This document discusses homeschooling children with Down syndrome. It notes that homeschooling allows for targeted, individualized education that addresses the specific learning profile and needs of children with Down syndrome. Homeschooling provides one-on-one teaching, flexible pacing and repetition, and safety from peer ridicule. It also supports spiritual development and avoids frequent illness exposure in school settings. The document answers common questions about homeschooling children with special needs and notes resources available.
Gifted Advocacy - How to be Your Child's Best AdvocateGiftedkids.ie
This document advertises a webinar on supporting gifted children at home and school. The webinar will cover topics like keeping up with an exceptionally able child, early years activities, choosing a school, the parent-teacher partnership, and home support strategies. It provides tips for advocating for gifted children, dealing with constant questions, fears and anxieties, and setting boundaries. The webinar aims to help parents support their gifted child's learning and development.
Margaret Keane and Anna Giblin of Giftedkids.e present their webinar looking at the complex area of Dual Exceptionality - gifted children who present with learning or behavioural challenges.
Meeting the needs of children with special needsEunkyoung Seo
Jamie is a 3-year old boy diagnosed with autism. His family, new to Canada, struggled with the diagnosis and needs support. Jamie requires specialized education and intervention to address delays in language, social, and cognitive development caused by his autism. The document outlines Jamie's needs, autism characteristics, support strategies for childcare providers, and referrals for family support services to help Jamie and his family.
Meeting the needs of children and families lisa 2Muila
The document discusses a preschooler named Cameron who has a leg amputation and uses crutches for mobility. It describes the needs of Cameron and his family that the teacher must address in the classroom, such as adapting activities to be inclusive and ensuring accessibility. It also provides strategies for how to help Cameron feel included and supported in the preschool environment.
This document discusses a case study about a student named Avery. Avery is a 5th grader who receives special education services for a learning disability in reading. He was recently suspended for stealing and threatening his teacher. As the ECE, you are looking for advice to help Avery and his mother. The document outlines Avery's learning needs, signs of his disability, teaching strategies to help him, the importance of family support, and outside resources.
Meeting the needs of children and familieschenvivian
This document summarizes the needs of a child named Jose and his family as they have recently moved to Toronto. Jose has low vision and has just started preschool. The summary identifies several services and supports that would benefit Jose and his family, including:
1. Access to optometrist through OHIP and rehabilitation services through an agency.
2. Enrollment in an after school program.
3. Modifications to the preschool's inclusive learning system and physical environment to adapt to Jose's low vision needs.
4. Recommendation to contact the Canada National Institute for the Blind for community support and resources.
Child risk presentation exceptional children Khushi Mourya
This document discusses different types of exceptional children. It defines exceptional children as those who deviate significantly from average development in ways that require special education support. The types of exceptional children discussed include: mentally or intellectually exceptional (gifted, creative, mentally deficient); sensory exceptional (visual impairment, hearing impairment); non-sensory physically exceptional (orthopedic impairment); communication exceptional; learning or academically exceptional (learning disabled, slow learner); socially and emotionally exceptional (emotionally disturbed, socially delinquent, socially deprived); and multiple disabled and severely affected exceptional children (cerebral palsy, autism, multiple disabilities).
Meeting the needs of the children and familiesizabela18
Jose is a 4-year-old boy with low vision who recently moved to Toronto from Winnipeg. Low vision is a loss of eyesight that makes everyday tasks difficult. Several organizations in Toronto provide services to help children with low vision, including Toronto Preschool Speech and Language Services which offers early intervention programs, and the Ontario Foundation for Visually Impaired Children which operates a daily group program for visually impaired children ages 2 to 5.
Gifted Advocacy - How to be Your Child's Best AdvocateGiftedkids.ie
This document advertises a webinar on supporting gifted children at home and school. The webinar will cover topics like keeping up with an exceptionally able child, early years activities, choosing a school, the parent-teacher partnership, and home support strategies. It provides tips for advocating for gifted children, dealing with constant questions, fears and anxieties, and setting boundaries. The webinar aims to help parents support their gifted child's learning and development.
Margaret Keane and Anna Giblin of Giftedkids.e present their webinar looking at the complex area of Dual Exceptionality - gifted children who present with learning or behavioural challenges.
Meeting the needs of children with special needsEunkyoung Seo
Jamie is a 3-year old boy diagnosed with autism. His family, new to Canada, struggled with the diagnosis and needs support. Jamie requires specialized education and intervention to address delays in language, social, and cognitive development caused by his autism. The document outlines Jamie's needs, autism characteristics, support strategies for childcare providers, and referrals for family support services to help Jamie and his family.
Meeting the needs of children and families lisa 2Muila
The document discusses a preschooler named Cameron who has a leg amputation and uses crutches for mobility. It describes the needs of Cameron and his family that the teacher must address in the classroom, such as adapting activities to be inclusive and ensuring accessibility. It also provides strategies for how to help Cameron feel included and supported in the preschool environment.
This document discusses a case study about a student named Avery. Avery is a 5th grader who receives special education services for a learning disability in reading. He was recently suspended for stealing and threatening his teacher. As the ECE, you are looking for advice to help Avery and his mother. The document outlines Avery's learning needs, signs of his disability, teaching strategies to help him, the importance of family support, and outside resources.
Meeting the needs of children and familieschenvivian
This document summarizes the needs of a child named Jose and his family as they have recently moved to Toronto. Jose has low vision and has just started preschool. The summary identifies several services and supports that would benefit Jose and his family, including:
1. Access to optometrist through OHIP and rehabilitation services through an agency.
2. Enrollment in an after school program.
3. Modifications to the preschool's inclusive learning system and physical environment to adapt to Jose's low vision needs.
4. Recommendation to contact the Canada National Institute for the Blind for community support and resources.
Child risk presentation exceptional children Khushi Mourya
This document discusses different types of exceptional children. It defines exceptional children as those who deviate significantly from average development in ways that require special education support. The types of exceptional children discussed include: mentally or intellectually exceptional (gifted, creative, mentally deficient); sensory exceptional (visual impairment, hearing impairment); non-sensory physically exceptional (orthopedic impairment); communication exceptional; learning or academically exceptional (learning disabled, slow learner); socially and emotionally exceptional (emotionally disturbed, socially delinquent, socially deprived); and multiple disabled and severely affected exceptional children (cerebral palsy, autism, multiple disabilities).
Meeting the needs of the children and familiesizabela18
Jose is a 4-year-old boy with low vision who recently moved to Toronto from Winnipeg. Low vision is a loss of eyesight that makes everyday tasks difficult. Several organizations in Toronto provide services to help children with low vision, including Toronto Preschool Speech and Language Services which offers early intervention programs, and the Ontario Foundation for Visually Impaired Children which operates a daily group program for visually impaired children ages 2 to 5.
This document discusses homelessness and its impact on children's education. It notes that homelessness affects more than just people on the edges of society and that many people are at risk of becoming homeless due to factors like poverty, lack of health insurance, natural disasters, or job loss. The document outlines the McKinney-Vento Act and the rights it provides to homeless children, including immediate school enrollment and transportation assistance. It also discusses challenges homeless children face, such as high mobility between schools and lack of basic necessities, and signs that a student may be homeless like poor hygiene or attendance issues. Overall, the document aims to spread awareness of student homelessness and the barriers homeless youth face in accessing education.
This document provides guidance for starting after-school or evening children's clubs from scratch. It offers tips on attracting children through word of mouth or incentives like food, as well as notes on logistical issues like registration forms, permission for travel, and security procedures. The document also discusses establishing relationships with schools to support children's programs and offers examples of possible activities within schools.
A Critical Analysis of the Principles of Nurture and its Impact on LearningBetty Wakia (白丽)
The nurture groups are small structured teaching or learning groups of 6 to 12 students that supported by two adults staffed to provide social, emotional and behavioral difficulties (SEBD) in a mainstream early years settings, primary or secondary schools. The nurture groups are known as a safe place for the unique developmental need of each child’s are met and continuously provides assessment through the Boxall Profile to modified curriculum in an environment based on the six principles. The purpose of this essay is to critically analysis the principles of nurture and its impact on learning in the classroom.
This document provides guidance and advice for parenting gifted children. It begins with a quote about the importance of developing gifted children emotionally and socially as well as intellectually. It then discusses common challenges of parenting gifted kids, such as operating on a different timeline, processing information differently, reacting differently socially, and being easily bored or frustrated. Advice is given for understanding gifted kids' behaviors and needs. The document emphasizes accepting gifted kids unconditionally and exposing them to learning opportunities without overloading them. It concludes by differentiating advice for parenting gifted boys versus girls and providing final words of encouragement.
Meeting the needs_of_children_and_families[1]Alviya Vawda
Jose is a 4-year old boy with low vision who recently moved to Toronto from Winnipeg. His parents have asked the ECE about services available in the area to support Jose's needs. To help include Jose, the ECE plans to talk to Jose's parents to learn more about him, discuss his needs and interests with staff, create an individualized program plan, and contact a resource consultant. Adaptations like enlarging materials, improving lighting and contrasts, and using strategies like instructions and hand-over-hand teaching can help meet Jose's needs.
This document provides a staff directory for CYC (Center for Young Children) as of February 2013. It lists the names, roles, backgrounds, and interests of 16 staff members working in rooms 121, 131, 133, 134, 136, 141, 143, and 144. The staff have a variety of educational backgrounds related to early childhood education and experience working with children. Their personal interests include activities like salsa dancing, photography, running, and spending time with family.
Meeting the needs of children and familiesJenny Chan
The document discusses the needs of a child named Faith who has been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. It outlines modifications that can be made in a child care center to meet Faith's needs, such as changing the physical environment, using flexible routines and schedules, and collaborating with parents and agencies. The document also provides information on anxiety disorder and resources to help children dealing with this condition.
The document provides a staff directory for CYC (Center for Young Children) as of July 2012. It lists the names, roles, qualifications, and some personal details of 16 staff members working in different rooms. Staff members have a variety of educational backgrounds and experiences working with children, with many having degrees in early childhood education. Their personal interests include things like reading, crafts, sports, music, and spending time with family.
This document provides an overview of key information teachers should know about hearing loss. It discusses the varying degrees of hearing loss and their impact. It also covers how individuals with hearing loss may identify themselves, the types of support and accommodations students may need, and resources available for teachers and students. Sign language and assistive technology like hearing aids and FM systems are addressed. The importance of recognizing individual student needs and putting the student first is emphasized throughout.
The document contains profiles of 22 teachers who have been nominated for awards in 2011 for their exceptional teaching skills. Each profile contains 3 bullet points highlighting qualities like making complex topics accessible and engaging, developing student confidence, going above and beyond to support students, and inspiring passion for their subject.
The MCIEP 2012 Annual Report summarizes the organization's work in supporting children's education in Kenya. It provided scholarships to 10 children, allowing them to remain in school. MCIEP identifies exceptional students in need, pays their school fees, provides academic support, and monitors their success. The report highlights several scholarship recipients and their goals, such as becoming a doctor or computer specialist. It also outlines MCIEP's founding principles and growth to support more students in the coming year.
This document provides a staff directory for CYC (Center for Young Children) as of February 2013. It includes biographies for 15 staff members that work in various rooms. The biographies provide each staff member's name, role, education background, experience working with children, personal interests, family details, and goals.
Beyond Academics: Social Emotional Needs of the GiftedCarolyn K.
Meet the social emotional needs of the gifted child. Gain awareness of those needs, how they differ from other children, and how they are the same. Gain insight into your own effect on those needs, as a teacher and/or as a parent.
Meeting the needs of children and familiesMatthew Medina
Lily is a 4-year-old girl with severe hearing impairment who is new to the preschool. Her family speaks Cantonese and some English. The educator needs to ensure Lily feels safe and comfortable. Adaptations may include using sign language, visual aids, and a buddy system. Services in the area can help Lily's family learn English and access support for her hearing. An audiologist can assess Lily and recommend devices or therapy to enhance her hearing.
