Dr Paul Lynch

  • Reader (Culture, Literacies, Inclusion & Pedagogy)
  • Associate (School of Health & Wellbeing)

Biography

Paul joined the Culture, Literacies, Inclusion and Pedagogy research and teaching group at the School of Education in October 2020. He was previously a member of the Department of Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs at University of Birmingham. He is now an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Vision Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research (VICTAR) at the University of Birmingham.

Before becoming a lecturer, Paul conducted commissioned research for Sightsavers into the educational and social inclusion of children with disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa (2006 – 2019). He has conducted different types of, mixed-method, qualitative, and ethnographic research into the lives of children with vision impairment and has developed an increasingly strong interest in the cultures, beliefs and histories of children and young people with disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa (including children with albinism). He also has a keen interest in participatory action research approaches to understanding early childhood development, education and disability in the Global South (principally sub-Saharan countries).

More recently, he has been leading research into early childhood education and disability in Malawi. Paul is currently running a two year GCRF British Academy funded project into early childhood education and disability in Malawi (2019-2021).

He has carried out a series of consultancies for the Department for International Development (DFID) in Ghana specifically aimed at working closely with the Ministry of Education and Science to develop an ICT and SEN policy as well as an Inclusive Education strategy.

Paul is a full member of the Disability and Society Editorial Board and on the British Journal of Visual Impairment. He is also an editor for the International Journal of Educational Development.

 

Qualifications

PhD in Psychology and Education (Queen’s University Belfast)

Diploma in Autistic Spectrum Disorders Studies (University of Birmingham)

MSc in IT and Education (Trinity College Dublin)

B.Ed. (Hons.) Special Educational Needs (Middlesex University)

Research interests

Paul is interested in a range of themes associated with children, childhood and disability in the Global South. He has a strong interest in exploring the relationship between the education, health and social protection of children with neuro-developmental disabilities. He also has a strong interest in developing tools to support the inclusion, transition and participation of children into early childhood centres and primary schools.

Paul's recent research takes an international perspective into:

  • vision impairment and education,
  • early childhood education (and school readiness) of children with disabilities,
  • role of assistive technology to support learners with disabilities,
  • inter-disciplinary research into chid development, neuro-developmental disability and wellbeing,
  • models of inclusion and participation.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2018 | 2017 | 2014 | 2012 | 2011
Number of items: 27.

2024

Olusanya, B. O. et al. (2024) Early childhood development strategy for the world's children with disabilities. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1390107. (doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1390107)

Miah, M. A. A. et al. (2024) Every Newborn-Reach Up Early Education Intervention for All Children (EN-REACH)- a parent group intervention for school readiness in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Tanzania: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. Trials, (Accepted for Publication)

2023

Lynch, P., Schuelka, M. J., Brown, R. , Johnstone, C. and Tshewang, S. (2023) Meaningful employment opportunities for youth with disabilities in Bhutan: piloting an employment assessment toolkit. International Journal of Educational Development, 101, 102820. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102820)

Olusanya, B. O., Nair, M. K. C., Lynch, P. and Hadders-Algra, M. (2023) Editorial: Optimizing school readiness for children with developmental disabilities. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 11, 1196934. (doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1196934) (PMID:37124185) (PMCID:PMC10133715)

Lynch, P. et al. (2023) Experiences of identifying pre-school children with disabilities in resource limited settings – an account from Malawi, Pakistan and Uganda. Disability and Society, (doi: 10.1080/09687599.2023.2181769) (Early Online Publication)

2022

Jolley, E., Bechange, S., Mankhwazi, M., Mbukwa Ngwira, J., Murphy, R., Schmidt, E. and Lynch, P. (2022) Measuring the impact of a training intervention for early childhood centre staff on child development outcomes: Findings from a cluster randomized control field trial in rural Malawi. Child: Care, Health and Development, 48(5), pp. 736-743. (doi: 10.1111/cch.12981) (PMID:35112380)

Mclinden, M., Douglas, G., Hewett, R., Cobb, R., Keil, S., Lynch, P., Roe, J. and Thistlewaite, J. (2022) Promoting Equitable Access to Education for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment: A Route-Map for a Balanced Curriculum. Routledge: London. ISBN 9780367433000

