Learning and Teaching Strategies
Challenges students face when learning
An individual’s education can be affected by medical issues, hearing, vision and speech impairments and low muscle tone. Medical issues may prevent the student from attending school or fully engaging in activities within the class. For example, a student may find they are restricted to the activities they can participate in due to a congenital heart defect. This student may also be continually away from school for long periods of time due to illness.
Hearing and vision impairments or illnesses will also interrupt the individuals learning journey. Hearing and vision impairments prevent the student from taking in information in either visual or auditory format and their development is delayed further. This may affect their speech and cognitive abilities.
Low muscle tone will restrict the student’s motor movements and the student may have difficulties participating and completing activities
An individual’s education can be affected by medical issues, hearing, vision and speech impairments and low muscle tone. Medical issues may prevent the student from attending school or fully engaging in activities within the class. For example, a student may find they are restricted to the activities they can participate in due to a congenital heart defect. This student may also be continually away from school for long periods of time due to illness.
Hearing and vision impairments or illnesses will also interrupt the individuals learning journey. Hearing and vision impairments prevent the student from taking in information in either visual or auditory format and their development is delayed further. This may affect their speech and cognitive abilities.
Low muscle tone will restrict the student’s motor movements and the student may have difficulties participating and completing activities
Strategies for optimal learning when working with children who have Downs syndrome
1. Inclusion into mainstream classrooms
It has been proven that when students who have Down's syndrome are included in mainstream classes their school and home life often improves. By including students with Down's syndrome into a mainstream classroom, the student’s speech and language improves, the student is exposed to greater and varied learning opportunities, and the students social skills improve. By being included in a mainstream classroom the student is able to watch appropriate behaviour, social interaction, language and learning strategies being modeled by their peers.
2. Collaborative learning
Collaborative learning occurs when two or more people combine to learn something together. By using collaborative learning strategies the content can be chosen to target a group of learners at the same level. Collaborative learning will also provide the student with a sense of belonging to a group, as they will have the same goals in common with other students. Collaborative learning allows opportunities for success to be shared with peers and therefore helping to motivate the student.
3. Peer tutoring / Working in pairs
Peer tutoring and working in pairs can be the groundwork for beginning to work in a group. Students can begin to learn how to work and communicate with another person around their own age. Peer tutoring should be approached in a well-planned and structured way. This is so more able peers do not dominate the student with Down's syndrome and both students feel they benefit from the peer-tutoring environment.
Peer tutoring also allows an opportunity for the student with Down's syndrome to become a tutor. This is particularly related to reading where students with Down's syndrome may have a reading ability higher then their same age peers. This provides opportunities for the student with Down's syndrome to build self esteem and have success.
4. Using visual aids
Students with Down's syndrome respond well to visual learning and teaching strategies. It is important that a teacher includes a strong visual element throughout all the daily activities routines and learning elements. For example, it may be appropriate to use visual prompts for students with Down's syndrome when they are completing certain tasks. It may also be helpful to combine pictures with written words and pictures that provide descriptions of tasks. Teacher modeling or peer modeling may also help the visual student who has Down's syndrome complete tasks or learning activities.
5. Teaching students the routine for independent work
It is very important that students with Down's syndrome are provided with opportunities to learn to work independently. For a student with Down's syndrome to work independently they must be shown how to complete the task. For example, washing hands after a bathroom visit. Expecting a student with Down syndrome to complete tasks independently without instruction is not effective and does not provide the individual with opportunities for success. To help promote independent work, visual aids should be used to help the student learn and complete the task. The visual aids can also serve as a prompting device should the student have any problems completing the task.
6. Maintain high expectations and provide opportunities for success
Many students with Down's syndrome are emotionally sensitive to failure and criticisms. It is important that a supportive and safe learning environment is created within the school. It is important to consistently encourage and motivate students so a love of learning is nurtured. Having high expectations of your students also helps develop self esteem and confidence.