Learning at Home What it's like to homeschool in BeijingVanessa Jencks
This document summarizes homeschooling experiences among expatriate families in Beijing, China. It discusses reasons parents choose homeschooling over international schools, including cost, curriculum deficiencies, and a desire for flexibility. It describes common homeschooling structures, such as following a routine schedule and using online curricula. It also discusses opportunities for socialization through homeschooling co-ops and extracurricular activities. While connectivity issues and developing social skills pose challenges, most parents feel homeschooling allows them valuable time and experiences with their children.
Interview with Sandy Cook of Learning Abled Kidsclientcreatives
Client Creatives is pleased to announce the Grand Prize winner in their Entrepreneurial Parent Sweepstakes. This is an interview with the winner who founded a resource and support website for parents who are home schooling children with learning disabilities.
Although moving has become a common event for American families, it is a "moving" experience in more ways than one. No matter how often families change residence, moving brings with it a variety of emotions and situations.
One out of five American families moves each year, and most of those moves are within the same community or to a neighboring state. Moving can be an exciting adventure for families as they look forward to new places, friends, and neighbors. Many families find that the experience of moving often brings them closer.
But the general sense of confusion and disorder can make moving both physically and emotionally stressful. While packing, moving, dusting, and sorting take a toll on energy and attention, short tempers and chaos drain the emotions.
There is also an element of grief. No matter how eager you are to move, there will be places, things, and people you will miss. When moving is brought about by a death, divorce, or job loss, the sense of loss and sadness is more acute. Sometimes, a combination of the exciting prospect of moving and the sense of loss that the same change could bring produces a see-saw of emotions. Many family members experience emotional ups and downs.
Moving is a challenging and difficult experience for a family, especially for children. It is natural, therefore, for parents to be concerned about the effect of the move. Parents often wish to help ease the transition for their children and make moving a positive experience.
When faced with a move, it is important to remember that reactions from children will vary depending on their personality and developmental age. The personality of the child is important because it influences the time a child may take to adjust to the move. Some children are naturally outgoing and will be able to make friends immediately while some other children may take months.
Some aspects of the child's personality may tend to get more pronounced. For instance, if your child tends to worry and get nervous, you are likely to see more of this behavior until the child begins to feel more comfortable in the new surroundings. Roller coaster emotions are not uncommon. One day your child may be thrilled and excited, then blue and depressed the next.
Reprinted with permission from National Network for Child Care - NNCC.
Oesterreich, L. (1993). Moving to a new Home. In series *Understanding children* [Pm 1529g]. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Extension.
Children with Down syndrome typically have certain physical characteristics that are identified at birth or shortly after, such as low muscle tone, a crease in the palm, and upward slanted eyes. A chromosome study called a karyotype confirms the diagnosis by showing the presence of an extra chromosome 21. The risk of having a child with Down syndrome increases with the mother's age, as older eggs have a greater chance of improper chromosome division during cell division. Support services that can benefit children with Down syndrome and their families include organizations like the Down Syndrome Association that provide information, advocacy, and community; and healthcare professionals like pediatricians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and social workers who can assess development and link families to
The document provides information about registering for summer intensive classes at HEART Academy, including:
1) The registration process involves submitting registration forms and checks to be processed within 2 weeks, with confirmations sent out.
2) Class tuition is 50% refundable before June 11th, and non-refundable after. Waiting lists require holding checks until class placement is determined.
3) Applications must be complete before registering, and making an appointment ensures this. Incomplete applications will be set aside.
This document discusses homeschooling children with Down syndrome. It notes that homeschooling allows for individualized education tailored to a child's specific strengths and weaknesses. Homeschooling also provides one-on-one teaching and avoids potential peer pressure or ridicule in public school. The document addresses common questions about homeschooling children with special needs and notes that curriculum should be chosen based on each child's unique profile. Support resources for homeschooling children with Down syndrome are also mentioned.
This document describes an "On Demand Instant Pay Plan" for a multi-level marketing company called wor(l)d. It provides 10 ways for participants to earn money, including through retail commissions, bonuses for recruiting others, residual income from monthly membership renewals, and bonuses for network growth. Participants can access their earnings 24/7 through a debit card and withdraw cash from ATMs worldwide.
The document discusses community leaders and their roles and responsibilities. It defines leaders as people who help make important decisions for the well-being and improvement of their communities. It describes the mayor as the elected leader of local government who works with a city council to set laws and manage the community. It also notes that the city hall is where the mayor, council members, and other officials work together from to ensure the city is a good place to live and work. The homework assignment asks students to research and provide information about their own community.
This document discusses homelessness and its impact on children's education. It notes that homelessness affects more than just people on the edges of society and that many people are at risk of becoming homeless due to factors like poverty, lack of health insurance, natural disasters, or job loss. The document outlines the McKinney-Vento Act and the rights it provides to homeless children, including immediate school enrollment and transportation assistance. It also discusses challenges homeless children face, such as high mobility between schools and lack of basic necessities, and signs that a student may be homeless like poor hygiene or attendance issues. Overall, the document aims to spread awareness of student homelessness and the barriers homeless youth face in accessing education.
This document provides guidance for starting after-school or evening children's clubs from scratch. It offers tips on attracting children through word of mouth or incentives like food, as well as notes on logistical issues like registration forms, permission for travel, and security procedures. The document also discusses establishing relationships with schools to support children's programs and offers examples of possible activities within schools.
A Critical Analysis of the Principles of Nurture and its Impact on LearningBetty Wakia (白丽)
The nurture groups are small structured teaching or learning groups of 6 to 12 students that supported by two adults staffed to provide social, emotional and behavioral difficulties (SEBD) in a mainstream early years settings, primary or secondary schools. The nurture groups are known as a safe place for the unique developmental need of each child’s are met and continuously provides assessment through the Boxall Profile to modified curriculum in an environment based on the six principles. The purpose of this essay is to critically analysis the principles of nurture and its impact on learning in the classroom.
This document provides guidance and advice for parenting gifted children. It begins with a quote about the importance of developing gifted children emotionally and socially as well as intellectually. It then discusses common challenges of parenting gifted kids, such as operating on a different timeline, processing information differently, reacting differently socially, and being easily bored or frustrated. Advice is given for understanding gifted kids' behaviors and needs. The document emphasizes accepting gifted kids unconditionally and exposing them to learning opportunities without overloading them. It concludes by differentiating advice for parenting gifted boys versus girls and providing final words of encouragement.
Meeting the needs_of_children_and_families[1]Alviya Vawda
Jose is a 4-year old boy with low vision who recently moved to Toronto from Winnipeg. His parents have asked the ECE about services available in the area to support Jose's needs. To help include Jose, the ECE plans to talk to Jose's parents to learn more about him, discuss his needs and interests with staff, create an individualized program plan, and contact a resource consultant. Adaptations like enlarging materials, improving lighting and contrasts, and using strategies like instructions and hand-over-hand teaching can help meet Jose's needs.
This document provides a staff directory for CYC (Center for Young Children) as of February 2013. It lists the names, roles, backgrounds, and interests of 16 staff members working in rooms 121, 131, 133, 134, 136, 141, 143, and 144. The staff have a variety of educational backgrounds related to early childhood education and experience working with children. Their personal interests include activities like salsa dancing, photography, running, and spending time with family.
Meeting the needs of children and familiesJenny Chan
The document discusses the needs of a child named Faith who has been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. It outlines modifications that can be made in a child care center to meet Faith's needs, such as changing the physical environment, using flexible routines and schedules, and collaborating with parents and agencies. The document also provides information on anxiety disorder and resources to help children dealing with this condition.
The document provides a staff directory for CYC (Center for Young Children) as of July 2012. It lists the names, roles, qualifications, and some personal details of 16 staff members working in different rooms. Staff members have a variety of educational backgrounds and experiences working with children, with many having degrees in early childhood education. Their personal interests include things like reading, crafts, sports, music, and spending time with family.
This document provides an overview of key information teachers should know about hearing loss. It discusses the varying degrees of hearing loss and their impact. It also covers how individuals with hearing loss may identify themselves, the types of support and accommodations students may need, and resources available for teachers and students. Sign language and assistive technology like hearing aids and FM systems are addressed. The importance of recognizing individual student needs and putting the student first is emphasized throughout.
The document contains profiles of 22 teachers who have been nominated for awards in 2011 for their exceptional teaching skills. Each profile contains 3 bullet points highlighting qualities like making complex topics accessible and engaging, developing student confidence, going above and beyond to support students, and inspiring passion for their subject.
The MCIEP 2012 Annual Report summarizes the organization's work in supporting children's education in Kenya. It provided scholarships to 10 children, allowing them to remain in school. MCIEP identifies exceptional students in need, pays their school fees, provides academic support, and monitors their success. The report highlights several scholarship recipients and their goals, such as becoming a doctor or computer specialist. It also outlines MCIEP's founding principles and growth to support more students in the coming year.
This document provides a staff directory for CYC (Center for Young Children) as of February 2013. It includes biographies for 15 staff members that work in various rooms. The biographies provide each staff member's name, role, education background, experience working with children, personal interests, family details, and goals.
Beyond Academics: Social Emotional Needs of the GiftedCarolyn K.
Meet the social emotional needs of the gifted child. Gain awareness of those needs, how they differ from other children, and how they are the same. Gain insight into your own effect on those needs, as a teacher and/or as a parent.
Meeting the needs of children and familiesMatthew Medina
Lily is a 4-year-old girl with severe hearing impairment who is new to the preschool. Her family speaks Cantonese and some English. The educator needs to ensure Lily feels safe and comfortable. Adaptations may include using sign language, visual aids, and a buddy system. Services in the area can help Lily's family learn English and access support for her hearing. An audiologist can assess Lily and recommend devices or therapy to enhance her hearing.
Learning at Home What it's like to homeschool in BeijingVanessa Jencks
This document summarizes homeschooling experiences among expatriate families in Beijing, China. It discusses reasons parents choose homeschooling over international schools, including cost, curriculum deficiencies, and a desire for flexibility. It describes common homeschooling structures, such as following a routine schedule and using online curricula. It also discusses opportunities for socialization through homeschooling co-ops and extracurricular activities. While connectivity issues and developing social skills pose challenges, most parents feel homeschooling allows them valuable time and experiences with their children.
Interview with Sandy Cook of Learning Abled Kidsclientcreatives
Client Creatives is pleased to announce the Grand Prize winner in their Entrepreneurial Parent Sweepstakes. This is an interview with the winner who founded a resource and support website for parents who are home schooling children with learning disabilities.
Although moving has become a common event for American families, it is a "moving" experience in more ways than one. No matter how often families change residence, moving brings with it a variety of emotions and situations.
One out of five American families moves each year, and most of those moves are within the same community or to a neighboring state. Moving can be an exciting adventure for families as they look forward to new places, friends, and neighbors. Many families find that the experience of moving often brings them closer.
But the general sense of confusion and disorder can make moving both physically and emotionally stressful. While packing, moving, dusting, and sorting take a toll on energy and attention, short tempers and chaos drain the emotions.
There is also an element of grief. No matter how eager you are to move, there will be places, things, and people you will miss. When moving is brought about by a death, divorce, or job loss, the sense of loss and sadness is more acute. Sometimes, a combination of the exciting prospect of moving and the sense of loss that the same change could bring produces a see-saw of emotions. Many family members experience emotional ups and downs.
Moving is a challenging and difficult experience for a family, especially for children. It is natural, therefore, for parents to be concerned about the effect of the move. Parents often wish to help ease the transition for their children and make moving a positive experience.
When faced with a move, it is important to remember that reactions from children will vary depending on their personality and developmental age. The personality of the child is important because it influences the time a child may take to adjust to the move. Some children are naturally outgoing and will be able to make friends immediately while some other children may take months.
Some aspects of the child's personality may tend to get more pronounced. For instance, if your child tends to worry and get nervous, you are likely to see more of this behavior until the child begins to feel more comfortable in the new surroundings. Roller coaster emotions are not uncommon. One day your child may be thrilled and excited, then blue and depressed the next.
Reprinted with permission from National Network for Child Care - NNCC.
Oesterreich, L. (1993). Moving to a new Home. In series *Understanding children* [Pm 1529g]. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Extension.
