Post 10: How do we make our University autism friendly?

Welcome to week 10.  I'm looking forward to meeting you all tomorrow and excited about starting the Autism Spectrum peer mentor scheme.

This week will be my final weekly blog post.  We can look at ways of using the blog to share information with each other once we have begun the AS peer mentor role. So, this week we will explore if and how we can make our University autism friendly.

There hasn't been a great deal of research into supporting students on the autism spectrum in Higher Education in comparison to supporting students in school. Recent articles do however focus on the views of autistic students rather than trying to second guess what is needed to make Universities more autism-friendly, which is a move forward.  I've shared some of these articles in the Useful Resources section below.

Perhaps one of the most important factors in creating an autism-friendly University is to have staff and students who are knowledgeable and supportive of students who are on the autism spectrum. As highlighted throughout the blog posts, it's important that we use an 'autism lens', to try and understand the individual person and their individual needs rather than trying to develop a "one size fits all" toolbox. Disability awareness training has been highlighted as a key to ensuring inclusive practice. World Autism Awareness day could offer opportunities in providing education and awareness of the autism spectrum for staff and students.  This may be something we want to think about later in the year as we get closer to the April 2nd date.

Another barrier for students on the autism spectrum is the environment, particularly for those with sensory processing difficulties.  Steve Mee who until recently lectured at the University of Cumbria talks about his first meeting with an autistic student called Cornish in his book 'Lives with autism' (available as an ebook through the library).  He says:

“Cornish was quite clear about what he needed. He asked to see the route to the classroom, the classroom itself, the seat he would have… We visited the classroom and he chose a seat in the corner as he likes to have his back against the wall. The fluorescent lights were a big problem so we hoped for sunny days during the course. The shades and wide-brimmed hat were not a style statement (another neurotypical judgment of mine) but a way of reducing the effects of artificial light”

While some authors recommend that there are alternative spaces for students on the autism spectrum to reduce the risk of sensory overload, other have concerns that this may isolate them further. While this may often be the way that disability support is provided, this is not good practice. For example, registration days or Freshers fair may be particularly difficult as they are noisy and crowded. Students could be offered a peer mentor to accompany them, or perhaps a similar event could be available somewhere quieter?

The law states that Universities have a duty not to discriminate against anyone with a disability, either directly or indirectly.  It says they must make 'reasonable adjustments' to remove barriers and encourage inclusion.  These can include individual adjustments such as support in lectures or seminars e.g. a note taker, being able to access lecture notes and handouts in advance as well as taking exams in a separate room where there are less likely to be distractions, with extra time, use of a laptop or scribe.   In 2010 the Equality Act was introduced which put greater emphasis on Universities taking an anticipatory approach to reasonable adjustments rather than an individual adjustment at the point of need. For Universities to do this they need to develop inclusive learning teaching and assessment practices.  For example, many students on the autism spectrum find group work difficult.  They may request a reasonable adjustment that means they can be assessed in a different format, and this is often dependent on the lecturer's flexibility.  An anticipatory approach could be that the University allowed all students a choice of assessment methods.  This would mean that the number of requests for individual reasonable adjustments would decrease.

While a University can put in place reasonable adjustments and work towards making teaching and learning inclusive, research shows that many students on the autism spectrum find the non-academic aspects of University life more challenging than the academic aspects, for example managing the social environment.  The transition to University is especially important for students on the autism spectrum who will arrive at University to a change of routine, a new environment and different social expectations.  Many Universities now offer summer schools where students can meet academic and support staff, stay in University accommodation and familiar with the campus.  Have a look at this article 'Helping students with Asperger's prepare for University life'.

In addition, many Universities now offer specialist AS training to their peer mentors, which I'm excited to be part of here at the University of Cumbria. Research shows that a peer mentor can successfully support the mentee with social, academic and daily living skills.  In addition students accessing such a scheme are less likely to drop out of University and more likely to achieve higher success.

One of our  Learning Disability nursing lecturers at the University, Austin Dorrity, is working towards making out University autism friendly.  Reflecting back on all you have learned about the autism spectrum you will realise that this is not an easy task, but with more people like you who are keen to learn more about AS and support fellow students we will make positive steps towards it.

