GREAT CLASSROOM SUPPORT FOR READING, Part 1

Let’s Dream: The Ideal Reading Support

I’m going to dream here for a minute. I hope you can take this dream and morph it into a reality for your child, or as close to it as possible. Today’s blog gives you 7 best practice examples; next week, I’ll give you 7 more.

Best Practice in the Classroom

From all of the evidence-based practice that we’ve been gifted with from leading organizations (such as Down Syndrome Education International, UK; the Down Syndrome Research Foundation, Canada; and the National Association for Child Development, USA), here’s what we’d love to see in the classroom:

1. All initial reading materials are child-interest based. Period. There are no weekly sheets of random high-frequency words (i.e., Dolch) isolated from words that are intrinsic to the child’s life: her name, Mommy, Daddy, Elmo, Princess, Frozen, etc. Everything taught to the child (through personal books, modified books, matching games) includes those high-interest words which are core to her heart and life. Are there any other options in the beginning? No.
2. All reading materials are high-focus in format. Type is large, words are well separated (2 spaces between each word), plenty of white space around the type, uncluttered pages/layouts.
3. Sight words come first. The educator absolutely understands that the learner with Down syndrome will first begin reading by learning sight words; that this is normal and best practice.
4. The Fast Flash Method is used to teach sight words.
5. Letter sounds come next, not letter names. Sounds are easier to learn. For example, looking at the letter W, which is easier for the child to associate with that squiggly line? “Wuh”? or “Duh-buhl-yew”? And if the last sound heard is “yew,” then isn’t W a U (a “yew”)?
6. Letter names are taught after letter sounds are significantly mastered (80% or so).
7. Memory Games are a part of the regular curriculum. The educator regularly plays memory-strengthening games to shore up the child’s known working memory deficits.

Note: if you want to read my “how to” blogs on any of the above topics, just use the “search the blog” box on this page to the right, and type in “personal books, errorless testing, etc.”

This gives you plenty to start with, to plot and plan on. Next week I’ll be giving reading workshops in North Dakota, too busy to write, so I’ll post “Part 2” of this list then, giving you 7 more essential best practices for reading support. Our children deserve this support, and I hope these two blogs inspire you to go for it!