[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-492333-105":59,"doc-detail-492333-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","down-syndrome-support-in-the-early-years-and-beyond","Down Syndrome Support in the Early Years and Beyond","","Advice for early years and Key Stage 1 class teachers and support staff on supporting children with Down Syndrome through speech, language, play, learning, and inclusion. Emphasizes that a child’s development is shaped over time by input and active social interaction, not only by birth factors. Provides practical classroom strategies, including visual supports, sign-based communication (e.g., Makaton), structured vocabulary teaching, and attention to health checks for hearing and vision.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/down-syndrome-support-in-the-early-years-and-beyond/492333/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/down-syndrome-support-in-the-early-years-and-beyond/492333.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Mafia Boss","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-10-01",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":14},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"How should teachers approach speech and language support in early years for children with Down Syndrome?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Teaching spoken language is a priority, and support should start as early as possible. Use explicit spoken language teaching, talk about the environment, and seek additional help from speech and language therapists when needed.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What role do visual supports and signing play in helping children communicate?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Visual supports such as signs, pictures, and print can strengthen language. Signing may be used as a bridge to talking, with Makaton recommended, while always continuing to respond to the child’s speech attempts.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How can adults teach first words effectively?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Understanding of single words should come before expression. Use two target sets (words understood and words the child can say/sign), keep visual lists at home and in settings, practice in daily routines, begin with nouns then verbs, and use a match-select-name process (e.g., See and Learn kits).","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},492333,1792668220,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":14,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},962090760730,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","‘I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand’  \nDown Syndrome Support in the Early Years and Beyond  \nA child’s development is influenced by input and active social interaction over a period of time—it is not  \nfixed at birth.  \nThis is a booklet to provide advice to class teachers and support staff when working with children who have Down Syndrome, in Early Years settings and Key Stage 1. It has been written with reference to advice from Downs Syndrome Education International, who are ‘an international charity that supports scientific research and delivers evidence-based advice and information to improve outcomes for children with Down Syndrome worldwide’. They have been carrying out international research and support for children with Down Syndrome for over 30 years. They provide online courses and resources for parents and education providers. For further information please follow the  \nlink to their website:  \n[www.dseinternational.org](www.dseinternational.org)  \nCONTENTS:  \n\n|  | Page Numbers |\n| --- | --- |\n| Speech and Language | 2 – 5 |\n| Memory | 6 |\n| Social and Emotional Development | 7 |\n| Books and Reading | 8-9 |\n| Developing Number and Maths Skills | 10-11 |\n| Motor Development | 12 |\n| Independence | 13 |\n| Supporting Play and Cognitive Development | 14-15 |\n| Effective Education and Inclusion | 16-17 |\n| Final Thoughts | 18 |\n| References and Additional Reading | 19 |\n| Referring to Outside Agencies | 20-21 |\n\nSpeech and Language  \nSpeech and Language development is a specific delay in children with Down Syndrome (DS) however, they are generally good at communicating (gesture, sign, eye contact, show interest in faces etc.) and want to communicate. Learning vocabulary can be delayed and grammar and clear speech can be challenging.  \nTeaching spoken language is a priority for children with Down Syndrome.  \nHow to help:  \n• Target speech and language development as early as possible; seek additional support from Speech and Language therapists;  \n• Teach spoken language explicitly;  \n• Talk to the child about the environment; the things you see and do, e.g.: ‘I’m going to the kitchen, to begin to cook the dinner, tonight we are eating XXX, can you get a plate and a fork?’. It matters greatly and is important that one talks to the child. Children with DS are often talked to less;  \n• Introduce books early on—reading supports talking and language;  \n• Use visual supports to support language—signs, pictures, print;  \n• Allow the children to demonstrate their understanding of language by pointing, selecting, choosing;  \n• Understand the importance of regular health care checks for vision and hearing;  \n• Address working memory difficulties;  \n• Encourage motor development. Play games/sport, talk about the activity e.g.: ’it’s my turn, it’s your turn’, I’m going to throw the ball, now you throw the ball’.  \nLearning to Talk  \nEarly vocabulary development in children with DS is generally delayed, but their ability to understand is stronger. However, this can be varied in development and progress.  \nQuality and quantity of talk influences language progress for ALL children. Less language input means less opportunity for language learning.  \nBabies/Toddlers tend to ‘talk’ using pre linguistic daily skills such as eye contact, turn taking, imitation, gestures, joint attention e.g.‘look a ball!, look at the ball’, wait for the child to look at the ball. Processing time is needed for a child with Down Syndrome to engage with joint attention.  \nAdult may need to model ‘pre linguistic skills’ for children with Down Syndrome – use pointing, showing, and requesting. If the child shows some form of gesture, adult should respond to it and talk about it.  \nTeaching Signs:  \n• Children could learn a sign easier than the spoken word, however, always continue to respond to the child’s speech attempts. Spontaneous and unprompted use of signs/words may take some time  \n– BE PATIENT;  \n• ALWAYS say the word as you ","cbCaigqRNeVgpO0z","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaigqRNeVgpO0z","pdf",1326661,21,"English","# Speech and Language\n## Teaching spoken language and vocabulary\n## Learning to Talk and joint attention\n## Teaching signs (including Makaton)\n## Teaching first words\n# Memory\n# Social and Emotional Development\n# Books and Reading\n# Developing Number and Maths Skills\n# Motor Development\n# Independence\n# Supporting Play and Cognitive Development\n# Effective Education and Inclusion\n# Final Thoughts\n# References and Additional Reading\n# Referring to Outside Agencies","[{\"question\":\"How should teachers approach speech and language support in early years for children with Down Syndrome?\",\"answer\":\"Teaching spoken language is a priority, and support should start as early as possible. Use explicit spoken language teaching, talk about the environment, and seek additional help from speech and language therapists when needed.\"},{\"question\":\"What role do visual supports and signing play in helping children communicate?\",\"answer\":\"Visual supports such as signs, pictures, and print can strengthen language. Signing may be used as a bridge to talking, with Makaton recommended, while always continuing to respond to the child’s speech attempts.\"},{\"question\":\"How can adults teach first words effectively?\",\"answer\":\"Understanding of single words should come before expression. Use two target sets (words understood and words the child can say/sign), keep visual lists at home and in settings, practice in daily routines, begin with nouns then verbs, and use a match-select-name process (e.g., See and Learn kits).\"}]","Down Syndrome Support in the Early Years and Beyond | PDF",1790861503,53]