My Research
My research investigates the intersections of literacy, language, and the creative arts. I’m interested in exploring how rhythm, music, and artistic practices support cognitive development, literacy acquisition, and effective learning strategies. I bridge theory and practice, providing insights for educators and researchers alike.
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Literacy and the Arts
Halcrow, K. (2025). ‘A symphony of sound: Realising writing potential in creative encounters through music, movement, sound and speech’. In K. Zammit, N. A. Daffurn, & J. Batt., J. (Eds.), Quality literacy education: A celebration of practices. Australian Literacy Educators Association (ALEA). Book Chapter.
Halcrow, K. (2025). ‘Oral language as a foundation for meaningful classroom literacy learning’, Qualitative Research Journal. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/qrj-09-2024-0207/full/html?skipTracking=true. Journal (online).
Halcrow, K. (2024). ‘Research shows music is the key to better writing outcomes in primary school’, (2024, March 26). Education HQ Online. News article (published online).
Halcrow, K. (2023). The music–writing connection: exploring a rhythm-based framework in the primary writing classroom [thesis]. University of Sydney. https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/32108 Thesis: Open access (online).
Halcrow, K. (2023). An acoustic turn for the creative writing classroom. The CREATE Centre, University of Sydney. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAgZQqSICss Video (online).
Halcrow, K. (2022). ‘Harnessing the music-language link for writing’. Visualise your thesis competition. University of Sydney. https://digital.library.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/12246. Video (online).
Halcrow. K. (2018). ‘Imitation and innovation: Harnessing the principles of music pedagogy for the writing classroom’, Literacy Learning in the Middle Years (LLMY) Journal. Australian Literacy Educators Association. Journal Article (online).
Other
Lee, M., Halcrow, K., Morrissey, C., Hills, E., & Appel, M. (2025). Bridging campus and classroom through a sustainable school–university partnership in Australia: Exploring the contributions of school-based clinics to pre-service teacher development. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher. Link.
Morrisey, C., Lee, M., Kim, E., Halcrow, K., & Hills, E. (2024). ‘Exploring the role of school-based clinics in pre-service teacher preparation: A mixed-methods study of a university-school partnership in Australia’, Review of Education. Co-authors: https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rev3.70015. Journal (published online).
Lee, M., Hills, E., Morrissey, C., Halcrow, K., Kim, E., & Appel, M. (2024). An evaluation study of the Affiliated Schools Program. University of Canberra (online). Report to the ACT Education Directorate. Government Report (published online).
Halcrow, K., Crossman, M., Bennett, L. (2024). A joint submission from Halcrow, Crossman and Bennett. ACT Government Inquiry into Literacy and Numeracy. ACT Government. Government Inquiry Submission (online).
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Upcoming
Teaching Writing in the Primary Classroom ALEA Tasmania North (May, 2026)
Literacy and the Arts
Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Conference: “Crises, challenges, and confirmations: scoping the state of language and literacy education”.
Symposium: December 2025.
Other
University of Canberra Faculty of Education Research Seminar Series: “Lost in Translation: The opportunities and perils of interdisciplinary research for forging new ground in education”.
Individual Paper: University of Canberra, September 2025.
Australian Literacy Educators Association (ALEA/ AATE) Conference– Connect: “Exploring the potential of poetry in preservice teacher training for becoming teacher-writers”.
Individual Paper:Hobart, Tasmania, July 2025.
United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) Conference–Beating the Odds, Changing Futures: “Using a music-based framework to support oral language and writing in the English classroom”.
Individual Paper: St John Mores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom, June 2025.
Université Bourgogne LEAD Lab – Invited Speaker (Guest of Dr Anna Fiveash): “Tracing the origins of a music-language connection: exploring interdisciplinary findings and their implications for the classroom”.
Individual Paper: Dijon France, June, 2025.
ACT Music Educators Network (ACTMEN)–Professional Learning Presentation to ACT Music teachers–Co-presented with Dr Anna Fiveash (UWS): “The power of rhythm: Unlocking literacy potential through musical rhythm”.
Joint presentation: Dr Anna Fiveash (University of Western Sydney) and Dr Kate Halcrow (UC), May 2025.
ALEA/AATE Conference–Presenter and session chair: “A music aesthetics approach to writing”. Canberra, July 2023). Representing UC.
University of Canberra Faculty of Education Conference, Canberra: The power of music, sound and speech for grammar and metalinguistic creativity in the primary writing classroom: an interdisciplinary exploration. (November 2023). Representing UC.
AARE National Conference, Melbourne: ‘The power of music, sound and speech for the primary writing classroom: an interdisciplinary arts exploration’ (November 2023). Representing UC.
AARE Conference, Brisbane: ‘Breaking the silos: an assessment of arts-based interdisciplinary teacher collaboration in a Primary School’. (Dec 2019) Representing USyd.
ALEA/AATE Conference, Perth, July 2018: ‘The Music-Literacy connection and implications for writing instruction’. Representing USyd.
Drama Australia, Canberra, October 2017: ‘Engaging Boys in Drama’. Representing USyd/ Catholic Education, Canberra-Goulburn.
