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See and Learn - reading and language activities for children with Down syndrome

See and Learn Language and Reading programme

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See and Learn - reading and language activities for children with Down syndrome The See and Learn Language and Reading programme produced by Down Syndrome Education International See and Learn - reading and language activities for children with Down syndrome
 

Language development for children who have Down syndrome

The See and Learn Language and Reading programme is based on what research evidence tell us about the speech and language development of children who have Down Syndrome.

Speech and language development is a specific area of difficulty for children who have Down syndrome[1] and therefore it is important to take the opportunity to promote language development in the early years.

Children learn language as people talk naturally to them during everyday activities. This natural interaction provides a foundation for communication and speech and language development, and determines how skills are acquired, used and developed. In addition to this, it can be useful to provide a more direct approach to language development alongside quality everyday interaction. 

Supporting language development

The See and Learn Language and Reading materials have been developed in response to the need to provide parents with practical support in promoting their child's language development.

The See and Learn Language and Reading activities complement the information and recommendations made in the Down Syndrome Education International publications: Speech and language development for infants with Down syndrome, and Reading and writing development for infants with Down syndrome (see further reading list). In particular, many of the steps are based on a progression through matching, selecting then naming to learn new words and demonstrate understanding. 

The See and Learn Language and Reading activities are based on the following principles from the available research evidence:

  • Children who have Down syndrome find it difficult to learn language just from listening to it.[1]
  • Children who have Down syndrome are likely to benefit from a structured approach to vocabulary teaching in addition to learning language through quality natural interaction. A structured approach provides opportunities for repetition. Research tells us that the expressive language outcomes for a group of children with Down syndrome increased when targeted words were repeated in 'set up' routines and play.[2]
  • Children who have Down syndrome are likely to have a relative strength in their visual processing skills, and are often able to learn to read at a young age. Reading games provide visual support to create opportunities for learning single words, for joining words together, for practising grammar and for developing awareness of the sounds in words.[3]
  • Children who have Down syndrome benefit from an 'errorless learning' approach to teaching new skills. This involves providing just enough support to help the child achieve at a slightly higher level than he/she can achieve independently, which allows the child to learn, whilst still being successful. This enables the child to build up a learning history of success, leading to greater competence and motivation to learn.[4]

Although based on research evidence and practical experience relating specifically to children who have Down syndrome, See and Learn Language and Reading is likely to be useful for other children who also have language delays and a preference for visually-based learning.

Further reading and resources

The following articles and publications provide further information about language and reading development for children who have Down syndrome:

  • Buckley, S. and Bird, G. (2000). Speech and language development for individuals with Down syndrome - an overview. Portsmouth, UK: The Down Syndrome Educational Trust. Available online: http://www.down-syndrome.org/information/language/overview/
  • Buckley, S. and Bird, G. (2001). Speech and language development for infants with Down syndrome (0-5 years). Portsmouth, UK: The Down Syndrome Educational Trust. Available online: http://www.down-syndrome.org/information/language/early/
  • Bird, G. and Buckley, S. (2001). Reading and writing for infants with Down syndrome (0-5 years). Portsmouth, UK: Down Syndrome Education International. Available online: http://www.down-syndrome.org/information/reading/early/
  • Buckley, S. and Le Prevost, P. (2002). Speech and language therapy for children with Down syndrome. Down Syndrome News and Update, 2(2), 70-76. Available online: http://www.down-syndrome.org/practice/171/
  • Buckley, S.J. (1999). Promoting the development of children with Down syndrome: The practical implications of recent research, pp. 99-110. In J.A. Rondal, J. Perera and L. Nadel (Eds.). Down syndrome: A review of current knowledge. London, England: Whurr.
  • Kumin, L. (2003). Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome. Bethesda, MD,USA: Woodbine House.
  • Olwein, P. (1995). Teaching Reading to Children with Down Syndrome - A Guide for Parents and Teachers. Bethesda, MD,USA: Woodbine House.
  • Development in Practice - Activities for Babies with Down Syndrome [DVD]. Portsmouth, UK: Down Syndrome Education International.
  • Speech and Language Activities for Preschool Children with Down Syndrome [DVD]. Portsmouth, UK: Down Syndrome Education International.
  • What Did You Say? - A Guide to Speech Intelligibility in People with Down Syndrome [NTSC DVD]. Bethesda, MD,USA: Woodbine House.

A wide range of resources about language and reading development are available at the Downsed Online shop.

See also:

Reference list

  1. Chapman, R.S. and Hesketh L.J. (2001). Language, cognition, and short-term memory in individuals with Down syndrome. Down Syndrome Research and Practice, 7(1), 1-7. Available online: http://www.down-syndrome.org/reviews/108/
  2. Girolametto, L., Weitzman, E. and Clements-Baartman, J. (1998). Vocabulary intervention for children with Down syndrome: parent training using focused stimulation. Infant Toddler Intervention, 8(2), 109-125.
  3. Buckley, S. (1995). Teaching children with Down syndrome to read and write, pp. 158-169. In L. Nadel and D. Rosenthal (Eds.). Down syndrome: Living and learning in the community. New York: Wiley-Liss.
  4. Wishart, J. (2001). Motivation and learning styles in young children with Down syndrome. Down Syndrome Research and Practice, 7(2), 47-51. Available online: http://www.down-syndrome.org/reports/113/