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Teacher Support for Children with Downs Syndrome

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Teacher Support for Children with Downs Syndrome

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Teacher Support for Children with Downs Syndrome

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We are a team of specialist Cognition & Learning teachers who support in the areas of Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, SLCN, MLD & Down Syndrome.  We provide specialist support and advice to schools with regard to identification of need, intervention support and support for adaptive teaching.

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Sarah Loftus (TLR) - Specialist Teacher (SENCo, MLD, SLCN)

Natalie Hitchon - Specialist Teacher (Complex Needs, Down Syndrome, MLD, SLCN)

Asma Hughes - Specialist Teacher (No to Assess)

Alison Taylor-Blunt - Specialist Teacher (SENCo/Dyslexia)

Jane Angus - Specialist Teacher (Deafness/Dyslexia)

Susanne Austin - Specialist Teacher (Dyslexia/Dyscalculia)

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Observations and/or assessments of CYP referred to the service

Training for whole staff, or key groups of staff, on understanding the areas of Cognition & Learning covered by the team (Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, SLCN, MLD, Down Syndrome, Irlen, IEP setting)

1:1 support for SENCOs re identification, advice and/or signposting for support

Training/modelling of specific support strategies for staff in school

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Advice about inclusion and effective support for CYP

Advice and guidance about managing transitions & key transition phases for CYP with CL needs

Facilitation of group staff meetings around the needs of CYP with CL needs

Advice about target setting for Individual Education Plans or equivalent

Formal Diagnoses of Dyslexia and/or Dyscalculia

Access Arrangements in Key Stage 4

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Please include signed parent/carer consent with all referrals.

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A Classroom Guide

Professor Susan E. Gathercole & Dr Tracy Packiam Alloway

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We welcome your feedback.  Please complete this quick survey following involvement.

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We welcome your feedback.  Please complete this quick survey following involvement.

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See and Learn is an evidence‑based teaching programme developed by the Down Syndrome Educational Trust that uses visual learning to support children with Down syndrome. It focuses on early language, reading, number, and memory skills, presenting information through clear pictures, words, and structured activities. The approach builds understanding first (receptive skills), then supports speaking, by breaking learning into small, achievable steps and using repetition and success to boost confidence.

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See and Learn teaching programmes provide evidence-based activities, guidance and support to help children with Down syndrome improve their speech, language, reading and numeracy skills.

Specialised

See and Learn resources are designed to meet the specific learning needs of children with Down syndrome. They can also be helpful for other children experiencing similar learning difficulties.

Evidence-based

The See and Learn programmes are informed by and consistent with the latest available scientific evidence of the children's development, learning difficulties and effective interventions.

Easy to use at home and school

Children with Down syndrome often need more explicit instruction, together with lots of practice and rehearsal to learn and retain new skills. See and Learn resources are designed to be easy to use at home for regular teaching and practice.

See and Learn resources teach children in the right developmental steps, ensuring that you teach what the child is ready to learn.

They are also suitable for use in schools for additional one-to-one targeted teaching and in individual and group therapy sessions.

Developed by experts

The See and Learn programmes are designed by internationally recognised researchers and practitioners who have worked with and supported children with Down syndrome and their families for over 40 years.

Available worldwide

The See and Learn programmes are available as printed kits and as apps for a variety of tablet devices and computers. We ship kits directly to clients around the world. Our apps are available in most countries from the major app stores.

The See and Learn teaching programmes

Speech

Developing clearer speech production.

See and Learn Speech is designed to teach children with Down syndrome to hear and produce speech sounds, to hear the differences between sounds, to develop their speech sound system, and to produce clear speech.

Learn more

Language and Reading

Learning vocabulary and developing language skills by learning to read from an early age.

See and Learn Language and Reading is designed to teach children with Down syndrome early vocabulary, sight words, simple phrases and sentences, and grammar rules. Learning to read offers the children concrete and visual representations of language concepts to support the development of their spoken language skills.

Learn more

See and Learn Numbers

Learning about early number concepts.

See and Learn Numbers is designed to teach young children to count, to link numbers to quantity, to understand important concepts about the number system and to calculate with numbers up to 10.

Learn more

Supporting future research and development

The See and Learn programmes are developed by Down Syndrome Education International - a nonprofit, global leader in educational research and support for children with Down syndrome. Proceeds from the sales of teaching kits and apps support ongoing research, development and support services.

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See and Learn teaching programmes provide evidence-based activities, guidance and support to help children with Down syndrome improve their speech, language, reading and numeracy skills.

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RLI (Reading and Language Intervention) is an evidence‑based programme for children with Down syndrome that uses early reading to support spoken language development. It builds vocabulary, sentence structure, and comprehension through short, daily, adult‑led activities, using the child’s strength in visual learning to help overcome difficulties with speech and memory.

