Authors Sought for Advanced Placement Shakespeare Guides

At Prufrock Press, we are interested in developing an innovative line of teaching resources for Advanced Placement teachers using Shakespeare in their classrooms.

Specifically, we are seeking teacher-authors who could write exciting, innovative guides to teaching the following plays:

• Macbeth
• Romeo and Juliet
• Hamlet
• A Midsummer Night's Dream

These guides would include debates, role-play activities, engaging discussions, critical and creative writing activities, and creative projects within the context of a rigorous academic study of Shakespearian works. Authors must be able to offer teachers practical, field-tested ways to make the study of Shakespeare meaningful, creative, and substantive. Additionally, each guide would be aligned with Advanced Placement guidelines and standards.

We are seeking teacher-authors who could work collaboratively with us to develop one or more of these guides over the next 6–12 months.

If you or a teacher you know has a special talent for effectively teaching Shakespeare to teenagers, we would love to hear from you. Please send your name, current position, and summer mailing and e-mail address to ap_shakespeare@prufrock.com. Doing so will ensure you receive an information packet in approximately 4 weeks.

Please respond before May 25, 2007 if you would like to receive an author information packet for the four AP Shakespeare projects listed above.

Asperger's Syndrome -- An Overview

On April 5, 2007, ABC News ran a nice introductory article about Asperger's syndrome that I believe offers a good overview of the topic. The article, Asperger's Syndrome: Separating Myth From Reality, includes this brief description of the condition: 

In short, the syndrome is a developmental disorder most often characterized by certain social deficiencies or "quirks." This often includes an unusual preoccupation with a particular subject, repetitive routines or rituals, peculiar speech patterns, and other behaviors that may make interacting with peers difficult.

"Basically, you get an individual who might have a real restricted repertoire of things they are interested in," Roane said, adding that those with Asperger's may attempt to engage in conversations with others that focus only on their particular area of interest to the exclusion of all other topics.

However, what separates this disorder from many [autism spectrum disorders] is the fact that in most cases, those with Asperger's have normal, or even above normal, intelligence.

The rest of the article goes on to discuss ways Asperger's is diagnosed, common misconceptions about the condition, and provides a look at future directions for research.

Treatment for Kids with Asperger's Syndrome

The article was interesting to me because of our newly released book, School Success for Kid With Asperger's Syndrome by Stephan M. Silverman, Ph.D., and Rich Weinfeld. The most important feature of this book is its focus on interventions that help kids who have the disorder. With their wide ranging background in psychology and exceptional education, the authors have written a book that focuses on practical, effective ways that parents and teachers can help kids with Apsperger's syndrome.

Asperger's Syndrome and School Success

Back in September of 2006, I posted a blog entry about Asperger's syndrome in response to a reader's question. In that post, I mentioned that Prufrock was preparing to release a book on the topic titled, School Success for Kids With Asperger's Syndrome by Stephan M. Silverman, Ph.D. and Rich Weinfeld. I'm proud to announce the release of this new book from Prufrock Press.

Hundreds of thousands of children face life with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism spectrum disorder that affects a child's language and social skills. In their book, Silverman and Weinfeld describe 10 of the most common school concerns faced by students with Asperger's syndrome, including:

• problems with social interactions;
• very focused areas of interest and expertise;
• need for predictability;
• problems with language;
• problems with abstract reasoning;
• problems with sensory hyper- or hyposensitivity;
• problems with anxiety, depression, and emotional regulation;
• problems with attention, organization, and other areas of executive functioning;
• problems with motor issues including written production; and
• problems with ritualistic, repetitive, or rigid behavior.

The authors provide detailed explanations of each of these problem areas and describe field-tested strategies to help teachers adapt their classrooms to provide opportunities for students with Asperger's syndrome to overcome their weaknesses in these problem areas. The book also offers strategies for parents that will help their child with school success.

School Success for Kids With Asperger's Syndrome includes an excellent chapter about the behaviors a parent might see in their child with Asperger's syndrome. Feel feel free to share this link with others. I think the chapter offers some important insights.

When the authors of this book first approached Prufrock Press, they made it clear that they wanted to write a sensitive book that would focus on the strategies that would promote school success for kid with Asperger's syndrome. They wanted to write a positive book that focused on ways parents and teachers can take positive action to help these children.

They have achieved this goal, and I would recommend that anyone touched by this issue purchase this book or check it out from their local library.