Today I want to talk about my favorite handwriting tools for kids with Down Syndrome. These include markers, crayons, pencils, pens, and pencil grips. What my son with Down Syndrome uses for writing makes a difference not only with the legibility of his writing but also with how long he’s willing to work. So I’m sharing with you the tools that have been most beneficial for his handwriting.
How many times have you called your child/student with Down Syndrome to come and do some school work and that child balked or refused to co-operate? Sigh. Yes, in our little homeschool and co-op it’s a common occurrence. But necessity is the mother of invention, so I’ve learned many ways to motivate my son and his little friends. I really believe that what most hinders our children with DS from learning is not intellectual delay/disability, but non-compliant behaviors. So to help elicit co-operation, here are my latest tricks for motivating and engaging children with Down Syndrome:
Continue reading “Ten Tricks for Motivating and Engaging Children with Down Syndrome” →
I’m so excited to share the news about a newly released podcast: Get Down to It! by Tara Boogaerts. In two episodes I talk to her about the Homeschooling Option for Children with Down Syndrome and Teaching Reading and Learning Phonics.
Continue reading “Get Down to It! A New Podcast About Down Syndrome” →
Here’s Book 3 of First Steps with Phonics!
This is an incremental, picture-based introduction to phonics designed for children with Down Syndrome. It’s both Orton-Gillingham and Montessori friendly! Read more about this program and watch some videos here.
If your child is struggling with phonics, give these workbooks a try!
If your child hasn’t started with phonics, here’s an easy way to start for both parent and child.
Continue reading “First Steps with Phonics, Book 3: A FREE Phonics Workbook for Children with (or without) Down Syndrome” →
A few months ago, my oldest son told me he has a friend who has seven siblings, four with Down Syndrome. As a mother of a large family who has one child with Down Syndrome, I was astounded. Five biological children, three adopted, four with Down Syndrome and homeschooling? “Peter,” I said to my son, “Please get me her number. I need to talk to that mom and tap into her wisdom.”
It took us a while to connect — Sonia McGarrity is, after all, a little busy. But once we did, we could have talked for hours about family life, homeschooling, and Trisomy 21. As we spoke, I realized that the story of this extraordinary family needed to be shared. So I asked Sonia if she would do an interview for Mercator. She graciously and generously agreed.
Continue reading “A Life Worth Living: One Family Embraces Four Children with Down Syndrome” →
Let’s talk curriculum, shall we? It’s one of my favorite topics! Many children with Down Syndrome need curriculum tailored to their learning profile. So, I’ve spent a lot of time searching, adapting, and creating curriculum for my son who has T21.
Today I’m sharing with you my favorite resources to help children with Down Syndrome master kindergarten-level skills and concepts.
Continue reading “A Kindergarten Curriculum for Children with Down Syndrome” →
Last fall Junior started kindergarten, so I’ve been doing a lot of reading about how best to teach a child with Down Syndrome. There isn’t a whole lot of information and advice available on how to homeschool children with Down Syndrome (compared to the overwhelming plethora of blogs, books, videos, and conferences on homeschooling in general). However, there are some very helpful educational resources for parents of children with Down Syndrome. Today I’m sharing my favorite ones:
Continue reading “Homeschooling a Child with Down Syndrome: My Favorite Resources for Parents” →