See and Learn Language and Reading - Introduction

See and Learn Language and Reading is a programme of activities designed to help children who have Down syndrome learn to talk and read. It is based on research into the visual learning strengths of young children who have Down syndrome, and may also be useful for other children who may benefit from a visually-based approach to learning to talk.

About the programme

The See and Learn Language and Reading programme provides a step-by-step structure to promote two key areas of language development:

• vocabulary development - the number of words a child knows
• grammar development - a child's knowledge and skills in combining these words into sentences.

The programme aims to build on and complement the language learning that occurs through a child's everyday interactions and play. Find out more about language development for children with Down syndrome...

See and Learn Language and Reading is one of four See and Learn programmes planned or under development (subject to funding). The other planned programmes will cover Memory, Numbers, and Speech.

About the steps

The See and Learn Language and Reading programme consists of five steps grouped into the three stages. Each stage contains a step with a focus on vocabulary development. The two later stages also contain a step with a focus on teaching reading to develop grammar (how words fit together into sentences).

Stage 1

• Step 1 - See and Learn First Word Pictures
  This first step is designed for children who are at the first stage of learning language. It contains activities to help children learn 60 common first words using pictures. This step also prepares children for learning to read by developing their visual skills through matching activities that they will use during later stages.

Stage 2

• Step 2 - See and Learn First Written Words
  This step teaches children to read 16 written words, taken from See and Learn First Word Pictures. When children have a vocabulary of more than 50 words, they begin to combine words together, so this step also uses reading to support children in understanding and using combinations of two 'key' words. This step is designed to be used at the same time as See and Learn More Word Pictures.
• Step 3 - See and Learn More Word Pictures
  This step uses pictures to introduce a further 55 words that are common in children's early vocabularies. This step is designed to be used at the same time as See and Learn First Written Words.

Stage 3

• Step 4 - See and Learn First Sentences
  This step teaches reading of a further 16 written words, taken from See and Learn More Word Pictures, and uses reading to support children in understanding and using simple sentences containing three 'key' words.
• Step 5 - See and Learn More Sentences
  This step introduces approximately 100 more written words within simple sentences. This step continues to use reading as a visual support for language development, to help children understand and use a wider range of sentences with three 'key' words.