Children with Down syndrome typically have certain physical characteristics that are identified at birth or shortly after, such as low muscle tone, a crease in the palm, and upward slanted eyes. A chromosome study called a karyotype confirms the diagnosis by showing the presence of an extra chromosome 21. The risk of having a child with Down syndrome increases with the mother's age, as older eggs have a greater chance of improper chromosome division during cell division. Support services that can benefit children with Down syndrome and their families include organizations like the Down Syndrome Association that provide information, advocacy, and community; and healthcare professionals like pediatricians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and social workers who can assess development and link families to
The document provides information about registering for summer intensive classes at HEART Academy, including:
1) The registration process involves submitting registration forms and checks to be processed within 2 weeks, with confirmations sent out.
2) Class tuition is 50% refundable before June 11th, and non-refundable after. Waiting lists require holding checks until class placement is determined.
3) Applications must be complete before registering, and making an appointment ensures this. Incomplete applications will be set aside.
This document discusses homeschooling children with Down syndrome. It notes that homeschooling allows for individualized education tailored to a child's specific strengths and weaknesses. Homeschooling also provides one-on-one teaching and avoids potential peer pressure or ridicule in public school. The document addresses common questions about homeschooling children with special needs and notes that curriculum should be chosen based on each child's unique profile. Support resources for homeschooling children with Down syndrome are also mentioned.
This document describes an "On Demand Instant Pay Plan" for a multi-level marketing company called wor(l)d. It provides 10 ways for participants to earn money, including through retail commissions, bonuses for recruiting others, residual income from monthly membership renewals, and bonuses for network growth. Participants can access their earnings 24/7 through a debit card and withdraw cash from ATMs worldwide.
The document discusses community leaders and their roles and responsibilities. It defines leaders as people who help make important decisions for the well-being and improvement of their communities. It describes the mayor as the elected leader of local government who works with a city council to set laws and manage the community. It also notes that the city hall is where the mayor, council members, and other officials work together from to ensure the city is a good place to live and work. The homework assignment asks students to research and provide information about their own community.
This course is aimed at intermediate level students studying socio-cultural service and tourism. It aims to provide students with knowledge on various themes relevant to their field of study. The course structure will explore these themes in order to meet the learning objectives.
The document provides dos and don'ts for job interviews. It advises to dress neatly according to the company culture, maintain good hygiene like bathing and brushing teeth, and avoid interrupting the interviewer or answering unasked questions. Body language is important to make a good first impression, so don't fold your arms, shake your legs, or lean towards the exit. Proper grooming like being shaved, having a neat haircut, and minimal makeup or jewelry is recommended.
The document summarizes key details from the 42nd TOP500 list, which ranks the most powerful non-distributed computer systems in the world based on performance on the Linpack benchmark. It shows that China's Tianhe-2 at the National University of Defense Technology displaced the US's Titan at Oak Ridge as the most powerful system. Overall, the US continues to dominate the TOP500 in terms of number of systems and total performance, though China and other countries are gaining. Performance growth continues to be driven by parallelism from multicore CPUs and accelerators like GPUs, with the most power efficient systems using NVIDIA Kepler or Fermi GPUs.
Amar Seeds Private Limited is an Indian agriculture company established in 2000 that produces and distributes high-yielding seeds for vegetables, cereals, and pulses. The company aims to provide genetically pure, high quality seeds to farmers to help increase their yields and profits. Amar Seeds works closely with farmers, providing guidance and educational programs. It offers a wide range of seed varieties, including hybrid seeds, for crops like tomatoes, eggplants, chilies, beans, maize and more.
This document discusses ministry with individuals who have special needs and their families. It notes that 19% of the population has special needs but are often marginalized. The document emphasizes that all people, including those with special needs, are created intentionally by God and have unique gifts to offer. It calls the church to fully include individuals with special needs in its congregations and ministries. It provides guidance on starting such a ministry through gaining support, educating others, and focusing on welcoming and accommodating individuals with special needs and supporting their families.
istSOS: an extended Sensor Observation Service implementation for Environment...Massimiliano Cannata
Strengthening data production and the use of better data in
policymaking and monitoring are becoming increasingly recognized as fundamental means for development.
istSOS with its extending feature supports sensor data collection and distribution following defined standards. istSOS contribute to the solution of sociatal challanges.
This short blog post discusses a hacker known as Kal96. According to the post, Kal96 was able to gain unauthorized access to numerous systems and websites between the years of 1994-1996. While very skilled, Kal96 decided to stop hacking and pursue a career in information security instead in order to use their talents for good.
Midlife is typically defined as ages 45-65, a time when women experience physical, emotional, and social changes. Menopause marks the end of menstruation and occurs around ages 40-55, though symptoms vary. Common symptoms include hot flashes, mood changes, irregular periods, vaginal dryness, night sweats, and sleep issues. Hormone therapy can help treat short-term discomforts but long-term risks require consideration. Maintaining exercise, a healthy diet with calcium and vitamins D and K, and an active sex life are important for well-being during this time.
This newsletter provides information on MAHLE Industriefiltration's products and activities in 4 sections:
1) Marketing - They won an award at an exhibition and released new brochures.
2) Air filtration - They discuss their new LGA product line and its use in oil mist and emulsion applications.
3) Fluid technology - They introduce a new compact duplex filter and filter cartridge that can be used in bag filter housings.
4) EcoParts - Their product range for air conditioning/ventilation filters has been expanded.
Physiotherapy Centre for Slow Learner in KLcadscentre
Children with Down syndrome can surprise parents with their unique traits at birth, raising questions about disabilities. While prenatal testing may indicate issues, it also allows parents to prepare with information and support. These children may learn slowly but should be encouraged based on their talents, as skills can grow increasingly positive with improved support. Occupational therapists can help children with Down syndrome learn that reckless behaviors have consequences, though they require time, consistency and understanding of cognitive limitations. Some children with Down syndrome now graduate from high school or study after graduating, showing intellectual and social abilities beyond expectations of even a few years ago. Learning centers are important for children with Down syndrome, who often enjoy learning even if for another's approval, and positive teacher relationships promote learning
Down syndrome is a genetic condition that causes delays in physical, intellectual, and language development. It affects about 1 in every 800 babies born. Doctors can diagnose Down syndrome prenatally through tests or after birth based on physical features. Children with Down syndrome may experience some degree of intellectual disability but most can attain independence with support. Early intervention and education help children with Down syndrome develop skills and lead productive lives as adults. Parents play an important role by supporting their child's development and advocating for their needs.
Three sentences summarizing the document:
The document discusses the differences between teachers and educators, with teachers focusing on passing on information and ensuring it is learned correctly, while true educators draw out the intelligence and abilities within students, allowing them to develop their talents. It provides several examples of educators being able to uncover the abilities in students who had been labeled or discounted, such as unlikely students winning a speech contest. The essence of teaching is creating numerous learning moments every day through an educator's actions, experience, and creativity, though current standardized testing trends have reduced teaching to testing administration.
This document provides information about Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), which is a group of conditions involving delays in socialization, communication, and imagination skills. PDD includes autism, Rett's disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, PDD-NOS, and Asperger syndrome. Common characteristics include difficulties with communication, social interaction, behavior, and adjusting to changes in routine. Parents and teachers play important roles by providing structure, clear communication, and working as a team to support the child's needs.
The document summarizes the author's 20-hour field experience at a Head Start preschool program for low-income families. Some of the author's observations included seeing improvements in children's social skills over the semester and the successful inclusion of children with disabilities. The author also witnessed potential bullying and racism towards an older child of a different race. The experience highlighted issues of culture and poverty for the author and reinforced their commitment to inclusion and diversity in their future classroom.
Professor English 205 (MW) 18 March 2015Rhetoric Essay.docxbriancrawford30935
Professor
English 205 (MW)
18 March 2015
Rhetoric Essay #2 Final Draft
Homework Hinders Hunger
The progress of public compulsory education is at a halt, frosted over by the heedless and shallow practice of homework, prohibiting learning. We live in this stationary hour as a result of a conceptual idea of success having been too indeterminate to survive actual application. Fickle are those convinced that more homework relates directly with advancement, for absolutely no evidence proves that children need or benefit academically from extra overload of assignments. In fact, the addition of after-school work subtracts vital hours of childhood, causing an expansive amount of suffering for not just youngsters in school, but their entire family. If no collective and persistent effort is invested immediately to jumpstart the clock, the future will undoubtedly hold catastrophic consequences for children who never had time to be so.
As this is true education, let us begin with a definition: definition, the fixed, clear meaning of a word, phrase, or idea. The majority of educators, too weak-minded and rigid to realize otherwise, have dubbed their twisted interpretation of education as its true definition. But there is only one meaning. Education is the yearning to discover what a person does not know he/she did not know. It is embracing a seeker mentality, it is a never-ending journey, and it is accepting to learn because of experience rather than banking on it. Any exercise stifling the natural and necessary craving to learn is sickening, for this habitual practice renders the true definition of education useless.
Can the homework problem be fixed? Luckily, we are clearly not dealing with the intelligent, for which I would place heavy shame upon for intentional carelessness. There is no tactful wit or clever plotting against youngsters by assigning homework, so teachers' intentions may in fact be satisfactory. Let us even deem them "loving fools". But regardless of motive, any and all who assign pointless busywork are hollow-headed enough to desperately require the right guidance. After all, how can adults possibly teach what they do not know or what they cannot define?
The most frightening truth is how greatly homework hinders hunger to learn. Most assignments sent home with children are designed to, as so-called teachers say "re-enforce" the lessons taught earlier in the day. Really, though, children are not fools. Regurgitating facts, memorization, and thoughtlessly copying down vocabulary words are not enlightening, it is not a task to look forward to, and most of all children eventually lose the desire to voluntarily seek out help. I welcome any argument able to assert how children would, in fact, find slogging away at worksheets appealing, but until then I need not say more. Ria K, a fifteen year-old sophomore, spends three to six hours a night on homework; the amount of time consistently matching other hig.
Hector engaging parents for classroom mgmtGinny Huckaba
This document provides information and discussion topics for a session on developing teacher-parent partnerships to improve student performance and behavior. The session goals are to educate participants about research on engaged parenting, encourage various ways to increase parental involvement, have collaborative discussions, and enable participants to share information with others. Various topics are presented, including the benefits of parental involvement, different types of school-parent involvement, communicating effectively with parents, engaging specific parent groups, and building supportive school communities. Participants are prompted to share experiences and ideas.
This document discusses the need for a holistic and common approach to supporting students with developmental disorders and additional needs in schools. It argues that students often present with overlapping difficulties rather than discrete issues. A graduated response is needed that provides inclusive support to all students while also screening those at risk and referring them for specialized support when needed. Taking such an approach can help reduce misdiagnoses and delays in support that result from children receiving help through different "doors" in the system.
This document discusses backward students in schools and defines them as children who are unable to progress normally in their schoolwork compared to other children of the same age. It provides several definitions of backwardness from education experts and outlines two main types: general backwardness across all subjects or specific backwardness in a single subject. The document then discusses characteristics of backward children, potential causes of their backwardness including low intelligence, physical/health issues, poverty, home environment, emotional factors, and peer influence. It also outlines methods for identifying backward children such as observation, mental/achievement testing, and case studies. The conclusion emphasizes the need for an integrated educational approach involving multiple parties to discover the causes of a child's backwardness and provide
Down syndrome is a genetic condition where a person is born with an extra chromosome 21. It occurs in 1 in 800 live births. There are three types of Down syndrome - trisomy 21, mosaicism, and translocation. Trisomy 21 is the most common type, affecting 95% of people with Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome may experience some physical and developmental differences but should not be defined by their syndrome. With support, people with Down syndrome can lead fulfilling lives.
Noori, a 3-year old girl, has been diagnosed with nonverbal learning disorder (NLD). Her parents are upset by the diagnosis and do not understand what it means. They ask the educator to "fix" Noori and make the diagnosis go away.
