Of all the special needs that you and your colleagues will come across, autism can be one of the most troubling.

Indeed, many would agree that without some form of specialist training it is very difficult to provide the help and support which children with autism need in school.

It is for this reason that we are offering three training programmes.

A three day TEACCH (Treatment & Education of Autistic & related Communication handicapped Children/adults) ‘structured teaching’ approach, developed at the University of North Carolina,.

A two day Social Stories™ (Social Learning & Understanding) from The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding, Michigan USA,

also a two day SCERTS Introduction & Application to the SCERTS Model; Using the SCERTS curriculum and practice principles to design programming for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Led By: Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP Director, Communication Crossroads, Carmel, CA. USA

These courses are recognised throughout the world as important and effective ways of working with children and adults with autism. The 3 day TEACCH classroom-style induction programme and the two day Social Learning and Understanding and SCERTS work-shops allow participants to leave with a vast range of information and practical activities that can be used in school straight away.

What’s more, these courses are structured in such a way that you will be able to pass on to your colleagues information and help that will allow them to work increasingly effectively with children with autism in your school.

I do hope that you or one of your colleagues will be able to join me in working with either Professor Mesibov, Carol Gray or Emily Rubin on these courses which takes place in Kettering Northant’s this coming year.

Yours truly,

Keith Lovett

PS: You can book using the application form or see more details on line at http://www.autismuk.com/?page_id=8 If you have any questions about these courses, content or outcomes, please do give me a call on 01536 523274. I’ll be most pleased to help in any way I can.

Students who are interested in training for a career in medicine are invited to apply for places on a one week shadowing opportunity in Tanzania.

The week will involve staying in a Gap Medics house which has its own staff who will ensure that everything on the placement runs smoothly.

Apart from shadowing medical staff, attending ward rounds and observing operations, there is the opportunity to experience a new culture, different customs, and, of course, different food.

And above all, the chance to see if medicine really is the right choice for the students involved.

As such the one week programme is ideal for Sixth Form students who are interested in a career as a doctor, midwife, dentist or nurse. Not only will the week help them ensure that they are making the right decision, it will also be a valuable extra to put on the university application documentation.

If you have any students who are interested in a career in medicine please ask them to take a look at our website.

Alternatively they can call us on 0191 230 8080 or email info@gapmedics.com for more information

Regards

Samantha Bennett
Student Placement Team Leader

First and Best in Education is looking for authors to write new materials that can be used in secondary schools, FE colleges and as introductory texts for university courses. Please do note that we are not currently accepting materials aimed at nursery or primary schools (except as in the note on “Management and Administration” below.)

We publish the materials in three forms: as downloads, as books which can be supplied as photocopiable masters and as materials on CD Rom. If the book contains illustrations these are also supplied by the author.

In the case of printed books our authors receive a 10% royalty on the sales and will have copies of the book lodged in the British Library and other national repositories of books.

In the case of downloads a different process is followed, and because there is no printed copy available the author receives 50% royalty.

Management and Administration

In addition to books which are aimed to support taught subject areas, we also publish a range of materials relating to school administration and management. These books cover topics ranging from making schools more efficient to running the school office, from behaviour and discipline to fund raising.

What to do

If you have a book or a download ready to be published, or indeed have an idea for a book or a download that you could write in the coming months, please do email our senior editor (address below) with the following information.

1. Proposed book title and approximate length
2. A guide to the contents
3. Details of who the book is for and any specific features that make the book different from other books covering the same subject area.
4. The level at which the book is set. For example you might say, “GCSE, aimed at weaker students to ensure they get a C rather than a D”. Or “An introduction to historical research, suitable for A level students and as an introduction for undergraduates just starting their course.”
5. Any specific course or exam board that this book relates to.
6. Five to ten pages of text to give us a feel for your style and approach
7. A note about yourself in terms of qualifications and experience in education

About the publisher

First and Best was formed in 1993 and has published over 1000 books over the last 20 years. You can see a full catalogue of our current books on http://www.shop.firstandbest.co.uk/ Our books are sold via direct advertising to teachers and are not normally distributed via bookshops.

If your book is accepted for publication you will be offered a contract to sign and a date will be agreed for the supplying of the final text.

If you have an idea for a book or a book already written, please email Anne@firstandbest.co.uk