Qona Rankin

In 2004 Qona became interested in a group of dyslexic and dyspraxic art students who were concerned that their drawing was not ‘good enough’. She made a short film that documented this anecdotal evidence. After showing the film to Christopher Kennard, then head of the Medical School at Imperial College London, she was encouraged to set up a research group with collaborators from other institutions. The group became focused within four centres: UCL, Middlesex, Swansea Met and the RCA.

This collaborative group which includes an art school drawing lecturer, a coordinator of dyslexic students and psychologists, shares an interest in probing possible correlations between drawing ability and factors such as mathematical ability, personality traits and dyslexia. It extends research by gathering and analysing data generated through questionnaires and a series of drawing exercises administered to the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design cohort at the Faculty of Art and Design, Swansea Metropolitan University, and the Royal College of Art’s MA cohort. Specifically, this research explores the hypothesis that drawing ability correlates with mathematical ability, with the ultimate objective of developing inclusive strategies for the teaching of drawing.

To date this collaborative group has regularly presented papers at conferences both nationally and internationally and has published 11 of these papers. In addition Qona has independently contributed three chapters about her work at the RCA to recent publications concerning dyslexia.

Publications

“Observational Drawing for Students with Dyslexia Strategies, Tips and Inspiration”. Rankin, Q. Riley, H. Jessika Kingsley publishers London Proposed Publication date 18th Feb 2021.

“Talking the Line: Inclusive Strategies for the Teaching of Drawing”. Co-authors Riley, H., Brunswick, N., McManus, C. and Chamberlain, R. In Drawing: Research, Theory, Practice. Vol. 2 No. 2. 2017. pp287-304.

Rankin, Q. (2016) ‘The Power of the Labyrinth: An ‘AcrossRCA’ Inter-disciplinary Project’ in: Jan Sellers and Bernard Moss (eds), Learning with the Labyrinth Creating Reflective Space in Higher Education, London: Palgrave Macmillan, Palgrave Teaching and Learning, Ch. 17

"Scratching the Surface: Learning Styles. Training and the Acquisition of High-level Representational Drawing Skills.” Co-authors Chamberlain, R., McManus, C., Brunswick, N. and Riley, H. In Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts. The Journal of the American Psychology Association. Vol. 9, 2015.

“Drawing On the Right Side of the Brain: A Voxel-based Morphometry Analysis of Observational Drawing”. Co-authors Chamberlain, R., McManus, C., Brunswick, N., Riley, H., Kanai, R. In Neuroimage.Vol. 96. 2014. pp167-173.

“Cain’s House Task Revisited and Revived: Extending Theory and Methodology for Quantifying Drawing Accuracy”. Co-authors Chamberlain, R., McManus, C., Brunswick, N., Riley, H. In Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts. The Journal of the American Psychology Association. 2013

“Local Processing Enhancements Associated with Superior Observational Drawing are Due to Enhanced Perceptual Functioning, Not Weak Central Coherence”. Co-authors Chamberlain, R., McManus, C., Brunswick, N., Riley, H. In The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.Vol.66 2013. pp1448-1466.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2012.750678

“Learning to Perceive: Informing Pedagogical Practice Through the Empirical Study of Drawing”. Co-authors Riley, H., Chamberlain, R., McManus, C., Brunswick, N. In Kantrowitz, A., Brew, A., Fava, M. (eds.) 2013 Thinking Through Drawing: Practice into Knowledge. Wimbledon College of Art.

Rankin, Q. (2012) 'Difficulties in drawing, music and dance: common areas and the development of The Creative Mentor Foundation', in: S. Daunt (ed.), Music, Other Performing Arts and Dyslexia, The British Dyslexia Association

Rankin, Q. (2012) 'Dyslexia Support at the Royal College of Art: A Symbiotic Relationship', in: N. Brunswick (ed.), Supporting Dyslexic Adults in Higher Education and the Workplace, Oxford: John Wiley

McManus, I.C., Chamberlain, R., Loo, P-W., Rankin, Q. and Brunswick, N. (2010) ‘Art Students Who Cannot Draw: Exploring the Relations between Drawing Ability, Visual Memory, Accuracy of Copying, and Dyslexia’, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, The Journal of the American Psychology Association, 4 (1), 18–30

Rankin, Q. and Riley, H. (2009) ‘Drawing and Dyslexia: Some Recent Research’, in: N. Brunswick (ed.), The Dyslexia Handbook 2009–10, Bracknell: British Dyslexia Association, 174–80

Rankin, Q. (Spring 2009) ‘Playing Fair’, Engage 23. The International Journal of Visual Art and Gallery Education

Riley, H., and Rankin, Q. (2007) ‘Exploring the Link between Drawing and Dyslexia: Is there a previously unrecognised and unexplored link between dyslexia, visual and spatial sensibility in general and the ability to draw?’, in: Anne Boddington and David Clews (eds), Teachers’ Academy Papers, Brighton: University of Brighton, 100–4. ISBN: 9781905593071

Rankin, Q. (2006/7) ‘Read: A Typeface for Dyslexics’, Radar Magazine, 35 (1), 6–7