Greenwood, M., Gercama, I., Lynch, P., Moore, K., Mankhwazi, M., Mbukwa, J. and Bedford, J. (2022) ‘Let’s grow together’: understanding the current provision of early childhood development and education for children with disabilities in rural Malawi through community-based participatory research. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 69(4), pp. 1200-1215. (doi: 10.1080/1034912X.2020.1786021)

Smythe, T., Almasri, N. A., Moreno Angarita, M., Berman, B. D., Kraus de Camargo, O., Hadders-Algra, M., Lynch, P., Samms-Vaughan, M. and Olusanya, B. O. (2022) The role of parenting interventions in optimizing school readiness for children with disabilities in low and middle income settings. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 10, 927678. (doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.927678)

Lynch, P., Singal, N. and Francis, G. A. (2022) Educational technology for learners with disabilities in primary school settings in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic literature review. Educational Review, (doi: 10.1080/00131911.2022.2035685) (Early Online Publication)

Soni, A., Reyes Soto, M. and Lynch, P. (2022) A review of the factors affecting children with disabilities’ successful transition to early childhood care and primary education in sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 20(1), pp. 59-79. (doi: 10.1177/1476718X211035428)

The Global Research on Developmental Disabilities Collaborators, (2022) Accelerating progress on early childhood development for children under 5 years with disabilities by 2030. Lancet Global Health, 10(3), e438-e444. (doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00488-5) (PMID:35038406)

2021

Singal, N., Mbukwa-Ngwira, J., Taneja-Johansson, S., Lynch, P., Chatha, G. and Umar, E. (2021) Impact of Covid-19 on the education of children with disabilities in Malawi: reshaping parental engagement for the future. International Journal of Inclusive Education, (doi: 10.1080/13603116.2021.1965804) (Early Online Publication)

Lynch, P. and Soni, A. (2021) Widening the focus of school readiness for children with disabilities in Malawi: a critical review of the literature. International Journal of Inclusive Education, (doi: 10.1080/13603116.2021.1965801) (Early Online Publication)

2020

McLinden, M., Lynch, P., Mbukwa Ngwira, J., Mankhwazi, M. and Soni, A. (2020) Inclusive, equitable, quality education for children with disabilities: a country study of Malawi. In: Glickman, L. B. (ed.) Malawi: Its History, Culture, Environment, Education, and Healthcare. Series: African studies. Nova Science Publishers: New York. ISBN 9781536182477

Murphy, R., Jolley, E., Lynch, P., Mankhwazi, M., Mbukwa, J., Bechange, S., Gladstone, M. J. and Schmidt, E. (2020) Estimated prevalence of disability and developmental delay among preschool children in rural Malawi: Findings from “Tikule Limodzi,” a cross‐sectional survey. Child: Care, Health and Development, 46(2), pp. 187-194. (doi: 10.1111/cch.12741) (PMID:31925814) (PMCID:PMC7027747)

McLinden, M., Douglas, G., Hewett, R., Lynch, P. and Thistlethwaite, J. (2020) Teaching learners with vision impairment: an analysis of evidence-based practice. In: Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Series: Oxford research encyclopedias. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190264093 (doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.1233)

Soni, A., Lynch, P., McLinden, M., Mbukwa-Ngwira, J., Mankhwazi, M., Jolley, E., Virendrakumar, B., Bedford, J. and Gercama, I. (2020) Facilitating the participation of children with disabilities in early childhood development centres in Malawi: developing a sustainable staff training programme. Sustainability, 12(5), 2104. (doi: 10.3390/su12052104)

2018

Singal, N., Lynch, P. and Taneja Johansson, S. (Eds.) (2018) Education and Disability in the Global South: New perspectives from Africa and Asia. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9781474291224

Singal, N., Taneja Johansson, S. and Lynch, P. (2018) Education of children with disabilities: changing landscape of new opportunities and challenges. In: Singal, N., Lynch, P. and Taneja Johansson, S. (eds.) Education and Disability in the Global South: New perspectives from Africa and Asia. Bloomsbury Academic, pp. 1-18. ISBN 9781474291224

McLinden, M., Lynch, P., Soni, A., Artiles, A., Kholowa, F., Kamchedzera, E., Mbukwa, J. and Mankhwazi, M. (2018) Supporting children with disabilities in low- and middle- income countries: promoting inclusive practice within community-based childcare centres in Malawi through a bioecological systems perspective. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50(2), pp. 159-174. (doi: 10.1007/s13158-018-0223-y) (PMID:30956287) (PMCID:PMC6414151)

