Recent updates - A new workbok for teachers

Talking to your class about alcohol can be tricky, but it’s essential that young people learn the facts. This easy to use workbook of fact sheets, lesson plan ideas and activities, provides engaging activities for 11 to 16 year olds (with extra activities specifically aimed at 14 to 16 year olds). Each Chapter covers a key topic, the resources are designed in such a way that you can ‘pick and mix’ different ideas and each section is ‘stand alone’.

Whether the lessons succeed is largely dependent on the way pupils exchange their ideas and feelings in groups. The workbook involves discussion-based work, group work, true or false ‘myth busters’ and links to interactive games, quizzes and activities onthe talkaboutalcohol.com website. We have provided ‘ice breaker’ film clips, worksheets and fact sheets (also available as pdf downloads online via alcoholeducationtrust.org) suggestions for games and activities and comprehensive but straightforward information - everything you need for fun and informative lessons or a workshop.

Choosing how to pitch alcohol education, to what degree at what age and whether via PHSE or science is a difficult subject for teachers to get right. Fortunately, experts in the field have put a lot of time and research into developing resources and lesson plans for you to pick and choose from to help make the subject interactive and informative without being too 'nannying', which we know leads to kids rolling their eyes and switching off.

The average age of a whole alcoholic drink in the UK is age 12 and a half and by age 15 many are drinking regularly, so talking to pupils about sensible drinking guidelines, what a unit is, resisting peer pressure and what happens to your reactions if you combine.drinking and driving for example is of great importance. Research shows that emphasising the personal consequences of getting drunk, such as the increased likelihood of being sexually assaulted or robbed, plus the social embarrassment looking a fool in front of your mates helps delay the age, and the amount, that children start drinking.

In terms of resisting the temptation to drink drive - the inability to get car insurance or a good job in the future, the loss of licence for a year and up to £5000 in fines in the UK is a good wake up call.

Please also use www.talkaboutalcohol.com which has dedicated lesson plans, quizzesand role play with different areas for teachers, parents and pupils.

This site is endorsed by the Association of PSHE and has been featured by the DCSF as a recommended resource. Talk About Alcohol has been through a rigorous research, development and piloting process. During the pilot, teachers, students and parents gave a very high approval rating to the site.The site has been crafted with advice from
* The European Association of Teachers (AEDE)
* The Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union (COFACE)
* Generation Europe

Material to send home to parents

Increasingly research is showing that parents in the UK are both the key supplier of alcohol to underage pupils as well as having the most influence on their behaviour and risk taking.

You can order brochures that can be sent home to parents, with an optional 'teen guide' for them or you to give older teenagers from helena.conibear@aim-digest.com.

There is also a downloadable clip here detailing UK drinking guidelines, how much is too much and when not to drink for classroom use Talking to kids about alcohol: units and UK drinking guidelines - how much is too much?

A full presentation for parents on talking to their children about drinking' that can be presented at a parents evening or via a PTA event or induction evening .Talking to kids about alcohol: Full Version

A DVD of resources for teachers is available for £6( including post and packing). The DVD contains a quiz (in powerpoint and word form), a word search, 12 lesson plans, the presentations in full form for parents, and a short version on alcohol and its effects for use in the classroom. To order a DVD email jane.hutchings@aim-digest.com.

We are very happy to make a presentation in your school - please email helena.conibear@aim-digest.com if this is of interest.