Oh, the Possibilities.

I have often felt that visuals supports help my son with Down Syndrome think and learn.

While attending the Dallas Down Syndrome Guild's Fall Conference, September 2008, I learned to shift from using visuals that make sense to me (and other adults) to making visuals that facilitate his understanding.

The presenters were Lynn Campbell, CCC-SLP and Sidney Crim, CCC-SLP and the session was "Strategies to Improve Reading and Behavior". The theory behind the "intervention" is Semantic Language Learning.

I started using the strategies immediately, and over the past year he has improved his "use" of language by learning concepts that underlie functional reading, writing, thinking, viewing, listening, speaking, and calculating.

First, we "wrote what he said" (scribing with a white board); it helps him hear what he says.
Then, we implemented the use of "cartoons", with "thought" and "speech bubbles" to define himself and others in a specific space and time.
Third, we conversed about pictures. The types of pictures needed were pictures of people in activities he could relate to.
He was learning to "see" people in relationship to himself in a variety of events pictured.
And after he learned to "converse" (no questions) about these drawings and pictures, we started "writing" "text to self statements" (agent, action, objects).
Then adding to the text, an action or description word.

I started to see, the layers for learning oppurtunities are endless.
He needs a variety of relationship understanding to be successful.

From conversing and scribing we moved onto "drawing" the "visual symbol" associated with
content words.

Today he is learning,
*color coding and self correcting strategies in word morphology games and activities.
*to work independently and in peer groups with a variety of visual supports that facilitate his neurological development.
*to complete statements about text read.

No matter where my son is placed, he needs visual supports. Learning in a segregated environment is not any easier and learning life skills does not facilitate his functional learning.

I believe we can learn so much about ourselves from these lifelong relationships with our children. I hope you will join me and share.