Transcript Document
Including Children with Down’s syndrome Presented by Cecilie Mackinnon Training Officer DSA A specific communication profile •Research shows a profile of communication skills and needs common to people with Down’s Syndrome. •These affect a child’s ability: – To understand language – To produce and use speech, – To put thoughts into words. – Use sentence structure and grammar • Specific difficulties in developing spoken language over and above any language delay associated with learning disability and any hearing loss that may be present Difficulties So we notice difficulties in: • Saying what we want • Talking about things that have happened • Following rules of conversation and interaction • Using language to learn, to sort out problems, to plan and to deal with emotions. Communication Profile 3a 15 yr old with learning disability 10 yr old with learning disability 5 yr old with learning disability A specific communication profile 3b 15 yr old with DS 10 yr old with DS 5 yr old with DS A specific communication profile 1 • Significant Expressive – Receptive gap • Knowing this means that we can work on narrowing the GAP • Significant delay relative to non verbal abilities Able to use sign, gesture and body language • So….an uneven profile • Smaller vocabulary = less general knowledge. • Vocab. learned slowly & steadily – esp. nouns • Sentences and grammar more delayed A specific communication profile 3 • Early grammar delayed learned slowly & paced by size of vocab. (250/300 word) • Spoken grammar lags behind nouns & verbs & understanding • More complex grammar specifically delayed • “telegraphic” 2 – 4 keyword phrases. “sit chair” • Lack confidence in initiating speech but usually good communicators & keen to socialize • May self-limit as a result • Speech probs affect written work A specific communication profile 2 • 5 – 6 yrs, most but not all have spoken vocab. of approx 300 words. ( Buckley) • Typically developing child = 2,000 words. • 8/9 yrs spoken vocab 450 -500. Range 100 – 600. • 11 yrs 600 words larger comprehension. • Grammar approx 5/6 yrs. • Receptive grammar up to 7 yrs +. HUGE RANGE Speech clarity • May have difficulty making speech sounds – Low muscle tone in the tongue and the lips making their speech imprecise and slurred. • A smaller than average oral cavity – less room for the tongue which may appear to be too big for the mouth, thus impeding speech production Speech Articulation Speech: • Oral motor skills movements of mouth, tongue other structures used for speech • Articulation of speech sounds and combinations of sounds in words • Dyspraxia: problems planning and carrying out sequences of movements • Learning to use sounds in words (phonology) • Hearing and reproducing the sound structure of words (phonological awareness) Sensory System • Difficulty with sensory integration – Vestibular - balance – Proprioception - sensing where my body parts are without looking - multitasking difficult – Touch - predict feel, weight, how to handle • Control of mouth, lips and breathing QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. – Hypersensitivity - dislike of touch • Increase toleration – Hyposensitivity - seeking stimulation not aware of gentle touch • This is the way we touch our…… • Supporting putting things in the mouth, lumps in food • Chewy tubes talktools.net Additional Diffficulties • • • • Hearing impairment Visual impairment Motor skills development Short-term auditory memory Hearing Impairment Storing the wrong words • Children may only hear APPROXIMATIONS of words i.e., ‘ an’ ‘ed’ and ‘orse’ • Levels of hearing loss associated with conductive loss experienced by majority of Under 5’s with Down’s syndrome is 35-45 decibels • Can’t hear to discriminate consonants for words which rhyme • If they don’t hear it, this means they will not STORE it accurately Fine and Gross Motor Skills 1 • Motor-neuro pathways inefficient – – – – Slower reaction times Problems adapting movements/timings Muscles make the movements but slower/clumsier Processing sensory info & coordinating movements • Sitting, crawling, walking, handling objects feeding – Increase opportunities to explore environment – Develop cognition, receptive language Short-term Auditory Memory 1 Working memory • The working memory is the ‘mental workplace’ • For children with DS it is the gateway to the world.. • Short term memory and processing skills are needed to: Learn to talk Process spoken language Undertake mental arithmetic Support everyday tasks e.g., telephone, making choices Learning new vocabulary from listening is difficult Short-term Auditory Memory 2 The phonological loop for consists of two parts: A short-term phonological store with auditory memory which fades rapidly. It holds briefly the sounds patterns for words An articulatory rehearsal component that can