Further resources

These articles are available through the University library:

Cai, R.Y. and Richdale, A. (2016) 'Educational experiences and needs of Higher Education students with autism spectrum disorder', Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders', 46(1), pp. 31-41.

Sayman, D.M. (2015) 'I still need my security teddy bear: experiences of an individual with autism spectrum disorder in higher education', The Learning Assistance Review, 20(1), pp.77-99.

Mitchell, W. and Beresford, B. (2014) 'Young people with high-functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome planning for and anticipating the move to college: What supports a positive transition?, British Journal of Special Education, 41(2), pp. 151 - 171.

Cullen, J.A. (2015) 'The needs of college students with autism spectrum disorders and Asperger's Syndrome', Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 28(1), pp. 89-101.

Contact

If you have any queries or concerns you can contact me directly at lesley.english@cumbria.ac.uk 

For general queries relating to the peer mentoring scheme contact peermentoring@cumbria.ac.uk

Post 9: Autism and girls

Welcome to week 9.

This week will explore autism in girls: how it presents itself and some of the explanations why prevalence rates for females is so much lower than for males.

The National Autistic Society (NAS) state that 5 times as many males are diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum than females (this is supported by a range of research - have a look at the section on Autism and gender here). But why is this the case?

A good way to introduce this topic is to look at this short video featuring pupils from Limpsfield Grange, the only school for girls with autism in the UK, which gives an insight into the difficulties faced by girls on the autism spectrum.

Many experts in the field believe that girls are able to mask the difficulties associated with autism, that they are able to mimic the behaviour of their peers. Generally in society there is a higher expectation on girls to be more social than boys and research has shown that many girls on the autism spectrum are more socially inclined than boys - they get involved in social play (but are not usually the ones to initiate it).  They may have one special friend. However, they tend not to engage in social 'chit-chat' as many females do.

Rosanna Rosetti - for more images click here.

While boys may have distinctive special interests, girls interests are often similar to other girls, for example, animals, soaps, celebrities or classical literature.  The difference is that they may be obsessively focused on these.


Diagnosis

So, why are there more boys diagnosed with being on the autism spectrum? Research by Tony Attwood, Lorna Wing and others theorize that girls and women are often just not referred for diagnosis, even though they need support just as much.  Some personal reports state that this is because girls are seen to cope.

Many believe that the diagnostic criteria is heavily biased towards how boys and men present, for example, their behavioural characteristics.  This has led to many experts in the field calling for the diagnostic questions to be altered so that girls and women on the autism spectrum are not missed.  You can listen to Dr Judith Gould discuss late diagnosis and mis-diagnosis in women from BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour here (scroll down to 'Aspergers late diagnosis).

Other experts in the field, such as Simon Baron-Cohen, have proposed an 'extreme male brain theory'.  To find out more about this, click here.


Mental health issues in girls on the autism spectrum
Many practitioners state that mental health issues arise as many girls feel that they need to repress their autism as a way of fitting in.  This can result in depression or eating disorders.

"The fact that girls with undiagnosed autism are painstakingly copying some behaviour is not being picked up on and therefore any social and communication problems they may be having are also overlooked.  This effort of mimicking and repressing their autistic behaviour is exhausting, perhaps resulting in the high statistics of women with mental health problems" (Dale Yaull-Smith, NAS, 2008)

Research by Simon Baron-Cohen in 2013 goes some way in demonstrating that girls with anorexia have 'elevated autistic traits' (you can read about the research here).


Personal accounts

As I have said throughout these blog posts, the best way of understanding the autism spectrum is to listen to or read personal accounts, those 'lived experiences'. One of the most well-know women on the autism spectrum is Temple Grandin, who was born in the 1940's and diagnosed with autism as a child.  She was one of the first to write an 'insider' narrative about living with autism in 'Emergence: Labelled autistic' (available in the University library here).   Have a look at her TEDtalk 'The world needs all kind of minds' below.

More recently in the media there have been a number of articles written by or about women diagnosed with autism.  Have a look at this article in the Guardian by Nicola Clark who was diagnosed in her 40's. Another interesting article, which focuses on mothers who have been diagnosed themselves after their children gave received a diagnosis, is available here.

Useful resources

To find out more about the UK's only school for girls with autism, have a look at this article in the SEN section of  Guardian.


If you sign up for a free trial of Audible you can get access to a great book called 'Aspergers & girls' by Tony Atwood, Temple Grandin and other experts in the field.