Lynch, P., Gladstone, M., McLinden, M., Douglas, G., Jolley, E., Schmidt, E. and Chimoyo, J. (2018) ‘I have learnt to love the child and give opportunities to play with peers’: a feasibility study of the training programme to support parents of young children with visual impairment in Malawi. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 16(2), pp. 210-225. (doi: 10.1177/1476718X18761219)

2017

Gladstone, M., McLinden, M., Douglas, G., Jolley, E., Schmidt, E., Chimoyo, J., Magombo, H. and Lynch, P. (2017) ‘Maybe I will give some help…. maybe not to help the eyes but different help’: an analysis of care and support of children with visual impairment in community settings in Malawi. Child: Care, Health and Development, 43(4), pp. 608-620. (doi: 10.1111/cch.12462) (PMID:28393382) (PMCID:PMC5485081)

2014

Lynch, P., Lund, P. and Massah, B. (2014) Identifying strategies to enhance the educational inclusion of visually impaired children with albinism in Malawi. International Journal of Educational Development, 39, pp. 216-224. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2014.07.002)

Yousafzai, A. K., Lynch, P. and Gladstone, M. (2014) Moving beyond prevalence studies: screening and interventions for children with disabilities in low-income and middle-income countries. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 99(9), pp. 840-848. (doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2012-302066) (PMID:24647995)

2012

Lynch, P., McLinden, M., Douglas, G., McCall, S., Muturi, M., Bayo, A., Mwaura, M. and Muga, J. (2012) Developing participatory approaches for use in an action research project with teachers who support children with visual impairment in Kenya and Uganda: reflections on the relational praxis between participants and research institutions. Research in Comparative and International Education, 7(3), pp. 282-295. (doi: 10.2304/rcie.2012.7.3.282)

2011

Lynch, P., McCall, S., Douglas, G., McLinden, M. and Bayo, A. (2011) Inclusive educational practices in Uganda: evidencing practice of itinerant teachers who work with children with visual impairment in local mainstream schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 15(10), pp. 1119-1134. (doi: 10.1080/13603116.2011.555070)

This list was generated on Fri Dec 13 02:09:05 2024 GMT.
Number of items: 27.

Articles

Olusanya, B. O. et al. (2024) Early childhood development strategy for the world's children with disabilities. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1390107. (doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1390107)

Miah, M. A. A. et al. (2024) Every Newborn-Reach Up Early Education Intervention for All Children (EN-REACH)- a parent group intervention for school readiness in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Tanzania: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. Trials, (Accepted for Publication)

Lynch, P., Schuelka, M. J., Brown, R. , Johnstone, C. and Tshewang, S. (2023) Meaningful employment opportunities for youth with disabilities in Bhutan: piloting an employment assessment toolkit. International Journal of Educational Development, 101, 102820. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102820)

Olusanya, B. O., Nair, M. K. C., Lynch, P. and Hadders-Algra, M. (2023) Editorial: Optimizing school readiness for children with developmental disabilities. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 11, 1196934. (doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1196934) (PMID:37124185) (PMCID:PMC10133715)

Lynch, P. et al. (2023) Experiences of identifying pre-school children with disabilities in resource limited settings – an account from Malawi, Pakistan and Uganda. Disability and Society, (doi: 10.1080/09687599.2023.2181769) (Early Online Publication)

Jolley, E., Bechange, S., Mankhwazi, M., Mbukwa Ngwira, J., Murphy, R., Schmidt, E. and Lynch, P. (2022) Measuring the impact of a training intervention for early childhood centre staff on child development outcomes: Findings from a cluster randomized control field trial in rural Malawi. Child: Care, Health and Development, 48(5), pp. 736-743. (doi: 10.1111/cch.12981) (PMID:35112380)

Greenwood, M., Gercama, I., Lynch, P., Moore, K., Mankhwazi, M., Mbukwa, J. and Bedford, J. (2022) ‘Let’s grow together’: understanding the current provision of early childhood development and education for children with disabilities in rural Malawi through community-based participatory research. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 69(4), pp. 1200-1215. (doi: 10.1080/1034912X.2020.1786021)

Smythe, T., Almasri, N. A., Moreno Angarita, M., Berman, B. D., Kraus de Camargo, O., Hadders-Algra, M., Lynch, P., Samms-Vaughan, M. and Olusanya, B. O. (2022) The role of parenting interventions in optimizing school readiness for children with disabilities in low and middle income settings. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 10, 927678. (doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.927678)