revive the memory traces -the brain talks to itself needs language When learning language the child must: 1. Be able to store accurate representations of the sound patterns 2. Link them to meaning 3. Copy or produce the word when talking Short-term Auditory Memory 3 • In children with Down’s syndrome, there is a basic impairment in phonological loop function • This affects their ability to process spoken language and carry out cognitive tasks • It is possible to improve STAM using memory activities and prompts but the biggest gains come through READING and interaction in MAINSTREAM environments Short-term Auditory Memory 4 Digit Span • We measure the phonological loop by digit span • Typically developing children - 3 at ages 4/5 years, 7/8 at 16 years • Young children with DS significantly less 1-2 • Teenagers with DS, will have digit span of about 3-4 Short-term Auditory Memory 5 Affects pupil’s ability to: • Listen, understand and respond to speech. • Cope with info directed to whole class. • Remember auditory sequences • Learn to read and write sequences . • Learn new vocabulary Learning new vocabulary from listening is difficult Phonological Errors What you might observe • Inconsistent word reproduction • Doggy, goggy, soggy • Using the same sign/word for • ‘ran’ and ‘van’ • ‘red’ and ‘bread’ • ‘sauce’ and ‘horse’ EVEN THOUGH they point correctly to examples of the two different items Memory Activities Kim’s game Pairs using action and describing words Barrier games Sing word sequences, lists Recall lists of words - do and say activities QuickTim e™ and a TIFF (Un co m press ed ) de com pres so r are n eed ed to se e this p ictu re . train bricks dolly Signing 1 • Children with Down’s syndrome DO NOT learn words easily from speech alone. • Signing is a BRIDGE for spoken language – KEYWORD SIGNS augment speech. • Signing NOT an alternative. • Signs dropped as child learns the word. • Reduces frustration – helps communication Signing makes speech visual VISUAL LEARNERS!!!!!!! Signing 2 • All benefit from up to 100 signs with spoken word. • Children have larger vocabularies when in sign supported environments • 25% of 4 year olds still need to use sign as major means of communication • Teach new signs alongside speech and reading. Signing can: • Makes speech visual • Focuses the child’s attention to listen to what is said • Support children to understand what is said, by SHOWING as well as TELLING • Help children to learn and remember new words Enable the child to: • Use signs for words s/he cannot yet say • Organise words into sentences • Get the message across when speech is unclear. Visual prompt cards Allow the child to communicate visually before they can verbally..(www.howitis.org.uk) Developing Speech & Language 1 • Use gesture & sign with spoken word. • Surround by good language models. • Simple & direct language. • Clear, concise instructions. • Give extra time to respond • Support language visually – objects, photographs, pictures, photos, text, drawings, symbols. • ‘Teach reading to teach talking’ • Work on speech sounds Phonics - Letter Sound Awareness • Sound awareness requires a sizeable spoken • Use to develop develop awareness of sounds in spoken words • Single sound work should include awareness of: – Initial sounds - – Final sounds – Medial sounds – Onset blending - cu p be d b bed bag bun ban bit bar bog bat bad t bit set fat hut lot a cat sad dad mad ba bat bag ban bar fi n ro t sa d How you can help in school • • • • • • Work in collaboration with SALT Assessment and monitoring by SALT Programme designed by SALT Staff training by SALT Daily sessions speech sound production Activities involving – Blowing, making mouth shapes, stimulating the lips, face and tongue – Using voice practising production of single speech sounds • Narrative skills, using visual prompts to give accounts of events etc. How you can help in school • Group activities, with structure and feedback • Puppets, Barrier games – Develop attention, listening and turn taking • Rehearsal of social communication skills: – Extending repertoire of language and social routines – Greeting and saying goodbye, starting a conversation, taking notes, relaying simple messages Putting ideas into sentences • You hear “Dinner. Chicken tatoes” • You remodel “You had dinner. You had chicken and potatoes.” Always use open questions Avoid: “Did you have dinner at home?” Instead say “Tell me where you ate dinner.” Model the sound structure of words • You hear “ I went to the the si’pool” • You say “You went to the swimming pool” • You add “I went to the swimming pool on Saturday.” Positive feedback • • • • “Good talking!” “Good looking!” “Good listening!” A running commentary.. – “ You’ve got a book.” – “You’ve got The Hungry Caterpillar.” • Describe each step as you see it happen in simple sentences. Now we’re talking