Teaching Literacy
Thomas L. Layton, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
ASHA Fellow
For literacy: The goal of literacy is to integrate listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In order to do this, I begin with handover hand writing of letters (sometimes words, like mom). The first letters are usually "o", "m", "d", and in! this case "J". I use a mirror for the child to write on and produce the sounds. I use vis-a-vis
wet-erase fine point pens. The come in red, green, blue, and black. We choose the color (naming the color--articulation drill). I place the
pen into the child's hand...we draw lines from left-to-right on the mirror. At the beginning, these lines are usually about two inches
apart. Then we make the first letter "o", say its name, watching our mouths in the mirror. We may write "big" or "little" "o" letters. I
have a squirt bottle that we then need...I say "water" and ask the child to request it. Together we squirt the letters and the lines. We then
need "tissue", again imitating and requesting, and make the letters go away and saying "allgone." Of course, the child does the erasing. We
then select another colored pen, and write a second letter, or a third. After a couple of attempts writing "o" and "m', we then put them
together writing "mom". I ask where is mom? Using a Wh-Q for the child's response.
Depending upon how this is going, I would then branch off and either try to draw a picture of mom on a white copy machine paper, with a "big" "o" for the face, little "o" for the eyes and nose. We then draw a curve for the mouth, place ears on, and hair. Identifying each element.
I might use different colored pens for the hair, eyes. When we write on paper, I use Paper Mate, soft point pens...they come in red, blue,
green, black, orange, light blue, and purple. You may need to go to an office supply store to locate them. I use these because they do not
require alot of pressure to use and they are fine point (I like them better than Crayola or other markers). We label the picture we drew with our word "mom"...hang it up for everyone to see. So when the child comes next time, there is his picture of mom, with the word.
The other thing I might do is pull out a story book about mom. Sometimes, I re-write the story-books so that simpler words are on the page. I use Arial font size 24...it is big and easy for the eyes. Remember to use lower case font, since 85 percent of written symbols are lower case. I might rewrite the story Just Me and My Mom, a Mercer Mayer book. The story is simple, but maybe to much for Jack right now. You might just rewrite each page with three to four words per gage; for example, the first page Little Critter and Mom are waiting for the train. It could be re-written as Me and Mom ride train. Notice, at this level I do not put the suffixes onto the words. This is a good story, because it also comes in an interactive CD. We would read the
re-written story then load up the interactive story onto the computer.
The first page has lots of activities that move and engage the child when the click on them. I use to use a touch window, but I have found
that hand-over-hand on the mouse (with a bright red dot where you push the mouse) works well. That way the child begins to learn mouse control (I have several 3 1/2 year olds with DS who have complete mouse control). We click here and there with interactive actions occurring on the picture screen, such as, a tornado coming out of the sky and lifting the barn up. This is an opportunity for working on articulation:
asking, "What was that?"..."A tornado." "Can you say, tornado." I usually wait at least 3 seconds to see if the child wants the tornado
again...they usually do. They usually point. I then ask, "What?"...and wait. If the child doesn't say "tornado", I provide it again...and I might say, "Oh, you want tornado again. Please say,tornado."
We might go onto other items, and I will ask later if they want the tornado again...and wait for the child to say it.
In essence, the interaction on the computer provides an opportunity toread words, works on memory, works on articulation, and increases
expressive language.
I would transfer the written words to drill cards. I believe strongly that children with Down syndrome need some structured time working on naming pictures, reading words, and doing math. Naturalistic interventions are wonderful for expanding utterances, but children with
Down syndrome typical tune-out those around them when they are engaged in play and self-directed activities. I, therefore, do both...drill for
awhile then I will play for awhile.
I believe all learning comes from play and engagement...therefore, even the drill has to be FUN. We do not learn much when it is not fun.
Thus, I will have a goal for the child that will be reached through four or five different ways. For instance, I have the need to get the child
to say "outside" (I used this goal because I am sitting at my computer and it is sunny outside, and I want to be there. I am not sure this
necessarily is a good goal for Jack...just for me.) I would introduce outside through a picture, like a boy putting on his coat and hat to go outside. I could also do it by having Pooh and his friends go outside from within Pooh's house to look for honey...they have to go through the door. I could read a story where Pooh is going outside to hunt for more honey. We could put on our coats and go outside. The first few activities would be literacy based: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. We would write outside, say it, read it, etc. The last activity makes it more difficult to engage all four skills...especially the writing. I have, however, gone outside and used sidewalk chalk to write the words.
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