Educating Learners with Down Syndrome: Research, theory, and practice with children and adolescents

343 Pages·2013·2.87 MB·English

by  Rhonda Faragher

Educating Learners with Down Syndrome

For individuals with Down syndrome, the extent of the effect of intellectual
disability depends largely on the degree of provision of appropriate support and
intervention. In Educating Learners with Down Syndrome, editors Rhonda
Faragher and Barbara Clarke have brought together a number of expert
contributors, whose chapters review recent findings in the field of DS education,
highlight promising practices, and identify areas for future research.
While the emphasis is primarily on the school years, links to early
intervention and to life post-16 are made, with chapters organized into three
parts: conceptual overview of issues in learning and teaching, learning
mathematics, and literacy development. The book is also united by the cohesive
themes of assessment, evidence-based practice, and inclusive practices.
Educating Learners with Down Syndrome importantly incorporates the voices
of individuals with Down syndrome, whose personal narratives add significance
to the research mission of the text and demonstrate the authors' inclusive
philosophy. Aimed at researchers, teacher educators, higher degree students, and
policy makers, this book is the first of its kind to provide a compendium of
research on educating learners with Down syndrome.

Dr Rhonda Faragher is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education at
Australian Catholic University.

Dr Barbara Clarke is an Associate Professor at Monash University, Victoria,
Australia.
Educating Learners with Down
Syndrome

Research, theory, and practice with children
and adolescents

Edited by Rhonda Faragher and Barbara
Clarke
First published 2014
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2014 R. Faragher and B. Clarke
The right of the editors, R. Faragher and B. Clarke, to be identified as authors of the editorial material, and
of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Educating learners with down syndrome : research, theory and practice withchildren and adolescents /
edited by Rhonda Faragher and Barbara Clarke.
pages cm
1. Children with mental disabilities–Education. 2. Down syndrome–
Patients–Education. 3. Developmentally disabled children–Education.
I. Faragher, Rhonda. II. Clarke, Barbara.
LC4601.E26 2013M
371.9–dc23
2013017041
ISBN: 978-0-415-81636-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-415-81637-3 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-88358-8 (ebk)
Typeset in Galliard
by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear
Contents

List of illustrations
List of contributors
Foreword
JANET CARR
Acknowledgements

Prologue

Introduction
BARBARA CLARKE AND RHONDA FARAGHER
PART I
Issues in learning and teaching
1 A lifespan approach to learning in the context of quality of life
ROY I. BROWN

2 Cognitive strengths and weaknesses for informing educational practice
DONNA COUZENS AND MONICA CUSKELLY

3 Mastery motivation in children with Down syndrome
LINDA GILMORE AND MONICA CUSKELLY

4 Enhancing learning for children with Down syndrome
EMILY A. JONES, NICOLE NEIL, AND KATHLEEN M. FEELEY
PART II
Learning mathematics
5 Mathematics profile of the learner with Down syndrome
RHONDA FARAGHER AND BARBARA CLARKE
6 Developing early number concepts for children with Down syndrome
BARBARA CLARKE AND RHONDA FARAGHER

7 Research on number knowledge of students with Down syndrome
RUMIATI AND ROBERT J. WRIGHT

8 Learning mathematics in the secondary school
RHONDA FARAGHER
PART III
Literacy development
9 Developing the reading skills of children with Down syndrome
KELLY BURGOYNE, BECKY BAXTER, AND SUE BUCKLEY

10 Challenging literate invisibility
KAREN B. MONI AND ANNE JOBLING

11 Down syndrome
RUMIATI

12 Where we are, where we would like to be, and (perhaps) how we get
there
RHONDA FARAGHER AND BARBARA CLARKE

Epilogue

Subject index
Author index
Illustrations

Figures
4.1 Model for understanding the roles and characteristics of the behavioural
phenotype and environmental events, including setting events, antecedent
triggers, and consequences related to challenging behaviour in learners
with Down syndrome
4.2 Model for understanding the roles and characteristics of the behavioural
phenotype and environmental events, including setting events, antecedent
triggers, and consequences related to Vanessa’s challenging behaviour
5.1 Number line drawn by Hun, 11 years old
5.2 Clock drawn by Hun
6.1 Three components in the concept of number
7.1 A kindergarten student with Down syndrome tries to count several
counters
8.1 Sample of Rachel's workbook
8.2 An example of a task card used by Martin
11.1 My brother as a child, and as a teenager with our father. I wish I had
acknowledged him as a child with DS
11.2 Teaching and learning in a special education class
11.3 Factors which influence attitudes towards disability
Tables
I.1 Types of Down syndrome, incidence, and chromosome pattern
5.1 Literature on numerical attainment of students with Down syndrome using
psychometric testing
5.2 Overall response to tasks focusing on colour and counting small
collections
5.3 Overall results for rote counting including the use of the 0–99 chart for
support
5.4 Overall data on using a calculator to write numerals
6.1 A summary of the words and actions of the interviewer and Gina
7.1 Sex, level, grade, age, and duration of interview of students with Down
syndrome
7.2 Summary of the number knowledge of each student based on interviews
9.1 Reading and language teaching programme
Contributors

Becky Baxter, MRCSLT, is a speech and language therapist specializing in
Down syndrome. She has worked on a number of research projects with
Down Syndrome Education International. Her current interests include speech
and language development and inclusion for children with Down syndrome.

Roy I. Brown, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Calgary, Canada,
and Flinders University, Australia, and Adjunct Professor at several other
universities. Through practice, research, writing, and teaching, he has founded
and developed programmes in the field of disabilities. His current research
and applied writing is in quality and family quality of life. He has written for
and edited a series on adults with Down syndrome, is a former trustee of
Down Syndrome International, and has consulted to Down syndrome
associations in several countries. Currently he serves as the founding director
of the IASSIDD Academy and over the years has served on government and
regional committees in several countries.

Sue Buckley, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Developmental Disability,
University of Portsmouth, and Director for Science and Research at Down
Syndrome Education International. Sue's academic background includes an
undergraduate degree in psychology followed by training in clinical
psychology. She has been involved in research into the development and
education of children with Down syndrome for over 30 years with a focus on
language, literacy, and memory. Her current focus is on RCT evaluations of
effective interventions. She has an adopted adult daughter with Down
syndrome.

Kelly Burgoyne, PhD, is currently working as a Research Associate at
University College London. Her research focuses on literacy and language
skills and intervention for young children who have language difficulties. She
continues to have an interest in working with children with Down syndrome