Another book which I have mentioned before and found really interesting is by Laura James who was diagnosed recently with autism aged 40+.  It's called 'Odd girl out: An autistic woman in a neurotypical world' (again, with a Audible trial you can get this for free).

Finally for this week, to find out more about the experiences of Temple Grandin you can watch the feature film about her life.  

Contact

If you have any queries or concerns you can contact me directly at lesley.english@cumbria.ac.uk 

For general queries relating to the peer mentoring scheme contact peermentoring@cumbria.ac.uk

Post 8: Meltdowns

Welcome to the blog post for week 8.

This week the blog will focus on meldowns - what they are and how we can support someone who is having a meltdown.

Many people on the autism spectrum have meltdowns and this can happen whatever age they are.  To those who know little about autism, a meltdown can look like a tantrum.  This can be particularly difficult for parents of children whose apparent behaviour doesn't seem appropriate for their age.  As autism is an invisible disability it can appear that the child is naughty, or the parents are unable to discipline their child.  Here's a short video by the National Autistic Society showing a young boy in a shopping centre in the build-up to a meldown.

According to the National Autistic Society a melt-down is:

"... an intense response to overwhelming situations"

Once a meltdown has started the individual is unable to control their behaviour.  They may shout, throw themselves on the ground, kick, hit, bite or throw things.  They may self-harm.   It can be extremely distressing for the individual as well as those who are with them.  

A meltdown is caused by high levels of stress which may be caused by sensory overload (we looked at this back in week 2), difficulties with social interaction, unexpected changes to the routine, too many demands being put on them - or a combination of these.  Sometimes these stressors have built up over a period of time (hours, days or even weeks).  It's important to remember that people on the autism spectrum tend to have higher levels of stress and anxiety than a 'neurotypical' person, and so have less room to cope with any additional stress.  Once they reach the point of a meltdown it is very difficult to get away from that point for some time.  

Some individuals will have learnt coping stategies to try and avoid meltdowns, for example, removing themselves from a situation that they find challenging, or avoiding certain scenarios altogether.  

Have a look at this video in the National Autistic Society series 'Too much information' which shows a group of young people on the autism spectrum discussing their experiences of meltdowns and the reaction of people around them.

What to do if someone is having a meltdown:

Autism West Midlands gives some tips on supporting someone who is having a meltdown (see the full guide here):

• Get to know the person you are supporting, as each person will need to be supported in their own way.
• If they are not at risk of harming themselves or other, can you leave them alone to come out of the meltdown in their own time? 
• Keep calm.
• Do not ask them too many questions.
• Rather than telling them to calm down give them some guidance on how to calm down.
• Consider whether to use their special interests to help them relax.

In addition you may want to try to create a quiet, safe space for them.  Try to reduce any information overload by turning down any brights lights and sounds such as music or the TV and asking people to move along.

John Scott Holman, an autistic author, wrote about what people shouldn't do when he is having a meltdown (see the full article here):  

• Do not become angry or raise your voice at me
• Do not attempt to restrain me.
• Do not ask me what is wrong.
• Do not taunt me, use sarcasm or attempt to make me feel guilty.
• Do not ask me if I am on drink or drugs.
• Most importantly, do not tell me to 'snap out of it'. 

Useful resources

The University library has a book which I enjoyed reading - Donovan J, and Zucker, C. (2016) In a different key : The story of autism.  New York: Crown Publishers.  There's a Guardian review of the book here.

I've also been recommended a book called 'A boy made of blocks' by Keith Stewart. While this is a novel  the author himself has an autistic son and draws on personal experience.  

Finally for this week, there's a film/ documentary that I've been told about called 'Life, animated'.  This is the true story of a boy diagnosed with autism aged 3, and how through Disney films he was able to communicate with his parents.  The trailer is below:

Contact

If you have any queries or concerns over the Summer you can contact me directly at lesley.english@cumbria.ac.uk 

For general queries relating to the peer mentoring scheme contact peermentoring@cumbria.ac.uk 

I look forward to meeting you all in September.

Post 7: Routines and managing change

Welcome to week 7.

