How do downs syndrome children learn

Thank you in advance!! I believe other website owners should take this internet site as an example, very clean and wonderful user genial style and design. I just found this and loved hearing from everyone who has posted. I am the first aide for my student and he is my first student. He has Down syndrome as well.

When I started, it was a few week from graduation from the 5th grade. I did not work with him as much as I would have like, academically, because our time was filled with end of the school year testings and prepping for graduation.

It has only been a few days of school but I am trying to find ways to get him comfortable with knowing what classes to go to, the routes to take, identifying where the classes are and their room number by using hallway signs and classroom door signs, and basically creating a new routine so he can maneuver throughout the school on his own technically not on his own but leading me to where we need to go so I know he knows.

He is very bright but gets easily down when having to copy words off the board note taking. I let him write it with me helping him break down each word by sounding out the letters but he usually gets tired and refuses so I always make sure to write everything down in my own notebook.

I want him to excel and would love any and all help to know how I can get him there. Thank you in advance. I am a TA working in a public school in Canada and came across this site while trying to find tips, suggestions for a student of mine.

This COVID thing has put many of us education workers into a state of almost helplessness especially when it comes to our special needs children. We only have the children 5 -6 hours a day with recess and lunch breaks in between. It would be nice that school and home life were mirrored so that what is done at home is also done at school or visa versa. Most homes however, do not have to contend with 20 other children in the class all learning at different paces and levels.

Quite often there are very few of these specialists in a public school and they are shared between many other students especially in a Public School setting. Instead children that require more specific care, teaching, etc are put in classroom with a teacher that most often does not have Special Education training, that teaches mainly to those kids that are mainstream not the lower or higher academic children.

Most TAs are trained like a General Physician. We are trained for a wide scope of Special needs with emphasis on the Autism. I agree with one of the individuals who commented. If you go into an IEP meeting with a lawyer it will do your child more harm that good as it is showing aggression when all the school is trying to do is the Best they can with what they have funding for, specialised personnel, training, etc.

IT is proven that children learn best at home as this is where they feel the most loved, comfortable and accepted. Children want a sense of belonging. How can you make my child with Down syndrome feel like he belongs in the class?

I have been lied to about so many things in IEP meetings. So yes I am at the point that I am getting a lawyer. Maybe this person has exhausted all her resources and found out that she has been lied to, so turning to an advocate or lawyer. It has done nothing but put my son behind. Then to accuse parents of not putting in the work to support their children. Maybe the parents need more support, have you thought about that? I would suggest you look up this research to better educate yourself on inclusion.

Here is some great information that I suggest you read to help you grow. A , comparative study followed 34 students with Intellectual Disabilities ID fully included in general education with supports with a control group of 34 students with ID in special schools. Included children made slightly more progress in literacy skills than children attending special schools.

The researchers concluded that inclusive education is an appropriate educational placement for students with ID who require extensive supports in school.

Citation:Effects of inclusion on the academic achievement and adaptive behaviour of children with intellectual disabilities. J Intellect Disabil Res. Epub Nov 4. A study looking at the outcome of 11, students with all types of disabilities found that more time in a general education classroom correlated to less absences from school, fewer referrals for misbehavior, and more post-secondary education and employment options. Citation: Wagner, M. NCSER A , study found that Citation: Sharp, N.

Inclusion in the early childhood classroom: What should this look like? Implications for school leaders are discussed and the rationales for the utilization of self-contained classrooms are strongly questioned. A Critical Inquiry into Research and Practice.

Many schools and parents make the argument that typical peers may be negatively impacted by the presence of students with disabilities. Especially those students with behavior problems.

But a , study found that inclusion does NOT compromise a typical students academic or social outcome. No significant difference was found in the progress of the low-, average-, or high-achieving pupils from classrooms with or without inclusion.

Citation: The impact of including children with intellectual disability in general education classrooms on the academic achievement of their low-, average-, and high-achieving peers. Sermier Dessemontet R, Bless G. J Intellect Dev Disabil. Epub Jan Thank you for sharing this resource. I had a prek student with Down Syndrome and I have never work with this population before but learned so much during my time period at the school.

She was a joy to work with. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Doreen Mashami on April 29, at pm. Jennifer Riley on January 30, at pm. Michelle Cook on October 22, at pm. Michelle It helps them decide what they want to do when they grow up. Attending school is also crucial for developing social skills.

If they have the opportunity to attend a local school, as many do, students with Down syndrome commonly learn alongside everyone else, receiving extra guidance and support in particular areas of the curriculum. Though they tend to spend longer in school than their peers, education in its broadest sense opens up a world of possibilities and helps individuals develop into independent and informed adults, capable of studying, working, forming close personal relationships, and participating in their community.

Additionally, children with Down syndrome who learn to read early on develop larger vocabularies and experience massive gains in self-esteem and self-confidence thanks to their language skills.

Reading can also be of help to those individuals who experience apraxia, and may be used in conjunction with sign language to overcome the difficulties of inhibited speech production.

Teaching a child reading begins with developing pre-literacy skills. Reading to your child, fostering a love of books and practicing narrative skills can be combined with activities designed to develop awareness of individual phonemes and letters. In the beginning, all children learning to read must decode written language in the same way, by sounding out words one letter at a time.

This requires familiarity with the alphabet and ample practice mapping sounds to letters. But teaching letters and sounds can be complicated for children with Down syndrome, due to language delays. Babies learn the sounds of their first language beginning in the womb. When hearing loss is present, this can delay acquisition of the sound system and the receptive language skills needed for speech production.

For this reason, it is essential to begin with phonics training. Children with Down syndrome have been successful learning to read individual words as early as age 2. Using flashcards is a great way to get started, as visual cues are particularly effective.

A child may need to overlearn material and flashcards are a support tool that allows for repeat learning. Computers are another great way to teach reading. A touch-typing program can introduce individual letters and reinforce sound-letter correspondence through audio cues.

Learning to type has the added bonus of providing an alternative route for written language production. This is particularly useful for those students who struggle with dysgraphia, which can get in the way of creative expression. Typing saves time and reduces frustration while computer programs provide opportunities for repetition and can lead to confidence building success when they are undertaken one step at a time, with the child setting the pace of learning.

Reading, writing and spelling are difficult skills for any child to master. They require teachers and parents to provide plenty of support and have ample patience. This is even more important when you are teaching individuals with Down syndrome. Repetition is key, particularly for phonics training. Teaching the same sounds and letters over and over again may be tedious for adults but children greatly benefit from overlearning material.

Flashcards and computer programs can provide an automated alternative when human teachers get bored with repetition. Choose interesting content with plenty of pictures. Learning to read for the sake of literacy skills is a sound argument for education, but it may be an easier sell to your child if you find flashcards and books on their favourite topics. Students with Down syndrome can have a range of abilities. They can learn and develop new skills throughout their lives, but reach goals at a different pace.

Remember to focus on the individual and learn firsthand about his or her capabilities and special needs. Be aware of any medical concerns associated with Down syndrome that are specific to your student. Students with Down syndrome are often enrolled in mainstream education systems and enjoy participating with peers in all kinds of classroom activities. Encourage physical fitness and involvement in all school activities, as well as extracurricular programs.

Realize that you can make a big difference in your student's life.