Session 19 - Symposium: Teaching Children with Down Syndrome to Read: Practitioner and International Perspectives
Organiser: Sue Buckley, Down Syndrome Education International, University of Portsmouth, sue.buckley@dseinternational.org
Presenters
- Tracey Grant and Alison Haines, Advisory Teachers for Inclusion, Tower Hamlets, UK
- Wendy Uttley, Parent and trainer, UK
- Diana Bangratz, Speech Therapist, Germany
- Maria Robles Bello, Department of Psychology, University of Jaén (Spain)
- Dagmar Martin, Montessori Therapist, Curative Educator, Germany
- Sinéad Flynn, Acting Head of Further Education and Training
- Aisling Brown, Further Education and Training Officer
Discussant: Kelly Burgoyne, University of Manchester
Introduction
It takes children a number of years to develop reading and writing abilities to a functionally useful level and it requires effective teaching delivered by skilled practitioners. While there is a considerable research database on aspects of the reading skills of individuals with Down syndrome, much of it is experimental and explores the strategies they are using to read and the predictors of progress. In the majority of these studies, there is no information on the reading instruction that the individuals with Down syndrome had received. There are some published intervention studies but mostly these are short term and are not evaluating comprehensive literacy programmes, with the exception of Burgoyne et al (2012). This team trained and supported educators to implement an evidence-based language and reading programme in primary schools and followed the children over two school years. There is little published information on the literacy progress of children and young people with Down syndrome when receiving interventions and education from early and through school years. Even less is known about reading interventions and children’s literacy progress in languages other than English.
In this symposium, we bring together presenters to share their extensive experience of teaching children to read and working with schools, in the UK and in Germany and Spain. They will present their teaching methods, the principles which underlie them, the factors that they see effecting outcomes and the range of achievements of their students.
Aims
To learn from the different approaches that teachers and experienced intervention practitioners take to developing literacy in their practice
- To consider the factors that influence progress for individual children
- To consider the implications of the findings of experienced practitioners for developing and evaluating interventions
- To consider ways in which researchers and practitioners can work more closely to identify questions and designs for future studies.
Reference
Burgoyne, K., Duff, F. J., Clarke, P. J., Buckley, S., Snowling, M. J., & Hulme, C. (2012). Efficacy of a reading and language intervention for children with Down syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53(10), 1044–1053.
Paper 1: Introducing RLI in Tower Hamlets, London, UK
Tracey Grant and Alison Haines, Advisory Teachers for Inclusion, Tower Hamlets, UK
tracey.grant@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Summary of presentation: We explore how well the Reading and Language Intervention (RLI)1,2 has been received by mainstream schools in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, how it was introduced, and what impact it is having on pupils with Down syndrome and other pupils with complex learning needs.
Background: There are about 30 pupils with DS in Tower Hamlets mainstream schools. The authors are both advisory teachers for SEND in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Learning Advisory Service. We were concerned that, as a group, pupils with DS were not receiving an education offer that took full account of their learning profiles and undertook the RLI training course, with Tracey going on to complete the Train the trainers’ course in 2023. We wanted to skill up staff working with this group of students and train them to deliver RLI in their settings.
Research questions:
- Would RLI have an impact on the literacy and language scores of our pupils with DS?
- Would staff feel empowered to teach them more effectively with training and support?
Results: Most schools that sent staff on our training and used the intervention were very positive about the programme and felt they understood their pupils better. Some schools extended using RLI with pupils with other complex learning needs to good effect.
Conclusion: Providing RLI training to staff gave them an opportunity to learn about how the learning profile of children and young people with Down Syndrome can impact language and literacy acquisition. It also provided them with the skills to deliver a targeted and personalised programme. The variability of results show the importance of the support of the SLT of a school but also reflects the complex nature of some pupil’s difficulties.
References
Burgoyne, K., Duff, F., Clarke, P., Smith, G., Buckley, S., Snowling, M.& Hulme, C. (2012) A reading and Language Intervention for children with Down syndrome: Teacher’s Handbook.
A Reading and Language Intervention for Children with Down Syndrome (RLI)
Paper 2: Celebrating the reading skills of children and young adults with Down syndrome
Dr Wendy Uttley
Manager & Trainer, Down Syndrome Training & Support Service Ltd
wendyuttley@downsyndromebradford.co.uk
This presentation will illustrate the literacy progress of children supported through early intervention and school support services provided by Down Syndrome Bradford. We have been teaching children to read for over 24 years in our service based at the Pamela Sunter Centre, Bingley, UK.