This week's blog will focus on the need for routine for people on the autism spectrum, as well as the challenges that any unexpected change to that routine can have.  This seems particularly important as we will be supporting students who are transitioning to University.  They will be faced with a new routine - new setting, new people, perhaps they are moving away from home and into student halls, many of their routines will change.  While some changes can be prepared for there will always be unexpected changes that may cause increased anxiety and can cause a meltdown.  For some this may present itself in challenging behaviour.

Think about the day-to-day changes to routine that we all face at University - cancelled lectures, room changes, different lecturers.  These sorts of changes are not something we can prepare for.  This quote by Jolliffe goes some way in explaining the need for routine as a way of controlling events in an otherwise unpredictable environment:

"Reality to an autistic person is a confusing, interacting mass of events, people, places, sounds and sights... Set routines, times, particular routes and rituals all help to get order into an unbearably chaotic life.  Trying to keep everything the same reduces some of the terrible fear"  

Jolliffe (1992) cited in Howlin (2004), p.137

For some the routine may consist of walking to college the same way, eating the same food, sitting in the same seat in the lecture theatre.  Some people become ritualistic in their routine, with timings needing to be precise.  Others are rigid in their preferences for the clothes that they wear (perhaps one type of fabric) or the colour of the food that they eat (Christopher in 'The curious incident of the dog in the night time' doesn't like anything that is yellow or brown).

Have a look at this National Autistic Society's video in the 'Too Much Information and us' series to hear a group of young people on the autism spectrum talk about their experiences on coping with unexpected change,

Another useful resource is the transcript of an interview with Paula Johnston, an adult with autism, on her experience of coping with change available here.  There's also a short video showing how a person on the autism spectrum might react to a change to their routine such as a delayed train.

As we begin to think about meeting up with our mentees for the first time it is important to ask where they want to meet, and if the place is a comfortable sensory environment for them you may want to continue meeting in this place.   Ensure that you meet at the time that you agreed, and avoid being late.

Further resources

Michael, a colleague on the autism module, and who has Asperger Syndrome has recommended the TV series 'Community'.  He says it is written by an Aspie  "and has one of the best representations of an autistic character I've found, it's also very funny".  You will meet Michael at the training day in September.

Another resource that is available as an ebook through the University library is called 'Lives with autism' by Steve Mee, a former lecturer at the University.  Each chapter shares a personal experience of someone whose life has been touched by autism - people on the autism spectrum, parents, siblings and professionals.  Definitely worth a read.  It's available here.

Contact

If you have any queries or concerns over the Summer you can contact me directly at lesley.english@cumbria.ac.uk 

For general queries relating to the peer mentoring scheme contact peermentoring@cumbria.ac.uk 

I look forward to meeting you all in September.

Post 6: Difficulties with social communication & interaction

Welcome to week 6.

Over the past few weeks we have explored some of the background information relating to the autism spectrum, such as it's history and causes, as well as focusing on the importance of using a person-centered approach and the language we use.

Over the next few weeks I will share with you some information about the difficulties people with autism may face in everyday situations.  We will look at these again when we meet, and this understanding will help us in our communication and meetings with students who are on the autism spectrum.

This week will focus on difficulties with social communication and social interaction.  Many people on the autism spectrum find  social situations challenging, and while they want to have friends and relationships they can find it difficult making and maintaining friendships.  Starting University can be challenging for anyone, and can be particularly difficult for someone on the autism spectrum - meeting new people, managing social events, coping with shared accommodation, group work etc. They may come across as insensitive or as behaving socially unacceptably.   Sometimes they may need time alone if they are feeling overloaded.      For some, these factors can result in feeling socially isolated.

"Raining cats and dogs"

Social communication and interaction

People on the autism spectrum may have difficulties with verbal communication, such as taking what people say literally, as well as non-verbal communication, for example, understanding tone of voice or facial expressions.  This can mean that they don't understand jokes or sarcasm, and are unable to tell when people are angry or upset.  Think about some of the phrases used in everyday society "pull your socks up", "use a bit of elbow grease" or "it's cool" (when we are not talking about the temperature!)

While some people may have learned how to understand facial expressions by learning through visual cues such as Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) they may still have difficulties understanding the expectations others have in a conversation.  They may want to talk about their own interests without following the 'social rules' of conversation, for example, asking about the other person's interests.  Have a look at this short video on anxiety in social situations from the National Autistic Society's (NAS) 'Too much information and us' series which shares the experiences of a group of young people on the autism spectrum.