Lynch, P., Singal, N. and Francis, G. A. (2022) Educational technology for learners with disabilities in primary school settings in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic literature review. Educational Review, (doi: 10.1080/00131911.2022.2035685) (Early Online Publication)

Soni, A., Reyes Soto, M. and Lynch, P. (2022) A review of the factors affecting children with disabilities’ successful transition to early childhood care and primary education in sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 20(1), pp. 59-79. (doi: 10.1177/1476718X211035428)

The Global Research on Developmental Disabilities Collaborators, (2022) Accelerating progress on early childhood development for children under 5 years with disabilities by 2030. Lancet Global Health, 10(3), e438-e444. (doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00488-5) (PMID:35038406)

Singal, N., Mbukwa-Ngwira, J., Taneja-Johansson, S., Lynch, P., Chatha, G. and Umar, E. (2021) Impact of Covid-19 on the education of children with disabilities in Malawi: reshaping parental engagement for the future. International Journal of Inclusive Education, (doi: 10.1080/13603116.2021.1965804) (Early Online Publication)

Lynch, P. and Soni, A. (2021) Widening the focus of school readiness for children with disabilities in Malawi: a critical review of the literature. International Journal of Inclusive Education, (doi: 10.1080/13603116.2021.1965801) (Early Online Publication)

Murphy, R., Jolley, E., Lynch, P., Mankhwazi, M., Mbukwa, J., Bechange, S., Gladstone, M. J. and Schmidt, E. (2020) Estimated prevalence of disability and developmental delay among preschool children in rural Malawi: Findings from “Tikule Limodzi,” a cross‐sectional survey. Child: Care, Health and Development, 46(2), pp. 187-194. (doi: 10.1111/cch.12741) (PMID:31925814) (PMCID:PMC7027747)

Soni, A., Lynch, P., McLinden, M., Mbukwa-Ngwira, J., Mankhwazi, M., Jolley, E., Virendrakumar, B., Bedford, J. and Gercama, I. (2020) Facilitating the participation of children with disabilities in early childhood development centres in Malawi: developing a sustainable staff training programme. Sustainability, 12(5), 2104. (doi: 10.3390/su12052104)

McLinden, M., Lynch, P., Soni, A., Artiles, A., Kholowa, F., Kamchedzera, E., Mbukwa, J. and Mankhwazi, M. (2018) Supporting children with disabilities in low- and middle- income countries: promoting inclusive practice within community-based childcare centres in Malawi through a bioecological systems perspective. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50(2), pp. 159-174. (doi: 10.1007/s13158-018-0223-y) (PMID:30956287) (PMCID:PMC6414151)

Lynch, P., Gladstone, M., McLinden, M., Douglas, G., Jolley, E., Schmidt, E. and Chimoyo, J. (2018) ‘I have learnt to love the child and give opportunities to play with peers’: a feasibility study of the training programme to support parents of young children with visual impairment in Malawi. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 16(2), pp. 210-225. (doi: 10.1177/1476718X18761219)

Gladstone, M., McLinden, M., Douglas, G., Jolley, E., Schmidt, E., Chimoyo, J., Magombo, H. and Lynch, P. (2017) ‘Maybe I will give some help…. maybe not to help the eyes but different help’: an analysis of care and support of children with visual impairment in community settings in Malawi. Child: Care, Health and Development, 43(4), pp. 608-620. (doi: 10.1111/cch.12462) (PMID:28393382) (PMCID:PMC5485081)

Lynch, P., Lund, P. and Massah, B. (2014) Identifying strategies to enhance the educational inclusion of visually impaired children with albinism in Malawi. International Journal of Educational Development, 39, pp. 216-224. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2014.07.002)

Yousafzai, A. K., Lynch, P. and Gladstone, M. (2014) Moving beyond prevalence studies: screening and interventions for children with disabilities in low-income and middle-income countries. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 99(9), pp. 840-848. (doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2012-302066) (PMID:24647995)

Lynch, P., McLinden, M., Douglas, G., McCall, S., Muturi, M., Bayo, A., Mwaura, M. and Muga, J. (2012) Developing participatory approaches for use in an action research project with teachers who support children with visual impairment in Kenya and Uganda: reflections on the relational praxis between participants and research institutions. Research in Comparative and International Education, 7(3), pp. 282-295. (doi: 10.2304/rcie.2012.7.3.282)