NLD causes issues with understanding nonverbal cues like body language and tone of voice. It also impacts motor skills, social skills, and visual-spatial abilities. The educator outlines teaching strategies to help Noori, including social stories, a communication book, assigning buddies at lunch, offering choices, and using tools like Kurzweil reading software, fidget kits, and Inspiration diagramming software. The educator will also use
This document discusses starting a disability ministry in a church. It begins by citing a Bible verse calling Christians to welcome all people, including those who are poor, crippled, blind, or lame. It then provides statistics on the prevalence of various disabilities in the US population to raise awareness of the size of the potential ministry. Reasons for starting a disability ministry include meeting the spiritual needs of those with disabilities and their families, as most people with disabilities do not currently attend church. The document discusses various types of disabilities and provides guidance on including and accommodating people with those disabilities in church and Christian education settings. It aims to help churches become more welcoming and accessible to all people, including those with disabilities.
I apologize, upon reviewing the document I do not see any questions or assignments that relate directly to the content. The document appears to be discussing culturally informed caregiving practices for toddlers and infants. It does not contain any characters, quotations from Greek philosophers, or relate in any way to previous assignments. I do not have enough context to answer the questions you have posed.
Support for Participants who have a Child with Truancy or Behavioural Problem...The Pathway Group
Participants who have a Child with Truancy or Behavioural Problems at School is part of the Supporting Families, Pathway2work activities which help families to connect and work through problems together.
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When your child is special elaine l. wilmorejzamora3521
The document discusses inclusion of special needs students in mainstream classrooms from the perspective of a former teacher, principal, and parent of a learning disabled child. It outlines both the arguments for and against inclusion, and acknowledges that there are good reasons on both sides. It concludes that inclusion should be determined on a case-by-case basis considering the individual student's needs and the resources and support available to teachers.
When your child is special elaine l. wilmorejzamora3521
The document discusses inclusion of special needs students in mainstream classrooms from the perspective of a former teacher, principal, and parent of a learning disabled child. It outlines both the arguments for and against inclusion, and acknowledges that there are good reasons on both sides. It concludes that inclusion should be determined on a case-by-case basis considering the individual student's needs and the resources and support available to teachers.
When your child is special elaine l. wilmorejzamora3521
The document discusses inclusion of special needs students in mainstream classrooms from the perspective of a former teacher, principal, and parent of a learning disabled child. It outlines both the arguments for and against inclusion, and acknowledges that there are good reasons on both sides. It concludes that inclusion should be determined on a case-by-case basis considering the individual student's needs and the resources and support available to teachers.
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2. Table of Contents
1 Introduction 4
2 Why Homeschooling 5
3 Homeschooling and Down Syndrome 6
4 FAQs – Homeschooling Children with Down Syndrome
and other Special Needs 8
5 Learning and Down Syndrome 10
6 Individualized Education Plans 13
7 Learning the Basics – Reading Writing and Arithmetic 16
8 Reading and Down Syndrome – The Early Years 18
9 Reading and Down Syndrome – The Primary Years 20
10 Motivation and Errorless Learning 21
11 Routines – The Groove 24
12 Visual and Verbal Memory
And Down Syndrome 26
13 Down Syndrome and Challenging Behavior 29
14 Homeschooling and Down Syndrome – “The Reluctant Learner,”
The Homeschooling Parent 31
15 Homeschooling and Down Syndrome – “The Reluctant Learner,”
The Child 33
16 Homeschool Burnout 35
17 The Homeschooling Community -
Supporting Families with Children with Special Needs 38
2
3. Appendix 41
A. Prayer for Homeschooler with Children with Special Needs 42
B. Reading Recommendations 43
C. Math Curricula Suggestions 45
D. Curriculum Resources 46
E. Software Recommendations 47
F. Resources for Speech, Language and Communication 49
G. Resources - Homeschooling and Down Syndrome 50
3
4. Chapter One
Introduction
Our family began its homeschooling journey in In my research about education and Down
1992 with the birth of our daughter with Down syndrome I discovered a common theme in several
syndrome. Reagan is now almost 16 years old and books and research articles – targeted etiology-
thriving in the homeschooling environment. She is based interventions.
a well-adjusted, delightful young lady.
Children with Down syndrome face etiology-
I have faced many challenges through the years on specific (specific to Down syndrome) strengths and
our homeschooling journey but the greatest was weaknesses – different from other causes of
unlocking the key to learning for Reagan. We intellectual impairment. These strengths and
decided early in her life that the public school weaknesses have become known as the specific (or
system in our area could not meet her learning typical) learning profile of children with Down
needs and began our homeschooling journey. syndrome. Targeted etiology-based interventions
Children with Down syndrome commonly have look to those strengths and weaknesses to develop a
auditory processing challenges with impaired short- plan for intervention based on what is known about
term memory, difficulty with attention, delayed how children with Down syndrome learn.
language acquisition and articulation issues,
impaired cognition, and gross/fine motor delays - Children with Down syndrome learn differently
significant issues. than typically developing children. To think that
children with Down syndrome are just “slow
I, like most other parents who have children with learners” is to do them a great disservice. The
special needs, spent a great deal of time in research learning profile of children with Down syndrome
about my child's condition. The more I learned, the clearly defines their learning differences.
greater confidence I felt that I could parent this
child and meet her learning needs by As time goes by, more and more research points to
homeschooling her. the success that comes with targeted etiology-based
interventions – yet mainstream education has not
Homeschooling is a natural extension of what followed suit. For the most part, they have failed to
parents do to care for and nurture their child's embrace our children‟s learning differences and
growth and development - homeschooling begins at adapt classroom learning to their needs.
birth. A child with Down syndrome needs syndrome
specific instruction in skill acquisition and The impact of this knowledge I have gathered in my
development in areas that are often taken for research on our homeschool has been tremendous.
granted by parents of typically developing children Learning has occurred at a more rapid rate. Any
due to the challenges they face. frustration that comes with the work that must be
done to learn has dramatically decreased. Attention
Down syndrome is the most well researched skills grew. Difficult behaviors and avoidance type
syndrome which causes intellectual impairment. As behaviors are mostly gone as they pertain to
a result, much is known about the way children with schooling!
Down syndrome learn but it takes an information
junkie and a great deal of persistence to find it. I
confess to being an information addict which has
blessed our lives in the knowledge I have gained.
4
5. Chapter Two
Why Homeschooling
When my husband and I started our family, we had education that targets their specific learning needs
many discussions about homeschooling. Initially, it and to provide an education that will not sacrifice
piqued my interest as a rather novel idea - totally academic learning for life skills and "socialization."
foreign to me. With time, research, much prayer and Many families leave the public school system after
the birth of a child with significant special needs, I unsatisfactory academic progress for which they
was completely convinced that homeschooling was saw no other option than to educate their child at
the only path for our family. Today, I am passionate home. I even know of a few cases of abuse as a
about homeschooling my children and the result of public school placement. I moderate three
homeschooling movement. I love to share the yahoo groups which target families homeschooling
benefits of homeschooling with anyone who shows children with Down syndrome and have listened to
an interest in our lifestyle. many, many stories over the years. The system
(early intervention and/or the public school system)
I think the best way to show the benefits of has difficulty meeting the needs of our children.
homeschooling to others is to have my children out The biggest lesson I learned when we participated
in the community. Most people are quite impressed in the system was that it primarily seeks to serve
with their behavior and their ability to interact with itself – sad, but true in our experience and that of
people of all ages. many others.
In my opinion, the greatest benefit of There are good stories too - wonderful placements
homeschooling to our family is that God does not and caring professionals. We did not get that
have to be compartmentalized in the lives of my experience. We met professionals with low
children. We can learn about and uphold the expectations, who cared little for the individual they
traditions of our faith at home. Holy Scripture is a were providing services for and could not see
part of our everyday life. We pray together. We beyond her diagnosis of Down syndrome.
grow together in Christ as we make decisions and
implement them. Our Triune God is celebrated in Faith Concerns
our house and looked to when we face Why don‟t more Christians don't homeschool their
difficulties...and praised for the blessings we children? This article gives a scary picture of what
receive. children face in the public schools today:
The National Home Education Research Institute "80% of Christian families send their children to
says the key reasons for home education are the public schools where their faith is attacked. Based
transmission of beliefs and values to children, close on the study's findings, it appears that their children
family relationships, controlled and positive peer are the ones being "evangelized" by the religion of
social interaction, quality academics, alternative secular humanism. More than half of their Christian
approaches to learning and safety. I think all these teens believe Jesus sinned and only 9% hold to
factors played into our decision to homeschool our moral absolutes, while 83% of children from
children. committed Christian families attending public
schools adopt a Marxist-Socialist worldview,
Why Homeschool Children with Special Needs? reports the group."
Families are educating their children with special
needs in their own homes to provide them with an
5
6. Our hope is that by keeping my children home for
their education, that we are raising strong disciples
for Christ - placing the Lord first in their lives,
strong in their knowledge of Holy Scripture and
joyfully fulfilling the Great Commission.
6
7. Chapter Three
Homeschooling and Down Syndrome
Once we made the decision to educate our children children with Down syndrome - different from
at home, I read everything I could get my hands on typically developing children and children with
about homeschooling. other causes of developmental delays.
As we moved through our homeschooling journey, Today, there is a great deal of support for families
much of what I learned about homeschooling and homeschooling children with Down syndrome
Down syndrome I learned the hard way by working primarily found on the internet. For more
with my daughter. Initially, I didn't have Internet information:
access and therefore no access to information on
how children with Down syndrome learn or even Homeschooling and Down Syndrome
others homeschooling families with children with A family oriented list.
Down syndrome. Professionals were not really
helpful because they had little specific knowledge Home Education and Down Syndrome
about Down syndrome. A list for committed homeschooling families that
focuses on the special learning needs of children
We engaged a consultant with a Masters in Special with Down syndrome - resources, curriculum,
Education as an educational consultant. He gave us strategies for teaching etc.
suggestions for curriculum and general information
about learning in children with cognitive challenges Homeschooling Kids with Down Syndrome
- and information about academic and A list comprised of only homeschoolers with
developmental skills progression in typically children with Down syndrome. It is a closed list but
developing children. He also gave me the if you are interested just send me an e-mail.
confidence to homeschool our daughter with special
needs but did not have the answers on how to National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated
overcome the challenges we faced. It wasn't really Network (NATHHAN), a Christian support network
the fault of the professionals we worked with - it for those homeschooling children with special
takes a long time for research to trickle down to needs, also offers e-mail support for those of us
those working in the field. In fact, with Reagan, I homeschooling children with Down syndrome.
had to unlearn much of what I knew about Send me an e-mail and I'll give you the contact
homeschooling and learn with her, about her & her information.
unique needs. I now have a room (seriously) filled
with research into how children with Down
syndrome learn along with my regular
homeschooling stuff!
The fact is children with Down syndrome learn
differently. Simply put, they are wired differently.
Methods used for typically developing children may
eventually work I suppose, but to lessen frustration
all around and increase learning potential (and keep
motivation high) they need their specific learning
profile targeted for success. The learning profile is a
list of strengths and weaknesses common to
7
8. The Benefits of Homeschooling the Child with Down Syndrome and other Special Needs
The child with special needs can receive the The parent can pick and choose social
one-on-one teaching that will enable them to opportunities. Homeschooled children are
grow academically. This cannot be matched not limited to socializing with only their
in the public school setting. peers. They tend to socialize with children
and adults of all ages for a wide variety of
The program can specifically target the experiences. Homeschooled children are
child‟s relative strengths and tailor the less affected by peer pressure.
child‟s education in such a way that
increases learning potential. Character development and behavior issues
Homeschooling also allows us to teach can be dealt with by providing an
subjects not commonly offered in the public environment where limits and consequences
school system. are consistently enforced. Homeschooling
can offer atmosphere where the choices and
The program designed for them by the consequences are articulated as necessary to
person who knows their needs intimately. make the best choice available and wrong
Your home program will best suit their choices can be discussed and dealt with
individual needs. You can create a balanced consistently.
program that does not sacrifice academic
skills for life skills. The spiritual needs of children with special
needs can be met best in our own homes
The child can learn at his/her own pace to where they will be exposed to the love and
allow their needs to be met properly. word of God. In a world where many of our
Concepts can be taught with the repetition children seen as "disposable" and somehow
necessary for mastery using a wide variety less worthy, they need to know that God has
of materials ensuring success appropriate to a plan for them and loves them
the child's needs and developmental age. unconditionally. God does not make
mistakes! "For you created my inmost
The child will have the opportunity for being; you knit me together in my mother's
successful learning experiences that will womb. Praise you because I am fearfully
motivate them to develop persistence in and wonderfully made; your works are
learning difficult concepts. wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm
139:13-14, NIV.