Davies, M., Riley, H., and Rankin, Q. (2006) ‘Cognitive Styles and Drawing Practice’, in: Christ Rust (ed.), Improving Student Learning Through Assessment, Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff & Learning Development. ISBN: 1873576730

Rankin, Q. ‘Some reflections on my teaching and research at the Royal College of Art’, Patoss Bulletin, 20 (1), 78–80

Conference Papers

Supporting post-graduate art and design students with dyslexia and dyspraxia,

Qona Rankin at the Neurodiversity: Paradigm Shift in Higher Education Conference,

Dublin, 03-04 Dec. 2020. https://www.ucd.ie/chas/newsandevents/chasediinternationalconferenceonneurodiversitydecember2020/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-R_m5eAkE8&feature=youtu.be

Drawing Inclusions: Strategies for Teaching Dyslexics and non-Dyslexics Rankin, Qona and Riley, Howard, at International Journal of Art and Design Education Conference, London, 22-23 Feb 2019.

Would interventions/accommodations in the strategies for teaching drawing be useful for pupils with dyslexia who have drawing difficulties? Co-author Riley, H. Conference paper delivered at BDA 11th International Conference, Telford, UK, 12-14 April 2018.

Rankin, Q., Riley, H. (2016) 'Talking the Line: A report on drawing workshops for dyslexic/dyspraxic students at the Royal College of Art, London, October 2015 – January 2016’, The British Dyslexia Association International Conference, Oxford, 10–12th March 2016

Haruhara, N., Uno, A., Rankin, Q., Wydell, T. (2014) ‘Cognitive Abilities and Reading/Writing Attainment in Japanese of Japanese-English Bilinguals with Monolingual Dyslexia in English’, The British Dyslexia Association International Conference, 27–29 March 2014

Haruhara, N., Uno, A., Rankin, Q., Wydell, T. (2014) ‘Cognitive Abilities and Reading/Writing Attainment in Japanese of Japanese-English Bilinguals with Monolingual Dyslexia in English’, The British Dyslexia Association International Conference, 27–29 March 2014

Rankin, Q. Chamberlain,R., McManus,I.C., Brunswick, N., Riley ,H. (2013) 'Scratching the surface: Attitudes to learning and the acquisition of artistic skill', Thinking Through Drawing 3rd International Conference, Columbia University, New York, USA, 24–26 October 2013

Thinking Through Drawing 3rd International Conference, Columbia University, New York, USA, 24–26 October 2013

Rankin, Q., Chamberlain, R., Riley, H., McManus, I.C. (2012) 'Learning to Perceive: Informing pedagogic practice through the empirical study of drawing', Thinking Through Drawing 2012: Drawing in STEAM. An Interdisciplinary Symposium on Drawing, Cognition and Education, 12–14 September 2012

Chamberlain, R., McManus, C., Brunswick, N., Riley, H., and Rankin, Q., ‘The inner scribe: a role for visual short-term memory in observational drawing?’, European Conference on Visual Perception 2012, 2 –6 September 2012, Alghero, Italy

Chamberlain, R., Riley, H., McManus, I.C., Rankin, Q. and Brunswick, N. (2011) ‘The Perceptual Foundations of Drawing Ability’, Thinking Through Drawing: An Interdisciplinary Symposium on Drawing, Cognition and Education, 28–29 October 2011

Chamberlain, R., McManus, C., Brunswick, N., Riley, H., and Rankin, Q., ‘Dyslexic visuospatial ability in the three-dimensional world’, The British Dyslexia Association’s 8th International Conference, Harrogate, UK, 2–4 June 2011

Brunswick, N., Chamberlain, R., McManus, C. and Rankin, Q. (2011) ‘Inclusive Practice: Researching the Relationship between Maths Ability and Drawing Ability in Art Students’, in: Include 2011 Conference Proceedings, London: Royal College of Art

Chamberlain, R., McManus, C., Brunswick, N., Riley, H., and Rankin, Q., '“Imediately, sincerly, choclate”: Findings from a new self-administered spelling test for dyslexia’, The British Dyslexia Association’s 8th International Conference, Harrogate, UK, 2–4 June 2011

Rankin, Q., Brunswick, N. and McManus, I.C. (2009) ‘Inclusive Practice: Researching the Relationships between Dyslexia, Personality and Art Students’ Drawing Abilities’, in: Include 2009 Conference Book, London: Royal College of Art

Exhibitions

Creative Mentors Summer Show. The Tabernacle Notting Hill Gate July 2019 (Organiser and Curator)

Creative Differences: Dyslexia and Neurodiversity in Science, Art and Design Royal College of Art October 2016 (Organiser and presenter)

Radio

“The Art of Walking into Doors” BBC Radio 4 producer Chris Ledgard 1stbroadcast 28/09/ 2015 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06d2fxf

Presentations

Sept 2020 “Dyslexia Creates Neurodiversity, Creativity and Success in the Arts” Victoria and Albert Museum.

March 2009 ‘Playing Fair’, Tate Britain

Webinars

30th April 2020 Creating without language: Why the arts are so important to our dyslexic community delivered as part of the free webinar for parents and children series British Dyslexia Association

13th May 2020 Twice Exceptional, launch of the Neuro diversity in Albertopolis Network Fourm

Qona is a Fellow of the Royal College of Art and of the Royal Society of the Arts.