Association Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada
Daniels, K. (2019). Movement, meaning and affect: the stuff early childhood literacies are made of. Presented at: Reconceptualising Early Childhood Literacies: an international conference, Manchester Conference Centre
Daniels, K. (2019). Movement and Meaning in Early Literacy Classrooms. Presented at: Educational Futures (invited speaker), Open University , Milton Keynes
Daniels, K., Bailey, C., Merchant, G., & Burnett, C. (2018). Playful Literacies in Contemporary Places: Movement and meaning in early literacy classrooms (Symposium). Presented at: ESRC Festival of Social Science, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Ehiyazaryan- White, E., Hatton, A., & Monkhouse, J. (2018). Teachers' beliefs, experiences and perceptions of digital and multimodal literacies in early years settings. Presented at: UKLA 54th International Conference. Literacies in a changing world: creativity, criticality, empowerment, Cardiff, Wales
Daniels, K., & Burnett, C. (2017). Early Years and Elementary Teachers' Experiences of Digital Literacies: Insights from a cross-country interview inquiry. Presented at: Literacy in Contemporary Society: Spaces, Discourses, Practices, University of Cyprus, Nicosia
Daniels, K. (2017). Children's Emerging Literacy Practices. Presented at: UKLA 53rd International Conference. Literacy, Equity, Diversity: Bringing voices together, University of Glasgow
Daniels, K. (2017). Children's emerging literacy practices. Presented at: UKLA 53rd International Conference, University of Glasgow
Daniels, K., & Monkhouse, J. (2017). Working collaboratively to develop a descriptive pedagogy of grammar. Presented at: Faculty of Development and Society Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Conference: Challenging norms and conventions in education, pedagogy and employability, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Daniels, K. (2016). Magic spells, being invisible and flying: young children's expression of the human and superhuman through spatial and material explorations in small world play. Presented at: Literacy Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Association. Mobilising Literacy Ï㽶ÊÓƵ for Social Transformation, Nashville, USA
Daniels, K. (2016). Cultural agency and young children's authoring in early childhood education settings : Ï㽶ÊÓƵ paper. Presented at: TACTYC International Conference: Children's and practitioners' experiences of early years care and education. Advocating for young children through research and practice, Birmingham Conference Centre
Daniels, K. (2016). Cultural agency and young children's authoring in early childhood education settings. Presented at: UKLA 51st International Conference. Re-assessing Literacy: talking, reading and writing in the 21st Century, Nottingham, UK
Daniels, K., Myers, J., Monkhouse, J., & Creasey-Gray, L. (2016). Working Collaboratively to Develop a Descriptive Pedagogy of Grammar : A research report. Presented at: UKLA 52nd International Conference. Literacy, Equality and Diversity. Bringing voices together: 50 years of literacy continuity and change, Bristol, UK
Daniels, K. (2016). Magic spells, being invisible and flying: young children's expression of the human and superhuman through spatial and material explorations in small world play. Presented at: Everyday Literacies, Sheffield University
Daniels, K., Burnett, C., & Sawka, V. (2016). Let it go: the role of playfulness within a teaching repertoire. Presented at: Invited presentation : book launch, University College London
Daniels, K. (2014). Young children as cultural agents: exploring literacy practices within enabling early education contexts. Presented at: Literacy Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Association. The Dialogic Construction of Literacies, Marco Island, Florida
Daniels, K. (2014). Meaning making in contemporary classrooms. Presented at: UKLA 50th International Conference, Brighton, UK
Daniels, K., & Yamada Rice, D. (2013). Keep taking the tablets: iPads, young children and story apps. Presented at: The Children's Media Conference Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Insights at the CMD, Sheffield, UK
Other activities
External Conference Presentations
UKLA 54th International Conference. Cardiff. July 2018. Literacies in a changing world: creativity, criticality, empowerment: Teachers' perceptions of digital literacies in childhood: Teachers' beliefs, experiences and perceptions on digital and multimodal literacies in early years settings (symposium) COST Action funded project.
Literacy in Contemporary Society: Spaces, Discourses, Practices. University of Cyprus. December . Dec. 2017. Early Years and Elementary Teachers’ Experiences of Digital Literacies: Insights from a cross-country in Interview Enquiry (symposium) COST Action funded project.
UKLA 53rd International Conference. Glasgow. July 2017. Literacy, Equality and Diversity: Bringing voices together. Children's emerging literacy practices: the stuff childhood worlds are made of.
American Literacy Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Association. Nashville, USA. December 2016. Mobilizing Literacy Ï㽶ÊÓƵ for Social Transformation December. 2015. Articulating The Body In Literacy Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Symposium
UCL Institute of Education. June 2016 Let it go! The role of playfulness within a teaching repertoire. (Invited presentation)
Everyday Literacies. June 2016. Sheffield University. Magic spells, being invisible and flying: young children's expression of the human and the superhuman through spatial and material explorations in small world play.
TACTYC Annual Conference. November 2015. International Convention Centre, Birmingham. Cultural agents meet schooled literacies: expanding conceptualisations of early literacy.
available at
UKLA 52nd International Conference Bristol, July 2015. Literacy, Equality and Diversity: Bringing voices together. 50 Years of literacy Continuity & Change. Working Collaboratively to Develop a Descriptive Pedagogy of Grammar UKLA funded project.
UKLA 51st International conference. Brighton, July 2015. Re-assessing Literacy: talking, reading and writing in the 21st Century. Cultural agency and young children’s authoring in early childhood education settings.
Internal Conference Papers
Festival Of Social Science November 2017. Sheffield Institute of Education. Playful Literacies in Contemporary Places.
Social Sciences and Humanities Conference. June 2017. Working collaboratively to develop a descriptive pedagogy of grammar.
Membership and Affiliations
I am a member, regional representative and member of the conference sub-committee for the United Kingdom Literacy Association (Region 16, Yorkshire)
I hold membership of the National Council for English.
I am a member of the National Association for the Teaching of English and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Postgraduate supervision
I am currently supervising 5 doctoral researchers. Topics include :Literacy, early literacies, embodied literacies, experiences of teachers, children's communication and language, affective and socio-material literacies.