A practical guide for primary school educators on autism is now available in Maltese.
L-Awtiżmu: X’nagħmlu (u x’nevitaw) − Skola Primarja. Gwida Konċiża għall-Għalliema by Marco Pontis has been adapted into Maltese by David Aloisio and is published by Merlin Publishers.
It offers practical and easy-to-use strategies for teachers, LSEs and other educators who work closely with children on the autism spectrum in primary schools.
L-Awtiżmu: X’nagħmlu (u x’nevitaw) is divided into three main sections – social interaction, communication and behaviours, interests and activities – comprising a total of 15 chapters, each focusing on a specific behaviour that is common among autistic children in the primary years.
Among other things, each chapter addresses the reasons for that particular behaviour, what should be done and what should be avoided, how the educator should intervene and provide a support structure, expert advice and deeper analysis of the behaviour in question. Furthermore, each section includes an observation checklist for immediate practical use in the classroom.
The guide is based on extensive research and direct experience. The author, Pontis, has over 20 years’ experience in teaching special pedagogy and didactics, and has worked closely with autistic children and those with other complex disabilities.
“Books should serve as real tools in daily life”
This is the first time this resource is being made available in Maltese. Translator Aloisio is an author and academic who has won the National Book Prize several times and heads the Maltese Department at Junior College while lecturing at the University of Malta.
“As publishers, we have always believed that books should serve as real tools in daily life,” Chris Gruppetta, director of Merlin Publishers, said.
“This guide provides educators with practical means to offer concrete support to autistic children in the classroom, while also helping to make the entire class more inclusive and open. It is a clear example of how publishing can directly support the educational community.”
This book was published with the support of the National Literacy Agency and in collaboration with the Centre for Books and Reading within the Italian Ministry of Culture. The original edition was published in Italy by Centro Studi Erickson, which is the leading publisher in the field of specialised educational resources.
L-Awtiżmu: X’nagħmlu (u x’nevitaw) is available for purchase in bookshops throughout Malta and Gozo, as well as online at www.merlinpublishers.com.
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