Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Dr Alan Dunn has been researching the creative and experimental use of sound within dementia care homes. Based around the humble Tongue Twister, Dunn's research examines the breaking down of words, the role of shared laughter and the creative possibilities of nonsense language in work with people with dementia.
Begun in early 2019, the research intensified during Covid when our communication became fragmented through video calls and this phase was documented in a publication entitled The Jingle Book, named after a Victorian pronunciation-guide.
The Jingle Book is designed as a toolkit with ideas for engagement using Tongue Twisters including inter-generational, non-verbal, multilingual (e.g. Braille and British Sign Language), tactile, edible and environmental iterations. He has been working with a number of care homes to implement The Jingle Book.
This PhD offers the opportunity to extend the existing Jingle book work in combination with evaluative research.
This PhD offers the opportunity to further develop, implement and evaluate the impact of creative applications of and approaches to use of Tongue Twisters with people with dementia using The Jingle Book as a starting point. There will be opportunity for the student to determine the focus and methods of the study based on their own background and interests, but the proposed project must align with one of the following research areas:
In addition to the student's doctoral thesis, it is hoped that the research will result in a range of academic and creative outputs suitable for a range of audiences, including practical outputs to support dissemination of findings and implementation of the work in the chosen area of dementia care practice.
The student will be supervised by Professor Claire Surr (Director of Studies) and Dr Alan Dunn (supervisor) and will be registered with the Centre for Dementia Research (School of Health).
The Centre conducts applied dementia research that seeks to improve the lives of people living with dementia, and those providing care and support to them. It has a vibrant community of PhD students studying dementia related topics including students who are part of the Alzheimer's Society Doctoral Training on Integrated Care.
Application Reference Number: 2027-February-SCS-SOH-PHD
Mode of Study: Full-Time (3yrs)
Type of Funding Available: Home (UK) Fees and Stipend
To apply, please go to the application portal which can be found through the 'Apply Now' button. You need to select the project you would like to apply for. Please ensure that you include the following with your submission:
Application Deadline: 31 August 2026
For further information or formal enquiries, please contact Professor Claire Surr by email at c.a.surr@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
