Tag: T21 Gr. 1

Teaching Children with Down Syndrome to Read: Phonics or Sight Words?

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Parents and teachers of children with Down Syndrome may wonder how to start teaching their students with Down Syndrome. Should they start with sight words or phonics?

Currently, the educational trend is strongly in favor of explicit phonics for children at large. However, many experts, such as Sue Buckley, Natalie Hale, and Terry Brown, and many reading experts in Europe who have extensive experience teaching children with T21 recommend starting with sight words first. This is true even in countries such as Spain, where the rules of phonics and pronunciation of Spanish are much more straight forward than English.

Here are five reasons why you should start with sight words, especially if your child is just starting kindergarten:

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Poems for First Grade

Published on by Mary Cooney2 Comments

Here’s a FREE book for poems for first grade that I compiled for my son with Down Syndrome. All my children have copied, memorized, and recited poems throughout their homeschooling years. So I certainly wasn’t going to let my youngest off the hook just because he has T21! Especially because memorizing and reciting poetry is so great for developing memory skills and working on articulation and pacing in speech. But most importantly, poetry fills the mind with beautiful imagery.

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Teaching Spelling to Children with Down Syndrome

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Today I’m sharing how my son with Down Syndrome is learning to spell. Surprisingly, there is very little information online on how to teach children with T21 to spell, and particularly how to spell beyond the CVC words. So here’s a post about my favorite methods and materials for teaching spelling to children with Down Syndrome.

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Simply Addition Level 1 Flash Cards and Worksheets

Published on by Mary Cooney1 Comment

Using addition flash cards are a quick and easy way to help our kids practice the addition facts. For children with Down Syndrome and other visual learners, including a visual aid on the flash cards makes addition more concrete. I searched high and low for rekenrek addition flash cards with large numbers and finally ended up making them myself.

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First Steps with Phonics: Decodable Readers

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For those of you using First Steps with Phonics, here are decodable readers that give your students extra practice with reading. Decodable readers use phonetically controlled vocabulary to give students targeted practice with whatever phonogram students are currently learning. They are a great tool for developing fluency in reading. These particular decodable readers are designed for children with Down Syndrome and those with visual impairments.

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Simply Subtraction Level 1 Games

Published on by Mary Cooney2 Comments

Here are the Games for Simply Subtraction Level 1, which covers the subtraction facts within ten. These FREE games can help bring some fun into your math lessons! Our kids need a lot of review to build confidence and fluency. Games a great for sparking interest and motivating our kids to practice those facts.

There are eight games that align with most of the lessons in Simply Subtraction Level 1.

Here are some sample pages:

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Simply Subtraction Level 1 – a Math Workbook for Children with (or without) Down Syndrome

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Does your child need extra help with the addition and subtraction facts within 10? Here is a subtraction workbook I made for my son with T21 to help him master the subtraction facts within ten.

Similar to Simply Addition Level 1, this workbook uses a rekenrek (meaning “counting rack”) to make the process of subtraction visual and kinesthetic. After searching high and low for the ideal math manipulative for children with Down Syndrome, I think the rekenrek hits the mark. It’s an effective tool for developing number sense and making math concrete and meaningful. It is with this simple and inexpensive tool that my son has been making slow and steady progress in math.

Unfortunately, there are no Down Syndrome – friendly math workbooks that goes with a rekenrek… so guess who had to go and make one. Yours truly.

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Ten Essential Math Skills that Prepare Children with Down Syndrome for Addition

Published on by Mary Cooney3 Comments

Is your child with Down Syndrome struggling with addition and subtraction? If so, try focusing on the essential math skills needed before beginning addition. Here are ten hands-on ways to develop number sense and prepare your child for addition and subtraction.

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A Year of Picture Books with Sequencing

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Sequencing is such an important skill for little people and especially for those with delayed language skills. It helps build comprehension and memory, and it helps children to narrate, which in turn supports the development of speech.

Reading a picture book and re-ordering or retelling the sequence of events is a very simple yet effective way to build language skills. When I can, I use visuals to support the sequencing of events. But often we just practice telling what happened next, or who did what next. So, I’m always on the hunt for picture books with clear sequence of events.

Here are some of our favorite picture books for sequencing:

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Simply Addition Level 1 Math Games

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For those of you who are using Simply Addition Level 1 to help your child master addition facts within ten, here is a set of FREE Math Games. After all, playing games is the fun way to practice math skills.

This set contains a variety of games that align with most of the lessons in Simply Addition Level 1.

Take a look:

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