Learning and Down Syndrome - Part Two

As I said in Part One, children with Down syndrome (Ds) often share a set of observable behavioral traits known as a phenotype. These traits are different than seen in typically developing children and children with other causes of intellectual disabilities. I like to look at the big picture or the whole child. These traits do not occur in isolation but influence each other and can cause obstacles to learning.

Not all children with Ds will show the typical learning profile seen here but the majority will. I must say Miss R fits this picture perfectly! Targeting the strengths of children with Ds will result in a more optimal learning environment. Working to strengthen the weaknesses in the profile will give the child the tools to increase functional competence as they grow.

Typical Learning Profile

Strengths

Visual Processing Skills (relative) – the ability to make sense of information presented visually
Visual Memory Skills (relative) – visual recall abilities.
Receptive Language Skills (relative) – often understand more than they can say or sign
Strong social skills – they enjoy learning from social interaction where meaningful two-way communication and interaction takes place.
Effective use of gesture (pointing, guiding) and sign language in preverbal communication

Weaknesses

Speech/Language Delays with Articulation Difficulties
Auditory Processing Deficits – the ability to make sense of what they hear
Short-term (Working) Memory Deficits
Delays in Fine & Gross Motor Skills
Impaired Cognition
Behavioral Difficulties ranging from attention issues to acting out negatively.


What this really tells us is that children with Ds are primarily visual learners. They have great difficulty learning from listening. Therefore, all learning material must be paired with visuals and/or sign language as a visual cue. Miss R has always had good language skills and communicated her needs quite well so we had no need to learn sign language. Teaching to her visual learning style and frequent repetition while keeping learning errorless were the keys for her in consolidating concepts. Homeschooling has been such a gift to us! It has given us the ability to implement what the research tells us about learning and Ds.

Coming soon - errorless learning.

Learning and Down Syndrome - Part One and Part Three