The child learns academic and functional
life skills in the best of all venues-real life.
Fractions are “important” when it comes The health benefits are tremendous.
time to share a pizza! Children exposed to Early Intervention in
group settings and the public school system
are constantly exposed to every
The child with special needs can learn where
viral/bacterial illness present in the
they are safe from peer ridicule. Many
community. Homeschooled children with
children with special needs are the object of
special needs can avoid many of these
peer ridicule because of processing
common illnesses until they are older and
difficulties, difficulty expressing
better able to tolerate them.
themselves, physical impairments or
cognitive challenges. They can make
mistakes where it is safe to do so – their own
home.
8
9. Chapter Four
FAQs Homeschooling Children with Down Syndrome and other Special Needs
Over the years, I've been asked many questions significant special needs. There is a great deal out
about homeschooling children with special needs. I there to choose from.
thought I would post the most frequently asked
questions just in case you needed to know! The longer answer: Many known syndromes and
disorders are associated with known behavioral
Is it legal to homeschool children with Down traits called a phenotype. These traits give us a
syndrome and other special needs? profile of strengths and weaknesses that we can
target to create better learning environments. For
Homeschooling is legal across the United States – example, children with autism are known to have
even for children with special needs. The level of communication and social deficits – part of their
accountability varies state to state so it is good to phenotype. Therefore, they need specific teaching
know the law and level of accountability of the state in social skills presented primarily visually to
in which you live. impact learning.
Why do parents decide to homeschool their child Homeschooling children with special needs takes
with special needs? creativity in adapting what is available to the child's
relative strengths and weaknesses.
Many families I know are already firmly ensconced
in the homeschooling lifestyle when their child with How about special curricula for children with
special needs is born. Some are medically fragile. Down syndrome?
Others research homeschooling knowing their child
will face obstacles to learning that may be better Down syndrome is the most researched of all causes
targeted at home. Some come to homeschooling of intellectual disability. Much is known about the
because of difficulties they have experienced in the strengths and weaknesses of children with Down
public school system syndrome. Therefore, there are targeted
interventions known to help them learn.
Don’t you need special training to educate a Researchers are working to provide tools and
child with special needs? curriculum to aid learning – much of it targeting
early learners.
Many parents I know that have turned to
homeschooling with a degree in special education See:
say that their degree is often a hindrance! In getting Bob Jones University Press Adapted Curriculum
their degree, they are often given the big picture but (send me an e-mail for more information)
it doesn‟t help them homeschool their child with See and Learn
special needs. The parent knows their child best Numicon
and know their needs. Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County
Learning Program
Is there a special curriculum for homeschooling
children with special needs? Where do I go for information and support?
The short answer is - not really. Curriculum choices I would suggest you seek out others homeschooling
should be based on the unique needs of each child. I children with the same diagnosis as your child. It is
would encourage you to look outside the great to have face to face support so check out your
homeschooling world for those children with local homeschooling association. The internet is
also a great place to find others for support. Yahoo
9
10. Groups has a support for almost anything you can See:
think of! Just type homeschooling and ____ (fill in NACD: National Association for Child
the blank with your child‟s diagnosis) into the Development
search engine and you will most like find a group to Hope and a Future Linda Kane
provide information and support. ICAN: International Christian Association of
Neurodevelopmentalists
How do I know if my child is learning?
Note: I am not necessarily recommending the
You know your child best and you will become neurodevelopmental approach (lack of peer-
very familiar with what they know and what they reviewed research) but many parents of children
are learning as you see them implement the with Down syndrome and other special needs find
knowledge they have learned. Many families use a their services beneficial - especially in the areas of
developmental and/or academic skills inventory to reading and memory. Having not used this
help them set goals and display learning progress. approach, I really have no opinion - just awareness
of the support families get using their services.
See:
VORT (my favorite) Do I need legal protection?
The Brigance
Legal protection is a sensitive and somewhat
Where do I start? controversial subject. Homeschoolers can become a
target of well-meaning public school authorities and
Right where you child is functioning – then build up social workers. Homeschoolers with children with
the skills he/she has. Many families use one of the special needs can be particularly vulnerable. In my
above developmental skills inventories to gauge opinion the persecution of homeschoolers is pretty
where their child is functioning and choose rare. Research the need carefully - no one wants to
curriculum that fits their learning style. Learning be caught unaware.
styles are important in children with special needs
in targeting their individual learning needs. Home School Legal Defense Association
Pacific Justice Institute
What about professionals? National Home Education Legal Defense
The Rutherford Institute
I believe professionals can be an invaluable
resource in supporting homeschooling families – if What about socialization?
they are well educated in the child‟s diagnosis,
targeted interventions….and have the child‟s best I think what most concerns most people considering
interests at heart. We have found it most beneficial homeschooling their child with special needs is not
to search the private sector for professional help. socialization (the process by which the norms and
Those within the system tend to be bogged down by standards of our society are passed from one
the system and not as interested in the individual generation to another) but socializing – the
with special needs and their family. gathering for communal activities where friendships
are formed. I have found the homeschooling
Have you heard of the neurodevelopmental community the most inclusive of communities and
approach? the opportunities for socializing are endless and not
a problem.
Many homeschoolers use neurodevelopmental
consultants to develop very specific home programs
for their children. Neurodevelopmentalists design a
program to build on the neurological framework to
support skill development. This in contrast to
mainstream approaches which are skills based.
10
11. Chapter Five
Learning and Down Syndrome
We made the decision to homeschool not long after targeted intervention (specific to the special needs
Reagan was born. Her birth and the diagnosis of of learners with Down syndrome) is where the
Down syndrome cemented our decision to future lies in education and Down syndrome and
homeschool both girls. During that first year, I read successful learning experiences for our children in
everything I could get my hands on about our homes. Research shows it to be very promising
homeschooling. and hopefully as awareness grows targeted
intervention will increase in our early intervention
Early on, much of what I learned about programs and the public school system.
homeschooling and Down syndrome I learned the
hard way -- by working with Reagan. Initially, I had Targeted intervention is basically teaching to the
no internet access and, therefore, no access to how child‟s learning style – a hallmark of
children with Down syndrome learn or even others homeschooling. In the case of children with Down
homeschooling children with Down syndrome. syndrome, this takes on greater significance.
Professionals were not really helpful because they Typically developing children most often will learn
had little specific knowledge about learning and using a variety of methods. They may be primarily
children with Down syndrome. They tended to work visual learners, primarily auditory learners or
with her based on isolated diagnoses i.e.: primarily kinesthetic learners but can adapt to a
variety of methods. Children with Down syndrome
Physical Therapy – hypotonia learn differently. Methods used for typically
Speech Therapy - delayed speech developing children often slow progress in learning
and decrease our children successful learning
No one was looking at the big picture and what experiences.
Down syndrome means to the whole child. We
couldn't blame them though - it takes a long time A good example of targeted intervention is found in
for research to trickle down to those working in the a book most parents of children with Down
field. syndrome have, Teaching Reading to Children with
Down Syndrome, by Patricia Oelwein. Her method
During those early years, I made lots of mistakes. In of teaching children with Down syndrome to read
fact, with Reagan, I had to unlearn much of what I (matching, selecting, naming) targets their specific
knew about homeschooling and learn with her, learning profile (visual learners) and utilizes
about her & her unique needs. errorless learning...and our children find success!
When I finally got internet access a whole new A learning profile is basically a list of strengths and
world was opened for me. My husband worked weaknesses developed from a set of observable
long, hard hours when the girls were younger. I behavioural traits called a phenotype. Children with
used the hours he was working after the girls were Down syndrome have a specific learning profile
in bed for the night to research. Little by little, I different from typically developing children and
amassed a great deal of information which made a children with other forms of intellectual disability.
dramatic difference in our homeschool. I now have
a room (seriously) filled with research into how The awareness of this profile and incorporating it
children with Down syndrome learn along with my into our daily lives drastically improved our
regular homeschooling stuff! successful learning experiences.
I've come to the conclusion after all these years that
11
12. Down Syndrome - The Typical Learning Profile
Children with Down syndrome (Down syndrome) of sign, gestures, the written word, drawings
often share a set of observable behavioural traits or pictures for visual cues. Learning from
known as a phenotype. These traits are different seeing is important and effective for children
than seen in typically developing children and with Down syndrome.
children with other causes of intellectual
disabilities. I like to look at the big picture or the Children with Down syndrome have speech
whole child. These traits do not occur in isolation and language delays. They have relative
but influence each other and can cause obstacles to strengths in their receptive language skills
learning. and are typically able to understand far more
than they can say or sign. Their
Not all children with Down syndrome will show the understanding of spoken language is often
typical learning profile seen here but the majority underestimated due to these delays.
will. I must say Reagan fits this picture perfectly! Children with Down syndrome have relative
Targeting the strengths of children with Down deficits in expressive language. Expressive
syndrome will result in a more optimal learning language skills often fall behind receptive
environment. Working to strengthen the weaknesses language abilities. A high incidence of
in the profile will give the child the tools to increase hearing difficulties early in life contributes
functional competence as they grow. to speech and language delays.
Children with Down syndrome often share a set of Many are able to effectively use gesture
observable behavioural traits (phenotype) displayed (e.g., pointing, guiding) and sign language
in the following profile. Not all children will show for communication. This should be an
the typical strengths and weaknesses listed below acceptable form of preverbal communication
but children with Down syndrome are more likely for our children with language delays. A
to share these behaviors. We can help children with small number (approximately 5%) of our
Down syndrome to learn by understanding their children with Down syndrome will be
typical developmental and learning profile and nonverbal and require some kind of
teaching to their strengths. augmentative communication.
Children with Down syndrome have Children with Down syndrome typically
significant cognitive challenges. As with have strong social skills (though they may
the general population, there is a wide range misread or misuse social skills at times) and
in IQ levels but most operate in the mild to enjoy learning from social interaction where
moderate range of mental retardation. IQ meaningful two-way communication and
has limited practical value and tells us little interaction takes place. Take advantage of
about functional competence. Older this strength using games and other social
children with Down syndrome have mental activities to reinforce concepts and practice
ages ranging from 4-6 years of age. Most skills.
individuals with Down syndrome do not
progress beyond the average capabilities of
Children with Down syndrome have
the average 6-8 year old.
auditory processing and working memory
Children with Down syndrome typically deficits making learning from listening
have relative learning strengths in the areas difficult. For this reason, it is imperative
of visual processing (the ability to make that information to be learned is paired with
sense of information taken in with the eyes) visual cues.
and visual memory (recall) skills. They
learn best when information given verbally
is paired with visual supports such as the use
12
13. They have delays in fine and gross motor What this really tells us is that children with Down
skills. Fine motor delays may make syndrome are primarily visual learners. They have
working with manipulatives and writing great difficulty learning from listening. Therefore,
difficult. With time and practice, most all learning material must be paired with visuals
children with Down syndrome will learn to and/or sign language as a visual cue.
write legibly. Delays in gross motor skills
limit a child‟s ability to explore the Reagan has always had good language skills and
environment which further delays cognition. communicated her needs quite well so we had no
need to learn sign language. Teaching to her visual
Children with Down syndrome frequently learning style, with frequent repetition, while
display challenging behaviors. They show keeping learning errorless were the keys for her in
higher rates of attention problems, social consolidating concepts. Homeschooling has been
withdrawal, noncompliance and compulsive such a gift to us! It has given us the ability to
behaviors. From early infancy on, escape implement what the research tells us about learning
and attention motivated challenging and Down syndrome.
behaviors involving noncompliance and
misuse of social skills are common.
