T21 Gr. 1 - Mercy for Marthas

First Steps with Phonics, Book 4: A FREE Phonics Workbook for Children with (or without) Down Syndrome

Published on October 26, 2024January 30, 2026 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

Here’s the fourth and final book in the First Steps with Phonics Workbook series, designed especially for children with Down Syndrome.

While most phonics programs begin with CVC words, this introduction to phonics begins with something even easier: the phonograms that make one and only one sound. Book 1 teaches children to sound out and spell words that have the phonograms AY and AI. Book 2 teaches the phonograms EE and IGH. Book 3 focuses on the phonograms OA and OE. And Book 4 teaches the phonogram EIGH.

Here are samples from Book 4:

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First Steps with Phonics, Book 2: a FREE Workbook for Children with (or without) Down Syndrome

Published on August 15, 2024January 30, 2026 by Mary Cooney4 Comments

Here’s Book 2 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! Unlike most phonics programs that start with CVC words, this series begins with vowel teams that make one and only one sound, which helps to prevent frustration and confusion in the early stages of decoding.

If your child hasn’t started with phonics, here’s an easy way to start for both parent and child.

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Construction Vehicles Three-Part Cards

Published on July 23, 2024 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

About this time last year, my son was really into all the Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site books. We read them over and over again. So I decided to make him Construction Vehicles Three-Part cards.

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Simply Addition Level 1 – A FREE Math Workbook for Kids with (or without) Down Syndrome

Published on June 5, 2024January 30, 2026 by Mary Cooney1 Comment

If you would like to help your child learn the addition facts within ten, here is a FREE resource I hope you will find helpful. I have tried several math curricula for my son with Down Syndrome, but when it came to independence, accuracy, and fluency in working out the addition facts within ten, he did not make any real progress until we introduced the rekenrek. And so I found myself making worksheets and eventually this workbook for him and the kids in our coop, and for any child who needs extra help with addition.

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Teach Me to Read Duets: Another Free Adapted Reader for Children with (or without) Down Syndrome

Published on February 28, 2024February 28, 2024 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

For those of you who have used my free Short Vowel Stories to practice phonics with your emergent readers, here’s an easy next step: a FREE and adapted version of Teach Me to Read Duets.

Fifteen years ago or so, I wrote these little stories for my daughter when she was learning to read.

Then, about two years ago, I adapted them for my son with Down Syndrome. Compared to the original version, the font size is larger, there are two spaces between each word, and there are larger gaps between each line. I also broke this book up into three smaller books (A, B, and C), all of which are included in this file.

Well, my son whizzed through them nearly as quickly as I could adapt them. Just recently, I pulled them out again for a young boy in our Down Syndrome Co-op, who had just completed the Short Vowel Stories. Easy-peasy! He read several pages in one lesson. So I thought I really ought to post this one.

Take a look:

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Winter-themed Number Line Addition

Published on January 27, 2024 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

Here’s a FREE set of winter-themed number line addition worksheets. These focus on the +1, +2, +3 and doubles facts within ten. They’re designed for children with Down Syndrome and other special needs.

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