Book Awards up for grabs for special needs authors and publishers

Authors and publishers involved in special educational needs were urged to celebrate their achievements this week, with the continued roll-out of one of the sector’s biggest competitions. The nasen and TES Special Educational Needs Book Awards celebrates its fifteenth anniversary this year and promises to be the best yet, with two additional accolades, cash prizes and excellent coverage in one of the UK’s largest specialist newspapers all guaranteed. Entries have surged this year and, with less than a month to go before the June 21st closing date, it is anticipated that a record number of

books and resources could be in the running. Lorraine Petersen, Chief Executive of nasen (the National Association of Special Educational Needs), said: “Books and resources play such an important role in promoting and recognising inclusion, not to mention inspiring children and their teachers to achieve the best they possibly can.” She continued: “In order to acknowledge and celebrate the pioneering advances in educational resources, we are delighted to announce that we will be introducing two new awards...the Inclusive Resource for Primary Classrooms and the Inclusive Resource for Secondary Classrooms.”

The trio of other awards include The Academic Book Award (most successful in drawing on sound evidence, careful argument and promoting new research), Books for Teaching and Learning Award (curriculum books that allow children with special educational needs to access the curriculum) and the Children’s Book Award. The latter, which must be written in a way that makes it accessible to its audience, will enhance a child’s knowledge and understanding of special educational needs in a positive way. “A maximum of three books or resources can be submitted per publisher/organisation per category and all the entry forms will need to reach us by June 21st so that our expert judging panel – featuring authors, teachers and specialists – can make what are often very close decisions,” explained Lorraine. “The awards will be presented to the winners at an informal ceremony at the world renowned British Library on October 18th, with a prize of £500 per category and a quarter page advertisement in the Times Educational Supplement worth nearly £2000.” Judith Judd from the TES added: “These awards really are the pinnacle of achievement for our sector and a lot of organisations and individuals have gone on to great things after securing one of the awards.” nasen, which has a membership in excess of 6000 primary and secondary schools and maintained and independent special schools, is the only professional membership body in the UK embracing all special and additional educational needs and disabilities.