Challenging behaviors result in reduced
learning and social opportunities.
13
14. Chapter Six
Individualized Education Plans
Every summer I take the time to write and event of inquiries.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the
upcoming school year. Because my daughter has I create simple checklists for the skills/concepts we
Down syndrome, she does not learn at the same are working on. When a skill/concept is
pace or in the same way as typical learners. consolidated, I get the simple pleasure of dating it
and checking it off!
I find creating and IEP helps to keep me on track
and focused on meeting my child's needs in Sounds time consuming - Is it worth the effort?
thoughtful, reasoned way. A few days during the For me, it has been a huge time saver! Yes, it does
summer focusing on setting goals, breaking down initially take time and effort to create but then I
skills - creating a plan for the coming year sharpens know we have a plan and I don't have to waste time
my sense of where we have been, all that my deciding what we are going to do, look for
daughter has accomplished and where we are going. materials, give a great deal of though to breaking
down skills. It's already done!
Are IEPs required for those homeschooling
children with special needs? Also, if you are required to report hours/days
There is no legal requirement for homeschoolers to schooling to a state or local authority, time spent
create an IEP for their child with special needs. working on IEPs count as school hours.
Doesn't every homeschooled child have an IEP? Domains
There is a certain amount of truth to this statement. IEP's generally include the following academic
Homeschooling does provide an environment where areas or domains: Language, Reading, Math,
each child receives and individualized education Perceptual Skills, Writing or Pre-writing Skills,
based on how they learn and allows them to learn at Fine and Gross Motor Skills.
their own pace. IEPs are intentional in thought and You can also include domains such as life skills,
purposeful in achieving individualized goals for social skills, self-help skills and/or character
areas of weakness and any deficiencies in academic development
skills.
What kind of information should be on an
Why write and work with an IEP if it's not homeschool IEP?
required? The IEP should have the following information:
Developing an IEP for children with special
learning needs is beneficial to the parent and the 1. Present skill level or present level of
child with special needs. performance. This can be documented on a
developmental inventory.
1. It allows us to plan goals for the future and ways
to meet these goals. 2. Long-term goals for any areas of weakness or
2. It allows us to break down goals into short-term deficiency. These should be reasonably
objectives (more manageable pieces)to implement accomplished over the next twelve months.
our plan for the child. Challenge your child-he/she will achieve goals.
2. It also provides for instructional direction. What Decide what your priorities are with realistic
are we going to concentrate on this day, week, expectations. Long-term goals are generalized,
month, year. The IEP allows us to address how we broad-based such as "Charlotte will increase in
going to teach skills and concepts. receptive language skills." There may be more than
3. It is documentation of your child's progress in the one long-term goal per domain or skill area. If you
14
15. meet your goals for the year, set up more goals. An skills/concepts need more repetition to cement the
IEP should be fluid, always moving forward. Do not skill/concept or look at whether or not we can move
be afraid of moving a goal that has not been reached on to a new skill/concept. I've been using the same
into the next year's IEP. master schedule/journal format since we began
formally homeschooling. Once it is set up all that
3. Short-term objectives to meet the long-term needs to be done is fill in the blanks!
goals. These should be specific, concrete, well-
defined objectives tailored to meet your child's For each day I list:
individual needs and based on their long-term goals.
These are the daily steps you take to educate your 1. Subject and resource/curriculum
child. Each objective that you meet brings you 2. Objective
closer to your long-term goal. Use these short-term 3. Brief evaluation
goals as benchmarks to show the mastery level your 4. Skill/Concept in the review cycle (unique to the
child is expected to have at certain times of the child) for the subject.
year.
We do not necessarily stick to the schedule
4. Methods and materials to meet these goals and absolutely but it is our guideline for the day.
objectives. These could be items/games made by
the home educator, specific curriculum or other Each IEP is unique for each child to meet your
resource to implement your individualized program. child's needs but you will probably find that
children with Down Syndrome have common
5. An evaluation to measure progress. You need learning differences. No one IEP will be appropriate
to define how you will know your child is making for all children with Down syndrome. The IEP
progress. With some thought most skills can be process will help move your child toward maximum
broken down as a task analysis. Task analysis independence by keeping focus on your goals for
involves identifying a skill, determining an entry the child's academic and functional growth.
behavior, analyzing the skill and recording the
sequence of task events into small observable Developmental Inventories/Scales
components and sequencing the skill. Some skills Children with Down syndrome usually have very
can be observed and recorded in a daily journal or scattered skills – age appropriate in some domains
log. Written tests may work for the older or able and delayed in others They tend to learn best when
child. We must be careful not to compare our we build on the skills they have and target their
children with other children. Let us measure their interests.
progress as individuals. Measure your child against
their own baseline. A developmental scale or inventory easily lets us
find out where our children function and let us set
6. List of resources or curriculum used for the goals (short-term & long-term) to aid us in their
school year including resources for outside growth and development and academic skills.
therapies such as occupational therapy, speech
therapy, or physical therapy.
I have always used the developmental inventories
Schedule/Journal and curriculum available from VORT. They are
I have found it helpful to display our short-term most famous for their HELP (Hawaii Early
objectives in a a weekly schedule/journal that I Learning Profile) series. They have inventories and
work on every Sunday afternoon. Using a master curriculum for all ages and stages --- even one for
created with my word processor (to keep things children with special learning needs. The BCP
simple) it can be accomplished with little time and covers the developmental ages 1 - 14.
effort. I base our daily schedule the outcomes of my
brief daily evaluations for the previous week and on I have been very happy with VORT through the
my vision for the coming week. I ask myself what years. I mainly use it as a tool for setting goals but
15
16. have used the curriculum to break down skills for help for skill development. I have to admit I found
teaching. It is a great tool if you feel the need to the cost of The Brigance prohibitive.
write your own IEP. I like to write an IEP to keep
ME on track.
I know other families who use The Brigance. The
Brigance is a screening tool only and doesn‟t offer
Resources Resources for Goals
Home Schooling Children with Special needs by HELP Series and Assessment Strands from VORT
Sharon Hensly BCP Instructional Activities and Record Booklet
Strategies for Struggling Learners; A Guide for the from VORT
Teaching Parent (The VORT products are my favorite)
By Joe P. Sutton (ISBN: 0-96456840-3) Out of The Brigance
print but available at many libraries. You can rent this from Homeschool Legal Defense
The IEP Planner by Jim and Debby Mills Association
Helps for Special Education Teachers, Curriculum Skills Evaluation by Rebecca Avery, ISBN:
and Activities to Promote Basic Skill Development 1580958842, Out of print.
by Eileen Shaum Learning Objectives for Grades Kindergarten
Through Eight, published by Hewitt
Homeschooling
16
17. Chapter Seven
Learning the Basics – Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
I‟ve given you lots of information on how children Reading is a relative strength for children with
with Down syndrome learn and resources for Down syndrome. Given their visual nature, they
curricula (more in the appendices) that have been often find early success in sight word reading.
know to have success. When it comes to learning, Success in reading is associated with advances in
our children‟s progress is quite dependent on our cognitive ability, vocabulary, grammar and visual
methods of teaching. Teaching to the child‟s and short-term memory. Despite those wonderful
learning strengths, using errorless learning – benefits we should teach reading for the sake of
especially in the early years - will lead you on the reading itself. Reading contributes greatly to
path to learning success. functional competence and will provide pleasure
throughout the individual‟s lifetime.
For emphasis, I‟ll repeat what has been found to be
important in working with children with Down There is a profile within the typical learning profile
syndrome: (strengths and weaknesses) for children with Down
syndrome for reading.
Visual aids in the form of pictures, drawings, text,
manipulatives, and/or sign language. Reading profile for children with Down
Hands on activities work well for young learners syndrome:
Errorless learning/teaching is essential for
successful learning experiences Strength
Language - use language they know and
Word identification
specifically teach new vocabulary
Scaffold skills - build on what they know, Weaknesses
scaffolding in new skills/concepts
Break down skills/concepts into more manageable Word attack (decoding) skills
chunks
Practice step until mastered. Comprehension
Anticipate spending more time on each I‟ll go into more detail on reading and Down
skill/concept than with a typically developing child syndrome in the next chapter.
Repetition - frequent repetition necessary for
consolidating skills
Review of skills/concepts
Positive attitude - bring a positive attitude to the Math
learning environment.
The acquisition of math skills is known to be
Application of these methods will lead you and your difficult for children with Down syndrome. They
child to growth in skill/concept development, do far better in acquiring reading skills than with
knowledge math skills. DeAnna Horstmeier, Ph.D., author of
Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome and
Reading Other Hands-On Learners, found her adult son with
Down syndrome was more handicapped by his
Did you know that it is only within the last 20-25 deficits in math than any other factor!
years that attaining some level of reading ability has
become a goal for children with Down syndrome? So, what are we to do as homeschooling parents?
How far we have come! There is very little research available regarding
17
18. math skills and Down syndrome. Our fall back is letter a scripted plan for the letter. Every time the
the above list! child practices a letter, use the same words in the
same order to make the letter – a rehearsal strategy
Learning math requires carefully structured lessons – to guide them in writing the letter. Soon they will
with skills/concepts broken down to teach step-by- be repeating the script and writing the letter
step, demonstrated, and then practiced daily until independently!
the step or skill is mastered – and then the step or
skill/concept should go into a review cycle. I have never pushed Reagan in her writing
Repeated use will keep skills fresh and easily skills. We do it every day until I feel she has given
recalled. me her best. When she gets tired, I stop. Writing is
difficult for children with Down syndrome I want
It is very important to specifically teach the
writing to be an enjoyable activity. I give her work
language of math. The language of math can be
that is meaningful to her everyday life to keep her
very confusing. Look at how many ways we speak
interest in the skills needed as an adult.
of the answers in working addition problems – in
all, altogether, sum, and total. We need to be very If your child finds writing to be frustrating, do
intentional in our teaching to reduce confusion in consider beginning keyboarding skills early. This is
our young learners. a world of electronic data transfer so those
keyboarding skills will be quite important to our
Children with Down syndrome learn very little
children.
incidentally – especially when it comes to math. As
math becomes meaningful and useful in everyday Back to the Basics
life, the child‟s interest will grow. They will need
plenty of opportunities to learn and ongoing Learning the basics for children with Down
meaningful practice. syndrome means sticking to the basics for longer
than with a typically developing child. It takes
Writing much longer (and many more learning trials) for the
I once read from a physical therapist that a typically child with Down syndrome to progress in
developing child has to write a letter approximately skill/concept development. Structured, daily
130 times for it to become rote. Due to fine motor instruction with lots of repetition will lift our
issues I would expect children with Down children beyond their mental age. Older children
syndrome to take much longer for letter writing to with Down syndrome generally have mental ages
become rote. Handwriting without Tears is a that range from 4-6 years of age and adults
wonderful writing program for our children with generally have the capabilities of an average of 6-8
Down syndrome. When teaching letters, give each year old.
18
19. Chapter Eight
Reading and Down Syndrome – Early Learners
Teaching Reading Early (0-3)
The technique is easy and only takes a few minutes
Did you know reading and children with Down a day. There is no need to buy expensive programs
syndrome is a controversial subject? Sounds pretty – all you need is a bold marker and poster board.
benign doesn't it? Families tend to fall into two
groups - those who teach reading early and those The following method is familiar to those who use
who wait until a more typical time in a child's life - the neurodevelopmental approach and excerpted
the elementary school years. I thought I might share from Teach Your Baby to Read by Glenn Doman.
what I've learned about reading and Down
syndrome and explore the different options. Length of play (reading flashcards) is very short. At
first it is played 3 times a day. All sessions must end
Much of our time during infant and toddler years as before the child wants to stop. This way the child
parents of children with Down syndrome is will enjoy the sessions and want to play the reading
generally focused on health issues. Approximately game and the parent is nurturing vs. destroying the
45-50 percent of our children are born with heart child's natural desire to learn.
defects. About another 7 percent are born with
gastrointestinal defects. Many present with feeding Materials
issues. Respiratory issues are prevalent due to
lowered immune response. Most of our energies as Stiff white cardboard (poster board) – ready made
parents during those early years are focused on note cards are just too small.
getting our children beyond these health issues to a Words should be lettered w/felt tip maker – red is
healthier place for our children. recommended..
