(Pulsifer, 2005) ACADEMIC STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES

Meier (2008) states that there is a tendency to over generalize those with Down syndrome but states that there are however "significant trends that teachers can use to help their students learn and become part of the classroom." Meier states the following strengths and weaknesses of students with Down syndrome related to academics:

Learning Strengths

Strong, short-term visual memory

High social/interpersonal intelligence (Meier, 2008)

Learning Weaknesses

Poor short-term auditory memory

Difficulty with basic math skills

Mild to moderate hearing loss (Meier, 2008)

The work of Fox, Farell and Davis (2004) entitled: "Factors Associated with the Effective Inclusion of Primary-Aged Pupils with Down's Syndrome" reports a study that states findings that effective academic support for children with Down syndrome includes:

1) Schools in which knowledge of the needs of the student with Down syndrome was shared among all staff members;

2) Schools in which teachers and teaching assistants worked in unison to provide appropriate support for these students; and 3) Schools had the necessary support to allow students with Down syndrome to share class-based activities with their peers. (Fox, Farell, and Davis, 2004)

Conclusions of the study state: (1) inclusion is more likely to be successful when the class teacher takes a central role in the management of support and the organization of the child's daily educational experience; and (2) the outcomes of inclusion are strongly influenced by the ways in which the teaching assistant works with the classroom teacher. (Fox, Farell and Davis, 2004) in a separate study reported by Bird, et al. (2008)...

Findings of this study state that analyses "revealed significant group differences only for measures of narrative length and handwriting legibility. Oral narratives were longer and more complex than written narratives for both groups." (Bird et al., 2008) This study shows that children with Down syndrome have better verbal than written communication skills.
SUMMARY and CONCLUSION

Assessment is critically necessary for the child with Down syndrome for the purpose of proper placement in school as well as in referral to special services that serve to assist the child to better function in daily life activities and in assisting the child to achieve best academically. Assessment is accomplished by a psychologist who is then able to refer the parents and their child to the most appropriate services and interventions for the child's specific needs as all Down syndrome children are not identical in their abilities or their needs for assistance.

Bibliography

Bird, Elizabeth Kay-Raining, et al. (2008) Written and Oral Narratives of Children and Adolescents with Down syndrome. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research. Vol. 51. April 2008.

Fox, Sam; Farell, Meter and Davis, Pauline (2004) Factors Associated with the Effective Inclusion of Primary-Aged Pupils with Down's syndrome. British Journal of Special Education 31(4), 2004.

Leshin, Len (2003) Trisomy 21: The Story of Down syndrome. Online DS-Health. Available at http://www.ds-health.com/trisomy.htm

Meier, Kristin (2008) Down Syndrome 101: What Teachers Need to Known. The…