There's a great page on the NAS website called Communicating and interacting which gives some tips on how to communicate more effectively with people on the autism spectrum.  Remember, they may need time to process what you have said to be able to answer you, they may feel that they are getting too much information and need to filter what is relevant or irrelevant.  In this situation you can give use the 6 second rule - be quiet for 6 seconds and then repeat the question.

Have a look at this video from the most recent NAS campaign, 'Too much information' which gives you an idea of how it might feel when you are being asked lots of questions without having time to process the information:

Another useful video from the 'Too much information and us' series' shows the group discussing the topic of processing information, which includes communicating through email, following verbal instructions

Useful resources

This week I am sharing some resources that my colleagues and peers on my course have shared with me.

In an earlier blog I mentioned the brilliant book by Steve Silberman called Neurotribes.  apparently you can get a free audio book through Audible, available here. All you need to do is set up a 30-day free trial.

Here is the link to a 30 minute documentary created by Artvelde University College, Ghent.  In it 6 former students with AS talk about their experiences in the transition to Higher Education and during their sttudies.  While the documntary isn't in English it does have English subtitles.

There's a new series on Netflix which is getting mixed reviews.  It's called Atypical and the main character is an 18-year old American high school students who is looking for a relationship, have a look at the Netflix link here.

The Guardian have reviewed the series here.   The Child Mind Institute have also blogged about the series 'Netflix's'Atypical' splits autism community'.   I'm going to give it a go while I'm on holiday!

Contact

If you have any queries or concerns over the Summer you can contact me directly at lesley.english@cumbria.ac.uk 

For general queries relating to the peer mentoring scheme contact peermentoring@cumbria.ac.uk 

I look forward to meeting you all in September.

Post 5: What does (and doesn't) cause autism?

Welcome to week 5.  

This week's blog will look at the causes of autism.  Actually, it will look more at what doesn't cause autism, as according to NHS Choices 

"the exact cause of autism spectrum disorder is unknown"

OK, so lets look at the theories that have emerged over the 80 years since the term autism was first introduced, and rule some of them out...  an excellent place to start is by watching the TED talk by Steve Silberman 'The forgotten history of autism'.

Refrigerator mothers

One of the first myths about the cause of autism was the 'refrigerator mother' which was introduced by Bettelheim in the 1950's.  He was a child development specialist in the America who believed that the mothers were to blame.  He said that autism developed because thy were cold, distant and unable to show affection therefore the child was unable to bond.  Obviously, his theory had a negative effect on the mothers who were already struggling to support their child, and were then made to feel that they were to blame. Unfortunately as there was no other bio-medical explanation at the time the theory was supported by other health practitioners until the mid-1960s when it was challenged by Rimmer, the father of an autistic child and a psychologist.  Even today there are still some who believe that autism is a result of poor parenting, particularly in South Korea and some areas of Europe.


The MMR vaccine

Back in 1998 an article was published in a world-renowned journal 'The Lancet'.  The article gave the results of a study by Dr. Andrew Wakefield that claimed that autism symptoms appeared in 8 children within 1 month of having the Measles, Mups & Rubella (MMR) vaccine.  These claims were reported in the media and resulted in parents choosing not to let their children have the jab.  The number of 2-year olds who were vaccinated fell from 92% in 1995 to 79% in 2003, and in 2013 for the first time in 10 years there were serious outbreaks of measles in the UK.  Following the release of the article a number of large-scale studies were carried out which proved there was no link.  The original research was discredited in 2010 and Dr Wakefield was struck off the medical register, yet there are still people who believe that the MMR vaccine is to blame.

Mercury in vaccines

Another theory is that its the mercury in vaccines that cause autism.  Those who advocate this theory claim that while most people are able to secrete the mercury we come into contact with, some children aren't able to do this and the mercury ends up in their blood stream and is carried into their brain causing autism.  They believe that the levels of mercury found in the hair of people on the autism spectrum is much less than is found in neurotypical people.  This is another theory that has been discredited.

Leaky gut theory

Have a look at this article in the National Geographic magazine Autism's gut-brain connection which suggests that gut bacteria is different in people who are on the autism spectrum.  Scientific studies do not, however, validate these claims.