Lynch, P., McCall, S., Douglas, G., McLinden, M. and Bayo, A. (2011) Inclusive educational practices in Uganda: evidencing practice of itinerant teachers who work with children with visual impairment in local mainstream schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 15(10), pp. 1119-1134. (doi: 10.1080/13603116.2011.555070)

Books

Mclinden, M., Douglas, G., Hewett, R., Cobb, R., Keil, S., Lynch, P., Roe, J. and Thistlewaite, J. (2022) Promoting Equitable Access to Education for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment: A Route-Map for a Balanced Curriculum. Routledge: London. ISBN 9780367433000

Book Sections

McLinden, M., Lynch, P., Mbukwa Ngwira, J., Mankhwazi, M. and Soni, A. (2020) Inclusive, equitable, quality education for children with disabilities: a country study of Malawi. In: Glickman, L. B. (ed.) Malawi: Its History, Culture, Environment, Education, and Healthcare. Series: African studies. Nova Science Publishers: New York. ISBN 9781536182477

McLinden, M., Douglas, G., Hewett, R., Lynch, P. and Thistlethwaite, J. (2020) Teaching learners with vision impairment: an analysis of evidence-based practice. In: Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Series: Oxford research encyclopedias. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190264093 (doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.1233)

Singal, N., Taneja Johansson, S. and Lynch, P. (2018) Education of children with disabilities: changing landscape of new opportunities and challenges. In: Singal, N., Lynch, P. and Taneja Johansson, S. (eds.) Education and Disability in the Global South: New perspectives from Africa and Asia. Bloomsbury Academic, pp. 1-18. ISBN 9781474291224

Edited Books

Singal, N., Lynch, P. and Taneja Johansson, S. (Eds.) (2018) Education and Disability in the Global South: New perspectives from Africa and Asia. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9781474291224

This list was generated on Fri Dec 13 02:09:05 2024 GMT.

Grants

Research Grants and Consultancies

GCRF- British Academy (219-2021): Principal investigator for ‘Exploring the historical and cultural contexts of early childhood education for children with disabilities in Malawi’ (£240,000).

GCRF-ESRC (2018-2021): Co- investigator for ‘Understanding, Developing, and Supporting Meaningful Work for Youth with Disabilities in Bhutan: Networks, Communities, and Transitions’. (£550,000).

Sightsavers/USAID (2017-2019): Technical lead for theAdaptation of the Early Reading Graded Reading Assessment (EGRA) for children with vision impairment in Mali’ (£100,000).

ESRC/DFID (2015-2018): Principal investigator for ‘Improving the curriculum and teaching methods to influence policy and increase the quality of ECDE provision for children with disabilities in Malawi’ (£500,000).

ESRC (2013-2014): Principal investigator forMaking educational research count for children with disabilities in Malawi, Kenya and Uganda’ (£80,000).

British Academy (2012-2014): Co-investigator for research project exploring the education of children and young people with albinism in Northern Malawi with Dr P. Lund, Coventry University (£10,000).

DfID/Sightsavers (2012-2014): Principal investigator for ‘Early childhood development and education of young children with visual impairment in Malawi’ (£80,000).

Sightsavers (2006-2015): Co-investigator between 2006 and 2010 and then principal investigator on a series of education research projects which have led to the publications outlined in this proposal (£1.5m).

Big Lottery Fund (2011-2013): Co-investigator on 3 year project to collect data to use to remodel services at the RNIB for clients furthermost from the labour market and track a sample to gauge impact. (£500,000).

Supervision

Dr Paul Lynch welcomes students interested in the following areas:

  • Early childhood development and education
  • Education of children with vision impairment
  • Education of children with disabilities in the Global South
  • Assessment of young children with developmental delay and disabilities

Teaching

Paul currently lectures on the following MEd and MSc Educational Studies programmes:

  • MEd – Inclusive Classrooms, Inclusive Pedagogies
  • MSc- International Comparative Education
  • MSc – Modern Educational Thought and Introduction to Educational and Social Research, Contemporary Themes in Educational Policy

Additional information

Member of the Early Childhood Development Task Group.

Reviewer for the Carnegie Trust,   European Commission - Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency and the Norwegian Research Agency.