Modifications for Students with Down Syndrome
Peer helpers are a great resource for teachers and students. Get to know the other students in your class, many of them are likely interested in helping out with students who may need it. Students with Down Syndrome will benefit from having students their own age help them with tasks in and out of the classroom. These peer helpers can receive special training by the school counselor so they understand what their role in the other student's life will be. Pairing a student who has Down Syndrome with a student during class time and lunch time will help the student with Down Syndrome develop age appropriate behaviors.
Work in groups with your students as often as possible. This will allow you to pair a student with Down Syndrome with students who can help he or she apply the material. This student can be in charge of organizing material while the other students read instruction. This strategy can work well in math and science, where the groups are organized in a way that allows the student with Down Syndrome understand how to work as a team.
The the area of reading, groups can also be helpful. The student with Down Syndrome can be in charge of looking through pictures that may coincide with the reading, while the other students read aloud. This can help that student develop creative thinking skills, as they put a story they are hearing together with pictures.
Writing in the classroom for a student with Down Syndrome can consist of letters that the student has to trace. They are learning the formation of the letters and can continue to advance until the tracing is no longer needed.
Peer helpers are a great resource for teachers and students. Get to know the other students in your class, many of them are likely interested in helping out with students who may need it. Students with Down Syndrome will benefit from having students their own age help them with tasks in and out of the classroom. These peer helpers can receive special training by the school counselor so they understand what their role in the other student's life will be. Pairing a student who has Down Syndrome with a student during class time and lunch time will help the student with Down Syndrome develop age appropriate behaviors.
Work in groups with your students as often as possible. This will allow you to pair a student with Down Syndrome with students who can help he or she apply the material. This student can be in charge of organizing material while the other students read instruction. This strategy can work well in math and science, where the groups are organized in a way that allows the student with Down Syndrome understand how to work as a team.
The the area of reading, groups can also be helpful. The student with Down Syndrome can be in charge of looking through pictures that may coincide with the reading, while the other students read aloud. This can help that student develop creative thinking skills, as they put a story they are hearing together with pictures.
Writing in the classroom for a student with Down Syndrome can consist of letters that the student has to trace. They are learning the formation of the letters and can continue to advance until the tracing is no longer needed.