Genetic factors
Research has proven that autism runs in families, with studies showing that if there is one child in the family on the autism spectrum then the likelihood of having another child with AS is about 5-10%.  There have also been a number of studies looking at twins that show in identical twins there is a 60-90% chance if one twin has autism that the other will too.  In non-identical twins this number drops to 5-10%.  It doesn't mean that one or both parents themselves are on the autism spectrum, but that both parents are carrying the autism 'risk' genes and may show echoes of autism, for example, being an introvert, mildly obsessive etc.

There is currently no prenatal screening test for autism, and while a blood test may soon become a possibility there are many ethical implications against this (have a look at the article in the Guardian newspaper below 'Are we ready for a prenatal screening test in autism?').  With the introduction of a screening test for Down's Syndrome with 99% accuracy in Denmark abortion rates rose to 98% in pregnancies where Down's Syndrome was detected.  More on this in the BBC article below 'A world without Down's Syndrome?'

Environmental factors

For those who are genetically 'at risk' of having autism research has shown that certain environmental factors can increase (or reduce) the risk.  For example, one study in Norway claimed that taking folic acid before conception and during pregnancy can decrease the risk, however, another study in Denmark found no link between the two.  Studies have claimed (and disclaimed) that the following factors all increase chances of having a child on the autism spectrum:

• Depression & use of anti-depressants
• Premature birth
• Birth by ceasaran
• Older parent (either parent)
• Parents who are overweight
• Pregnancies spaced less than 1 year apart
• Exposure to chemicals, pollutants or pesticides.

So, what does cause autism?

Many in the field believe that autism is caused by a combination of genetics and the environment.  NHS Choices states:

"It's a complex condition and may occur as a result of genetic predisposition (a natural tendency), environment or unknown factors"

Further reading:

Cox, D. (2014) Are we ready for a prenatal screening test in autism? Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/may/01/prenatal-scrrening-test-autism-ethical-implications (Accessed: 6 August 2017).

Gee, A. (2016) A world without Down's Syndrome?' Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37500189 (Accessed: 6 August 2017)

Contact:

If you have any queries or concerns over the Summer you can contact me directly at lesley.english@cumbria.ac.uk 

For general queries relating to the peer mentoring scheme contact peermentoring@cumbria.ac.uk 

I look forward to meeting you all in September.

Post 1: Introduction

Welcome

Welcome to the first blog post for Autism Spectrum (AS) mentors at the University of Cumbria.

AS mentoring is new for the 2017/18 academic year and if you are reading this then you are part of the pilot scheme!  Don't worry, there will be training and support along the way, and we hope that you will find this an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Introductions

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Lesley English and I will be managing this branch of peer mentoring at the University.  I'm a library and academic adviser and you will find me in the library at the Lancaster campus.  Here's a picture of me!

So, you may wonder what experience I have in supporting students with autism?  Well, I'm studying for a postgraduate qualification here at the University titled 'Working with individuals on the autism spectrum' and I'm mum to a 17 year old son who is autistic.  I like to think that I'm an advocate for autism both in my work and my personal life.

In the comments section below, you may want to introduce yourself and why you have chosen to volunteer for the scheme.

Why use a blog?

In September I will be running a day's training for AS mentors which will give you some guidance on how to work with and support your mentees.  I thought you may find it useful to get regular blog posts over the summer to get you thinking about autism: what it is (and isn't), terminology, the difficulties that students with autism may face (and their strengths).  This will be great preparation for when we get together in September.  Please feel free to comment on the blog posts (in fact I'd love it if you did!), & share resources and we can start to get to know with other a little before we meet up.

Getting started

Here is a great little video by the National Autistic Society (NAS) called What is autism? (the NAS have lots and lots of great resources and signposts to support - click here to find out more).


Useful resources

Another good starting point is the NAS leaflet What is autism? which is available as a PFD file.

The University library has a number of books and ebooks on autism and Asperger syndrome.  I recommend having a look at the title below, which is available both in print and as an ebook.

Baron-Cohen, S. (2008) Autism and Asperger syndrome: The facts.  Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Throughout the summer I will share other useful resources with you.


Contact

If you have any queries or concerns over the Summer you can contact me directly at lesley.english@cumbria.ac.uk 

For general queries relating to the peer mentoring scheme contact peermentoring@cumbria.ac.uk 

I look forward to meeting you all in September.