The CHATBACK Trust
In association with the University of the Third Age
CHATBACK was set up in 1986 by the present Director,
Tom Holloway,
to provide an electronic mail (email)
facility for up to 100 schools in the UK and abroad. Most are
special schools, all cater for children who have some mental or
physical difficulty with communicating. It now has electronic
links with children in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Estonia,
Germany, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Poland, USA, and even a special
school in Novosibirsk in Siberia.
The project encourages young people to correspond with each other for social interaction and, where a curriculum is being followed, for work on classroom subjects. For more information about the Chatback staff, please click here.
Each month we run projects for schools around the world. For example:-
TIMEWITNESSES
- memories of the 1940s - notes from their grandparents on life
from 50 years ago. This also includes a 'Panel
of Elders' of many nations that you may put your questions to. You
can find a list
of stories here and also
Quicktime movie clips of some of the stories here
GRANNY'S KITCHEN --
in which we investigate the food preferences of today's children
and exchange notes with a group of elderly Internet users
from around the world. For more information,
write to the moderator, Mez Packer.
VICTORIAN LIVES AND LETTERS --
in which Charles Dickens,
the celebrated author, answers questions
about his books and his early life in Victorian England.
A VIEW FROM MY WINDOW -- children are
invited to write about the view from their window.
Some of the schools we have helped are:-
- Cedar School, Southampton
- Wellesbourne CE Junior
and Infant School in Warwickshire
- Clapham Terrace School,
Speech and Language Unit in Warwickshire
- Victoria School, Birmingham, UK
- Welford
and Wickham Primary School, Berkshire
We have also provided computers and a training room to a group of elderly and
retired people of Royal Leamington Spa. This is the computer group of the Warwick District 'University of the Third Age'. With help from Warwick District Council and the Cabinet Office programme 'Better Government for Older People' they help to run
the Leamington Elders Advice Point
and their meeting/training day is every Wednesday morning. You can
write to their Chairman, Robin Shepherd, for more information.
CHATBACK INTERNATIONAL via Internet
In association with St Johns University New York, we are also taking part in a research project. This is directed by Professor Bob Zenhausern of the Psychology Department of St Johns, and we are using the resources of St Johns University to establish the increase in linguistic competence and self-esteem of groups of children at 16 physical handicap schools in Birmingham, 4 London schools and a corresponding number of schools in the USA.
We would be delighted to hear from special schools from anywhere in the world who might want to join us via The Internet.
For more information please write to the Executive Director of Chatback International, Dr Bob Zenhausern, or the UK Director of Chatback, Tom Holloway, at these addresses:-
Dr R Zenhausern Tom Holloway
Psychology Department The Chatback Trust
St Johns University 6 St Mary's Crescent
SB 15, Marillac Royal Leamington Spa
Jamaica, NY 11439 Warwickshire, CV31 1JL
USA United Kingdom
Phone: 718-990-6447 Phone: (+44) 1926 888333
Fax: 718-990-6705 Fax: (+44) 1926 771707