Printing should be neat, clear, and have consistent
During the infant/toddler years the focus of most plain lettering style, large letters (5 in by 4 in with
professionals and parents is on the most obvious 1/2 in between letters.
delays – delays in gross motor skills. Our children Margins should be at least 1/2 in. all around.
are normally delayed in reaching the typical Printing should be lower-case letters unless the
milestones of the infant/toddler years. They sit at an word is a proper noun.
average age of 11 months and walk on average at 26
months. The First Step (Visual Differentiation)
Speech Therapists during the infancy and toddler First words:
years are focused on feeding skills and/or sign Pick 15 words of high interest or familiar, start
language skills. How many parents are counseled to w/mommy, daddy, names of family members, pets,
begin teaching reading? favorite foods, objects in the house, favorite
activities.
I really want to encourage every parent who has a
child with Down syndrome to consider beginning to Sessions
teach their child to read during late infancy and the
toddler years. Because our children are so visual Pick a place with little/no distractions.
they easily learn to read words syndrome that are Work only when the child is in a good mood.
meaningful (words they can say or sign) to them. In Hold up the word mommy, say "This says
the long run, teaching reading early eases their entry mommy." Give the child no ore description and do
into the world of literacy and gives them a great not elaborate. Hold up the next card, daddy, and
head start! repeat the process. Show 3 other words. Do not ask
19
20. your child to repeat the words. After the fifth word,
give your child a hug & kiss with lots of praise. Another early reading tool for birth to age 3 – Love
Repeat session 3 times/day, at least 1/2 hour apart. and Learning
Sessions should last no more than 3 minutes.
Always end the session before the child is ready to Though it is convenient to have ready made
end it. curriculum for reading, the cost of these programs is
a bit out of reach for many families - especially
How hard does this sound! Doman's book will give during economic downturns as we are experiencing
your greater detail on how to proceed with this now. Doman‟s reading method is cheap, easy to use
method. Several people have developed materials and successful!
using Doman‟s method to assist the parent in
teaching their children to read including
eReadingPro.
20
21. Chapter Nine
Reading and Down Syndrome – Primary Years
Elementary School Age with each word from beginning to end. Struggling
will lead to distaste for reading and most likely lead
As I‟ve said earlier, I did not have internet access to avoidance and behavioural issues and we don‟t
when my daughter with Down syndrome was in her want to go there! Nurturing a love of learning and
infant/toddler years. I did not have access to keeping them successful will keep them coming
information about early reading and Down back for more.
syndrome so we began teaching reading when Miss
R was about 5. Teaching Reading to Children with Another thing I might mention related to reading are
Down Syndrome by Patricia Oelwein was my first those reading readiness skills. Most are related to
purchase from the Woodbine House series Topics in auditory processing issues – a definite weakness for
Down Syndrome. This book was the first book to most of our kiddos with Down syndrome. Most of
give me insight into how children with Down our children will learn to read without them!
syndrome learn and began my quest for more
information specific to learning and children with Back to my learning profile and children with Down
Down syndrome syndrome -- research suggests a distinct profile of
areas of strengths & weaknesses within literacy
As most of you know, Teaching Reading to skills in children with Down syndrome. This profile
Children with Down Syndrome, uses a combined includes stronger word identification skill, poorer
approach - sight words moving into phonics in the word attack skills and poorer comprehension.
form of word families. The games used in the books Obstacles for sure but not something we can‟t work
are interesting and fun – a perfect method for older on throughout their education!
children. This method uses errorless learning so our
children not only have fun but they are successful. Again, I‟m not suggesting that phonics are
unimportant, as our children get older they will use
Homeschooling moms tend to be purists – phonics those skills to help them identify words hey may not
is the only way for their kids! I had one mother say know. Every strategy we teach them will be
she was purposefully not teaching her child with important to their functional competence as adults.
Down syndrome sight words – which made me very Just be sure to keep moving forward where they are
sad. I want to suggest that perhaps we put our pride successful – for most children sight word reading -
behind us when teaching our little ones with Down while teaching phonics!
syndrome to read. Don‟t get me wrong, I‟m not
suggesting that we don‟t teach phonics to our An excellent sight word reading program used by
children with Down syndrome. I am saying that we many homeschooling moms (and the public
need to consider that our children with Down education system) is the Edmark Reading Program.
syndrome have auditory processing issues – they Edmark uses errorless learning to teach children
have difficulty with remembering and sequencing with special needs to read – guaranteed success for
sounds vs. remembering what they can see. most children with Down syndrome. The software
Children with Down syndrome tend to have version makes a homeschooling mom's life so much
difficulty blending sounds because they often have easier! For more reading curricula suggestions see
short-term memory difficulties. Word families this.
remove that difficulty because they learn words in
chunks (visual) vs. blending letter sound by letter A great overview of teaching reading from
sound through the whole word. In other words, they DownsEd is found here. While you there, take a
struggle to read a word instead of a smooth path look at their See and Learn materials.
21
22. Chapter Ten
Motivation and Errorless Learning
One of the most often missed keys to overcoming are too easy or too hard – from the misuse of social
obstacles to learning in children with Down skills (taking advantage of the extra chromosome
syndrome is the use of errorless learning. There was cuteness factor) to acting out behaviorally.
a period in Reagan‟s life when I was looking for
ways to lift her out of the preschool stage. I call it Given our children‟s frequent exposure to failure
an era because it seemed to go on forever! This key they commonly have decreased motivation when
discovery, the errorless learning technique, lifted us learning new skills and concepts. Decreased
beyond the preschool era into the elementary phase! motivation, along with inefficient learning
processes (perhaps related to cognitive abilities and
I would like to talk about errorless learning and the auditory processing difficulties) in children with
connection to motivation issues, how they impact Down syndrome, contributes significantly to
each other and what we can do to create a more obstacles to learning in our children.
optimal learning environment for learners with
Down syndrome. So what is a parent (especially a homeschooling
parent) to do? In our experience, we began to look
Motivation for ways to guarantee successful learning
experiences which make for more efficient learning.
Reagan is, like most children with Down syndrome, How can we keep our children motivated? Give
extremely sensitive to failure. She hates to fail. them positive, successful experiences! Success
Period. As an adolescent, she has better tools to feeds motivation!
meet failure with and works to persevere on most
tasks but it hasn‟t always been this easy.
Errorless Learning
I often questioned my contribution to this problem
as we moved through the early learning years. As I Errorless learning offers our children success
looked back, even to infancy, there was little I could learning experiences without failure. It is defined as
have done to prevent this sensitivity to failure. Let‟s teaching new tasks by guiding the child through
look for a moment at our infants/toddlers with each step of learning a skill or concept correctly, not
Down syndrome. allowing them to fail. As the child becomes more
capable, the prompt or cue can be reduced until it is
Even very young children with Down syndrome not needed.
meet many experiences with failure. Decreased
muscle tone, common in children with Down The key to errorless learning is errorless teaching.
syndrome, results in ineffectual movement. Speech Errorless teaching uses the same language – a script
and language delays, along with articulation - with each lesson and repeating the process several
difficulties result in ineffectual attempts at times (as long as it takes) following the same steps,
communication. Did you know that self-evaluation in the same order, using the same words while using
of competence occurs in early stages of some sort of visual input (picture or possibly sign
development before the child can express language) to incorporate what is most often our
themselves verbally? children with Down syndrome learning strength.
So, I guess it is really no surprise when we see our Hopefully, this method will develop a strong base
children develop strategies to avoid failure. Patricia for higher levels of learning such as problem
Oelwein writes in her book, Teaching Reading to solving with a trial and error approach. One thing I
Children with Down Syndrome, (pp. 23 – 25 ) as to have learned along this homeschooling journey is
the lengths our children will go to avoid tasks that that allowing Reagan to make a mistake encouraged
22
23. her to repeat the mistake and then incorporate the
mistake or error into her knowledge base. If you reach a point where the child is frustrated or
unsuccessful, bring the lesson back to a successful
The most familiar errorless learning technique is the place before ending the session.
matching, selecting, & naming technique taught in
Teaching Reading by Pat Oelwin. Children with Sincere, appropriate praise is important to children.
Down syndrome are guided throughout the process
of learning new words without failure. Very Modeling is important to many skills....show the
successful and very exciting for the young reader! child how to complete the task. For example, hand
washing has many steps and will need much
Suggestions regarding the use of the strategy of practice for many of our children to complete
errorless learning: independently. Sometimes physical support is
necessary...hand over hand for skill development.
Be sure to have the child's attention...some children
need training to attend. Don‟t forget to fade the support, prompts and cues
with success.
Use language that is understood by the child.
Develop a script to use when delivering lessons. Patience, patience, and more patience is needed for
Teach any unfamiliar language using errorless teaching our children with special needs. If I child
teaching/learning. does not appear to be getting it then often times it is
not their fault...or the teachers! So many factors can
Target skills you want to teach. There are several impede the learning process...memory issues,
developmental skills lists that will help decide what processing issues. Sometimes their development is
your child needs to know when. Take into just not at the right place for learning a concept and
consideration the child's interests. can be returned to at a later date. I have been
amazed when returning to a concept that I put aside
It is important to break down even the basics into for lack of progress only to find that somehow
small steps. Teaching the plus sign for addition something clicked and Reagan has incorporated the
requires the teacher to name the sign and the child concept!
to match, select, then name it such. Children with
short-term memory problems - where errorless Errorless learning can be used with very young
learning is most needed - need practice at every learners to the more sophisticated of learners. It can
step. be applied to most concrete learning. Some
examples would be:
A key to learning for those children who have
developmental delay, learning difficulties, attention Learning colors
problems, is to work only as long as it is fun and Learning letters
interesting. Once they reach a level of fatigue or Learning letter sounds
boredom it is time to switch gears and move onto Sight words
something else. Math concepts
Learning numbers
Always keep learning sessions positive. The parent Money Skills
or teacher‟s attitude is extremely important. No Telling time
matter how many times you have taught the lesson "Wh" questions
or what you mood is at the moment, keep the lesson
positive and uplifting. Our attitudes are quite The list can go on & on....
apparent to our children and impact
learning....especially children with Down syndrome. Example of errorless teaching
As you may know, they are very sensitive to our One simple example - when introducing shapes
moods and feelings. show the child a picture of a circle, use whatever
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24. script you develop to teach such as “This is a circle. the concept will be incorporated and you will hear
A circle has no corners.” Present the same visual your words repeated back to you!
and script for as many times as necessary and soon
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25. Chapter Eleven
Routines (The Groove)
The groove is so important to individuals with homeschooling household. Without a routine in our
Down syndrome that the groove is addressed in home, little would get done.
Down Syndrome: Visions for the 21st Century,
edited by Cohen, Nadel and Madnick, p. 228 Routines are important to typically developing
children too!
"A groove is simply defined as a set pattern or
routine in one‟s actions or thoughts. In the general Routines are important for all of us!
population, this tendency may be considered
obsessive-compulsive disorder but in the individual A few suggestions for families homeschooling a
with Down syndrome, it provides them with child with Down syndrome regarding routines and
structure and order. The groove allows people with motivating the child to work within the routine:
processing disorders (common in Down syndrome)
to have more control over their lives." Develop a routine and stick to it.
It is important that your child knows what to expect
When I first discovered the presence and every day. Soon you‟ll find that your child will
importance of grooves in my research about people remind you what is left to be done.
with Down syndrome, I noted the fine art of the
groove in my daughter‟s life. The groove allows her Devote yourself to the routine.
and her very set routine to accomplish the activities Most of the distractions to our day came from the
of daily living, her school work and recreational telephone. Train yourself to avoid those distractions
time in a set order where she doesn‟t have to think until what you need to accomplish as far as school
about it. is complete.