I will explain our reading intervention programme, the age at which we start and how we develop literacy skills.
I will illustrate my talk with videos of some of the children and young adults who we have recently worked with as they demonstrate how they manage to read and use words in print to communicate in a variety of ways.
From whole word recognition, guessing, signing without speech, using predicted text on a phone, to what is typically expected - sounding out words and reading fluently, we have so many successes.
I will consider what influences progress and the implications of these outcomes for teaching children with (who have) Down syndrome to read and to use their literacy skills.
Paper 3: From Speech Initiation to Learning to Read with individuals with Down Syndrome
Diana Bangratz, diploma-trained speech therapist in multidisciplinary practice in Germany and lecturer
This presentation reports on my work as a speech therapist in Germany, in the treatment of children and adolescents aged between 2 and 22 with Down Syndrome. Since 2008, I have been working with approximately 30 to 40 children per week and have gained extensive experience in speech development and reading. This long-standing practice has enabled me to develop a training program for other professionals based on my expertise and my Qualitative observations. The training is supplemented with numerous video examples from my practice, providing concrete insights into the daily therapeutic work. At the beginning of the presentation, my focus is on promoting the precursor skills for language, which are an important foundation for later language development. Another key aspect of my work is the "Early Reading“ (in reference to P. Oelwein and S. Buckley) method, with the additional use of sound-gestures, which I use specifically for language initiation, as well as letter-based language initiation when the speech-apraxic components of the child are more pronounced. In cases where the speech-apraxic components of the child are more pronounced, letter-based language initiation has proven most effective. Additionally, I will present how to practice first sentences and basic grammar structures with the children. I will also provide insights into how, synthetic reading can be developed, based on the whole-word reading method. At the end of the presentation, I will make a few comments and share my findings on outcomes and individual differences. Presented is a combination of methodological approaches and knowledge derived from the latest research findings and years of practical experience. It always remains a priority to recognize that each child is unique and has their own reality. The focus is on supporting each child’s abilities to help them reach their best possible, individual goals.
References
Oelwein, P. (1995) Teaching reading to children with Down syndrome: A guide for parents and teachers. Woodbine House Inc, USA.
Buckley, S.J., Bird, G. (1993). Teaching children with Down syndrome to read. Down Syndrome Research and Practice, 1(1), 33–41.
Paper 4: Early Intervention Services in Spain: The process of learning to read in children with Down syndrome
María Auxiliadora Robles Bello Department of Psychology, University of Jaén (Spain) marobles@ujaen.es
José Antonio Camacho Conde, University of Granada, Spain
In Spain, all newborns identified with Down syndrome are referred to an Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC). These provide early intervention activities to support all areas of children’s development. Reading instruction has been included since 1980 based on the work of Maria-Victoria Troncoso and colleagues (Troncoso & del Cerro, 1998, 2009). This programme will be explained in my presentation.
Throughout the whole process - initiation, learning, progress - the priority and fundamental aim is for the pupil to understand what he/she is reading, to read fluently, to be motivated and to maintain an interest in reading. To achieve this comprehension, fluency and motivation, the programme is delivered in an individual and personalised way. The adult - teacher, family member - works with a single student in each session, adapting the activities and materials to the specific child in front of him/her. The teacher chooses the objectives, develops the materials and implements the activities in a systematic and structured way.
Initially, 5 to 10 minutes is sufficient and can be easily integrated into the early learning sessions. It is important to coordinate with the speech therapist to support vocabulary, etc. and with the family and school. Gradually the time is increased as there are more resources to vary the activities and materials, always avoiding tiredness and boredom.
Recently we have explored the factors which may explain individual differences in progress. (Robles-Bello et al, 2018, 2020). Before starting the actual reading method, it is desirable for the child to have participated in a perceptual-discriminative learning programme at around 3-4 years of age, as this will allow greater progress. It is not a disadvantage if the child has not started to speak, but it is a prerequisite that the child knows that people, animals, things and actions have names.
Many children can reach the reading level of the first year of primary school before the age of 9, making formal education and school and social integration easier and more effective. We recommend a continuous programme throughout adolescence and young adulthood, as progress continues and high levels of literacy can be achieved, especially by those who have been readers from an early age.