It is also important that the students are provided with opportunities for success. This will require designing appropriate tasks and activities that will support the students learning and encourage them to keep learning.
7. Teach students about social relationships and behaviours
There are no specific behaviours to Down's syndrome. It is important that the behavioural expectations of a student with Down’s syndrome are the same as any other student.
Social behaviours should also be explicitly taught. When the student’s exhibits acceptable social behaviour inclusion becomes easier. The acceptable social behaviours should be explicitly taught through social stories, role-playing and watching people interact.
Students with Down's syndrome can interpret emotions, both positive and negative. It is important that the individual is taught how to express and cope with these emotions in social situations so inappropriate behaviour does not occur at inappropriate times.
It has been proven that when students who have Down's syndrome are included in mainstream classes their school and home life often improves. By including students with Down's syndrome into a mainstream classroom, the student’s speech and language improves, the student is exposed to greater and varied learning opportunities, and the students social skills improve. By being included in a mainstream classroom the student is able to watch appropriate behaviour, social interaction, language and learning strategies being modeled by their peers.
2. Collaborative learning
Collaborative learning occurs when two or more people combine to learn something together. By using collaborative learning strategies the content can be chosen to target a group of learners at the same level. Collaborative learning will also provide the student with a sense of belonging to a group, as they will have the same goals in common with other students. Collaborative learning allows opportunities for success to be shared with peers and therefore helping to motivate the student.
3. Peer tutoring / Working in pairs
Peer tutoring and working in pairs can be the groundwork for beginning to work in a group. Students can begin to learn how to work and communicate with another person around their own age. Peer tutoring should be approached in a well-planned and structured way. This is so more able peers do not dominate the student with Down's syndrome and both students feel they benefit from the peer-tutoring environment.
Peer tutoring also allows an opportunity for the student with Down's syndrome to become a tutor. This is particularly related to reading where students with Down's syndrome may have a reading ability higher then their same age peers. This provides opportunities for the student with Down's syndrome to build self esteem and have success.
4. Using visual aids
Students with Down's syndrome respond well to visual learning and teaching strategies. It is important that a teacher includes a strong visual element throughout all the daily activities routines and learning elements. For example, it may be appropriate to use visual prompts for students with Down's syndrome when they are completing certain tasks. It may also be helpful to combine pictures with written words and pictures that provide descriptions of tasks. Teacher modeling or peer modeling may also help the visual student who has Down's syndrome complete tasks or learning activities.
5. Teaching students the routine for independent work
It is very important that students with Down's syndrome are provided with opportunities to learn to work independently. For a student with Down's syndrome to work independently they must be shown how to complete the task. For example, washing hands after a bathroom visit. Expecting a student with Down syndrome to complete tasks independently without instruction is not effective and does not provide the individual with opportunities for success. To help promote independent work, visual aids should be used to help the student learn and complete the task. The visual aids can also serve as a prompting device should the student have any problems completing the task.
6. Maintain high expectations and provide opportunities for success
Many students with Down's syndrome are emotionally sensitive to failure and criticisms. It is important that a supportive and safe learning environment is created within the school. It is important to consistently encourage and motivate students so a love of learning is nurtured. Having high expectations of your students also helps develop self esteem and confidence.
It is also important that the students are provided with opportunities for success. This will require designing appropriate tasks and activities that will support the students learning and encourage them to keep learning.
7. Teach students about social relationships and behaviours
There are no specific behaviours to Down's syndrome. It is important that the behavioural expectations of a student with Down’s syndrome are the same as any other student.
Social behaviours should also be explicitly taught. When the student’s exhibits acceptable social behaviour inclusion becomes easier. The acceptable social behaviours should be explicitly taught through social stories, role-playing and watching people interact.
Students with Down's syndrome can interpret emotions, both positive and negative. It is important that the individual is taught how to express and cope with these emotions in social situations so inappropriate behaviour does not occur at inappropriate times.