The groove is so common in individuals with Down Make a visual for the child to refer to as the day
syndrome it is also mentioned in Mental Wellness progresses.
in Adults with Down Syndrome: A Guide to Initially, I would just use a daily schedule. As the
Emotional and Behavioural Strengths and child understand the rhythm of the day, move on to
Challenges by Dennis McGuire and Brian Chicoine, weekly and monthly schedules.
has devoted a whole chapter to these characteristic
behaviors. Do not wait until your child is older to Prepare the child well ahead of time of any
get this very important book. It speaks to many changes.
issues common to children/teens/adults with Down Again, the groove. Changes in routine may cause
syndrome, such as challenging behaviors, autism, anxiety in the child with Down syndrome. There
self-talk, memory issues and much more. will much less anxiety if any changes in the daily
routine are talked about and placed in the weekly
The groove - routine and structure are important to schedule.
individuals with Down syndrome. The groove
allows them greater freedom and independence School is not a choice.
within the known routines. Reagan has never known that she has a choice as far
as doing her school work. It is something that
Individuals with Down syndrome thrive with a set happens every day. She does have choices about the
routine. less important things in her life but reading, writing
and arithmetic are to be done daily.
Routine and structure are also important to the
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26. Plan ahead. into smaller steps to build on. As the skills/concepts
Every Sunday I take the time to plan out our week. I are practiced and consolidated, add another step.
plan and I gather materials so that when it comes
time to start our day, I‟m not running all over trying Consider rewards
to find things while my child loses interest. I know you‟re thinking food but I am not! Sincere,
appropriate praise will be genuinely appreciated and
Speaking of planning will go far in keeping with the flow of the day and
Plan all those necessary errands and the child's willingness to participate.
physical/dental/therapy appointments after school
hours. Use that wonderful parent – child relationship as a
reward for you both. How about a little cuddle time
Make fun a priority on the couch with mom and a good book? Our
The daily routine should consist of things the child visual learners all love a little computer time or a
enjoys inside the work day. Choose the right high DVD for a good school day and a job well done.
interest materials to make learning fun.
Speaking of rewards.
Learning should be meaningful. Sprinkle rewards throughout the day as necessary.
To keep the child engaged, learning should target More frequent rewards may increase motivation to
the child's interests and build on what they know. stay with the scheduled day.
New skills and concepts should be broken down
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27. Chapter Twelve
Visual and Verbal Memory and Down Syndrome
Growing Memory Skills in Young Learners with Down Syndrome
Children with Down syndrome are well-know for
their relative strengths in visual memory and their
deficits in auditory (verbal) processing skills. Visual Memory Activities
Auditory processing is a complex issue for our
children with Down syndrome. In this post, I‟m Visual Memory is a relative strength in children
going to concentrate on the short-term auditory with Down syndrome. This channel is not
memory aspect of our children‟s difficulty in completely intact so working to strengthen visual
auditory processing. It is something tangible we can memory is important.
work on in our everyday interactions with our
children. Concentration Games
You will need two sets of color cards: make a
Let‟s take a moment to define what we are talking sequence of two color cards (red-blue). Have the
about: child look at these for a few seconds. Then turn the
cards over. Given some other cards, she must pick
Visual Memory refers to remembering what you out the two that are hidden. Increase to three and
see more colors as she is ready. Variations: Play with
objects, number cards, letter cards, picture cards, or
Auditory Memory refers to remembering what block shapes
you hear. Another variation of the above game: Use one set of
color cards. Make a sequence of two colors (ie. red-
blue). Allow your child to look at these a few
Activities to Strengthen Processing Skills seconds. Then turn the cards over. She must then
touch each card and tell you orally what the card
Activities for young children should be fun and color is before turning it over to check. Again this
engaging. When choosing activities, start with the can be played with objects, number cards, letter
lowest level of difficulty to gage your child's skill cards, picture cards, or block shapes.
level. We want our children to be successful with
the following memory skill builders or “games.” Games marketed under the trade name Memory
- or make your own. This games involves pairs of
As you begin memory training, your child may need pictures-shapes, letters, colors, animals etc. The
cues to be successful in completing tasks. They may cards are placed face down. Pick a card and try to
need to learn the game so give them plenty of remember where its match is located. Start with just
practice learning the games. Build to higher levels, a few pairs and build as skills allow.
increasing in complexity, as your child finds
success. What's missing? Place 2-3 objects or pictures in
front of your child. Have him/her look at the group
Remember, that sincere appropriate praise is a and name each object. Have the child close his/her
great motivator! eyes, remove one object. Identify the missing
object. Increase the level of difficulty as your child's
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28. skill level improves.
Given three pictures, you verbally tell the child
Identify what is missing from known objects drawn what order to put them in.
on paper. For example, draw a face without a nose Tell the child to clap his/her hands. Then give her
and ask what is missing. two commands to do (clap and jump) Work up to
giving her a sequence of three things to do.
Sequencing & pattern activities. Reproduce
patterns of colors, shapes, pictures. Continue a If the child can draw, tell him/her to draw items.
pattern after several sets are given. Keep them simple at first: a red ball, a green square
and so on. Increase in complexity over time. The
Hide the peanut or some other treat. Hide a peanut child will have to hold the instructions in their
under a cup. Use a set of two or three cups and your memory as they complete the task.
child must find the peanut after you slowly move
them around. Repeat a series of sounds: Clap, Clap increasing in
number with success, ie. Clap, Clap.....Clap
Recreate drawings from memory. At the beach or
create your own "sand box" with sand or salt poured Create an obstacle course in your house or
into a flat container. Draw a simple picture, letter, outside! Describe the way you want your child to go
shape, wipe it away, and have your child recreate through the course in 1, 2, or 3 parts depending on
the drawing. his/her developmental level. For example, go
around the chair, jump over the pillow, crawl under
Auditory Memory Activities the table.
Children with Down syndrome have deficits in Act out simple stories/nursery rhymes. Read a
short-term memory. They have a difficulty simple story or nursery rhyme and act it out or have
remembering what they hear which leads to delays him/her tell it back to you sequentially. You may
in talking, processing spoken language, for reading have to break the story down after reading it to your
and math. (1) child until his skills increase.
These activities should help to strengthen verbal Play the shopping game. Ask the shopkeeper (your
short-term memory skills. child) for a series of food items. Begin with one or
two and work higher as he/she progresses. Let them
Repeat a sequence of two numbers given verbally, help you remember your list when you visit the
one per second. Have the child repeat what you say. grocery store.
Increase to three and more as he/she is able.
Variation this can be played with names of people, Treasure Hunt. Have your child retrieve a series of
animals, toys, verb words, and letters. "treasures" from another room.
Note: When my daughter was young we found Sequence activities of daily living. Repeat the
repeating numbers to be confusing to her. She had activities of the day or an activity with several parts
difficulty ordering numbers in the proper sequence and have your child "help" you with what comes
for what seemed to be a long time. We only played next. This will seem quite natural when relaying the
auditory memory games with the variations found days events to daddy over dinner.
above.
Helping around the house. When preparing dinner
Verbal Commands. Place some toys in another have your child get a list of needed items i.e. salt,
room. Tell the child to get the doll. The child has to pepper, napkins, for the table. Repeat the series as
hold the command in her memory and bring back needed to encourage success.
the doll. If she can do one toy, tell her two toys to
bring back. Repeating sentences. Start with simple phrases and
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29. increase length of utterances. For example, red ball
or brown chair. As skills improve-The big ball is For more information:
red. The brown chair is hard. If your child hears 1. Down Syndrome Issues and Information,
well, make it fun and whisper. Memory Development for Individuals
withDownSyndrome by Sue Buckley and Gillian
Teaching organizational skills will also help with Bird
memory skills. In the early years teach sorting by
color, shape, & size. As they sort according to 2. Early Communication Skills for Children with
classification i.e. food groups, function, etc. Don't Down Syndrome by Libby Kumin
forget oddity tasks...what doesn't belong to a certain
group.
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Note on long-term memory: Individuals with Down syndrome retain information
that is meaningful (autobiographical memories) and
It is interesting to note that the long-term memory what is drawn directly from their life – both stored
of individuals with Down syndrome is relatively in long-term memory.
unaffected. Once skills/concepts reach the long-
term memory they are rarely lost. At issue for children with Down syndrome is the
instability in learning and getting concepts from
short –term memory into long-term memory.
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30. Chapter Thirteen
Down Syndrome and Challenging Behaviors
If you are a parent with a child with Down In my research, I found that children with Down
syndrome, you might know our kiddos show higher syndrome respond better to positive behavior
rates of challenging behaviors than their typically supports which encourage appropriate behaviors.
developing peers. Challenging behaviors common Little things like sincere praise, positive attention to
to children with Down syndrome include appropriate behaviors, and rewards made a huge
wandering, attention difficulties, inappropriate difference in effecting changes in behavior.
social behaviors, noncompliance, and compulsive
behavior. My parenting patterns had to change to effect
changes in Reagan‟s behavior. I had to be much
Did you know that many children with Down more creative in parenting this child to make our
syndrome do not respond to typical parenting home environment more conducive to learning and
styles? As parents, we often use negative her behavior outside the home socially acceptable
consequences (time-out, spanking, punishment) for so that learning and social opportunities were more
inappropriate behavior. In many cases, using available to her.
negative consequences with the child with Down
syndrome can exacerbate behavior issues! I learned about looking at behavior in the context in
which it occurs. I learned about A-B-C
Reagan was one of these kids. Like many children (Antecedents – Behavior – Consequences) patterns
with Down syndrome, she has quite the delightful to look for ways to effect changes in behavior.
personality. She is kind, thoughtful and affectionate
most of the time. She is right there when someone is I learned that ridding a child with Down of problem
in need to offer her love and support. I don't think behaviors often takes more learning trials than it
she has a malicious bone in her body but we have would with a typically developing child.
faced many challenging behaviors. Challenging
behaviors in children with Down syndrome tend to I learned that you must teach the child exactly what
be complex in nature - related to you expect. Most young children with Down
processing/language difficulties, fear of syndrome learn little incidentally (by example) -
failure/motivation, cognitive issues, lack of choices, appropriate behavior must be explicitly taught and
etc. modeled. Skill building vs. trial and error which can
lead to frustration and even embarrassment!
For Reagan, the most challenging behaviors stem
from her highly stubborn nature. I think every The younger child may benefit from a pictorial
parent of a child with Down syndrome deals with guide to refer to when placed in known difficult
what appears to be an exaggerated stubborn streak. situations as a reminder of what is expected. In the
Negative consequences did nothing to change her school age child, social stories are often used to
patterns of behavior. teach social skills to children with special needs but
can be adapted to address challenging behaviors in
As a homeschooling parent, I took our discipline the child with Down syndrome. They are easy to
issues very seriously. After all, without control of create on a word processor and can be tailored to
challenging behaviors and discipline (on all parts) the unique needs of the child.
we cannot effectively educate our children at home.
Reducing challenging behaviors had to become a I also ran across a book that I recommend to every
priority if we were to continue on our parent with a child with special needs, Steps to
homeschooling journey. Independence, Teaching Everyday Skills to
Children with Special needs, by Bruce L. Baker and
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31. Alan Brightman. This book not only speaks to skill with immediately and consistently. As she has
development but has several chapters devoted to matured and her language comprehension increases,
behavior and positive behavioural support. The we can discuss various choices she has as she
book does not specifically target children with problem solves and the consequences of her actions.
Down syndrome but I have found it to be an She gets plenty of time out in the community - more
invaluable resource! opportunities for working on developing proper
behavior and social skills. At times it has been
At 14, Reagan understands negative consequences exhausting - especially in the early years - but
and I use them effectively as necessary. In the real definitely well-worth every ounce of effort! She is
world there are negative consequences for growing into a lovely young lady.
inappropriate behaviors so she finds them at home
too. I think maturity has made a huge difference in Reagan, like most of us, is still a work in progress.
her ability to understand the consequences of her We continue to work on appropriate behaviors and
behaviors and increase her compliance. social skills in the home and around the community.
It is said that good behavior and social skills are the
Educating Reagan at home has been quite beneficial keys to success for adults with Down syndrome so
in ridding her of challenging behaviors. She is in an we continue working to become the best we can be!
environment where behavior issues can be dealt
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