References
This Spanish method (Troncoso & del Cerro, 1998, 2009). https://www.down21.org/libros-online/libroLectura/index.html
Robles-Bello, M. A., Valencia-Naranjo, N., & Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2018). Learning potential is useful in pre-schoolers with fragile x and down syndrome. Psicología Educativa, 24, 51-57. https://doi.org/10.5093/psed2018a8
Robles-Bello, M. A., Sánchez-Teruel, D., & Camacho-Conde, J. A. (2020). Variables that predict the potential efficacy of early intervention in reading in Down syndrome. Psicología Educativa, 26(2), 95-100. https://doi.org/10.5093/psed2020a1
Paper 5: Teaching children and teenagers with Down Syndrome to read
Dagmar Martin, Montessori Therapist, Curative Educator
Founder and Managing Director of montecation gUG (non-profit limited liability company) dagmar.martin@montecation.de
I lead a team of four therapists, currently working with some 80 clients, about half of whom have Down syndrome and range in age from 6 months to 22 years. Twelve years ago, when I started working with children with Down Syndrome (DS) as part of integration assistance, I noticed that many therapists applying Montessori pedagogy (MP) did not utilize the Sensitive Periods as described by Maria Montessori when working with children with disabilities. My second observation was that parents were often not given guidance. As a result, children with DS could only engage with Montessori materials during therapy sessions. This was insufficient in my view. My goal was to empower parents to use everyday situations as learning opportunities and integrate these exercises into family life. To achieve this, it was important to repeatedly explain to parents how to correctly apply the Three-Step Lesson according to MP concerning their child.
I use this method from the first year of life to help children with DS learn language. Additionally, I apply this method diagnostically to observe children's language comprehension. Parents can also use it to support their children’s speech development. In MP, the Three-Step Lesson plays a crucial role in learning to read.
In my experience, many children significantly improve their speech, particularly articulation, by learning to read through the Three-Step Lesson with sandpaper letters. Letters serve as symbols for spoken sounds, creating an essential link between visual and auditory perception. Furthermore, language comprehension improves as prepositions are paired with corresponding objects in space.
I will explain the teaching methods and share examples of the reading and language outcomes achieved by preschool and school age children with Down syndrome. I will also stress that children with DS do not share identical physical appearances, abilities, or learning challenges, nor do they grow up in the same environments. Each of these factors influences their progress. Our ultimate goal for our children is full inclusion in school, work and community.
References
Anderlik, Lore (2012). Montessori – der Weg geht weiter. Dortmund: Verlag Modernes Lernen.
Heiland, Helmut (1971). Maria Montessori. 13th edition. Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag.
Montessori, Maria (2008). The Montessori Method. 13th edition. United States of America: Earth Angel Books.
Montessori, Maria (2011). Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook. United States of America: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Oelwein, Patricia Logan (1995). Kinder mit Down-Syndrom lernen lesen – Ein Praxisbuch für Eltern und Lehrer. 5th edition (2007). G&S Verlag GmbH.
Schmutzler, Hans-Joachim (1994). Handbuch Heilpädagogisches Grundwissen. 4th edition. Herder Verlag.
Wilken, E. (2019). Sprachförderung bei Kindern mit Down Syndrom. 13th edition (2019). Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
Paper 6: Book Clubs for Adults with Down syndrome Initiative
Sinéad Flynn, Acting Head of Further Education and Training sinead@downsyndrome.ie
Aisling Brown, Further Education and Training Officer aislingbrown@downsyndrome.ie
Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI) is entering its fourth year of its Book Club for Adults with Down syndrome Initiative.
The goals of the book clubs were:
- To encourage literacy and lifelong learning
- To facilitate the development of social and life skills
- To encourage community participation using natural resources
- To facilitate social inclusion
DSI has worked with the national library service and a university in Ireland to develop this initiative. To date, 15 book clubs, with almost 100 members, are running. People generally meet monthly for an hour in their local library. Book clubs are facilitated by library staff members. Library staff receive training delivered by a DSI staff member and an adult with Down syndrome. A further 10 libraries are in the process of setting up clubs.
This presentation will focus on the benefits and challenges of this initiative and reflect on which of the initial goals of the book clubs have been achieved.
We will discuss factors which appear to contribute to success, key challenges, and attrition rate at both individual and club level.
We will also look at the profile of people who join these clubs, including some video information from people with Down syndrome.