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The Reading and Language Intervention for Children with Down Syndrome (RLI) is a teaching programme designed to improve reading and language outcomes for children with Down syndrome. It supplements and supports regular teaching with daily one-to-one intervention sessions. The intervention sessions follow a consistent format within which instruction is carefully targeted to the individual student.

A targeted, evidence-based approach to meeting specific needs

RLI offers educators a targeted, evidence-based approach to support the development of reading and language skills in children with Down syndrome aged from 5 years. It is designed to be delivered in school by the child's teaching assistant, supported by their class teacher and special educational needs team.

Building on best practice and evaluated with children with Down syndrome

RLI incorporates best practice in carefully-structured activities delivered in fast-paced daily teaching sessions. RLI includes a reading strand and a language strand, each of which includes several components. The intervention follows a prescribed framework within which content and teaching are tailored to meet individual needs. It was evaluated in a randomised controlled trial and found to improve rates of progress compared to ordinary teaching.

Supported with a comprehensive handbook and online courses

The intervention is described in a detailed handbook - available online or in print. The handbook is accompanied by online resources, including video clips illustrating the activities, assessment and record keeping forms, and example teaching materials.

The online edition is available through a subscription, with a choice of monthly or annual payment options and reduced rates for parents. For clients who prefer a printed copy of the handbook, we now offer 12 months access to the online edition with the purchase of the print edition. This provides full access to the assessment and record forms, example materials and videos. We no longer include the resources and videos with the printed handbook on accompanying CD/DVDs.

An online training course is available to supplement the handbook with additional support for educators implementing the intervention.

The most widely used school-based intervention for children with Down syndrome

Over the past few years, RLI has helped educators in the UK, the USA, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and over 30 other countries provide evidence-based instruction to thousands of children with Down syndrome.

" The RLI programme has been a very beneficial programme for us to follow with one of our pupils in school. She has gone from having no interest in reading words only looking at pictures to reading shorter stories well and with enjoyment. I took part in the training programme and found it clear, easy to follow and maintainable in a busy working school ." (Special Educational Needs Coordinator, UK)

" The RLI programme is going great! Our students are succeeding with reading! It is so much fun to see! " (District Reading Specialist, USA)

Find out more:

About RLI

Online training

Ordering:

Skills targeted

Reading (book reading, sight words, letters and sounds, phonology)

Language (vocabulary, grammar)

Age range

From 5 to 11 years, with reading ages under 8 years

Setting

Format

Daily, one-to-one teaching sessions following prescribed framework within which teaching is tailored to meet individual needs

Resources and support

Online or printed handbook, online assessment, record forms, example teaching materials, video demonstrations and instruction

Online training course

Accredited trainers and consultants

Evidence

Intervention is consistent with the available scientific evidence

Intervention has been evaluated in a controlled trial

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A Reading and Language Intervention for Children with Down Syndrome (RLI)

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The Reading and Language Intervention for Children with Down Syndrome (RLI) is a teaching programme designed to improve reading and language outcomes for children with Down syndrome. It supplements and supports regular teaching with daily one-to-one intervention sessions. The intervention sessions follow a consistent format within which instruction is carefully targeted to the individual student.

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“useful and informative” (training delivered).

“The practical advice and posing of possible reasons why a child does something was brilliant”.

“It’s difficult to have the headspace to think about each possible reason why a child does something but your expertise really made me think twice”

“You're solution focused and had so many good ideas that don’t require a lot of prep time etc and can be implemented quickly”

"we are SO grateful that you take the time to talk us through and physically show us QUALITY activities - it might sound minor but we so often get sent of lists of things to do with children and no idea how to carry them out"

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This Developmental Journal is a parent‑ and professional‑friendly tracking tool designed to record, celebrate, and support the developmental progress of babies and young children with Down syndrome, from birth through the preschool years.

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"I have noticed a massive difference in his confidence when it comes to writing. H is engaged more and when he spots a sound he has been looking at with S (LSS specialist TA) , he will point it out to me! Really impressed and happy at how well he has come on in only one half term"

She  (LSS specialist Teacher) has given me practical ideas on how to adapt work to meet the needs of the pupil with whom I am working, as well as providing me with much needed resources to use in the classroom

It has been great to draw upon (LSS Specialist Teachers) experience and the strategies and suggestions she made had and are continuing to have an impact. On a separate note, I have found that during this year, where I was asked to take on the SENDCo role, (LSS Specialist Teacher)  has gone above and beyond helping me to navigate LSS service and support

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26-27 Cognition & Learning team training         

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26-27 Cognition & Learning team training         

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Please contact your link teacher for further details of the 26-27 training offer. If you are unsure who your link teacher is, email adminlss@Salford.gov.uk

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How to teach math using the Concrete Pictorial Abstract method

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https://irlen.com/what-is-irlen-syndrome/

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Fine motor activities for bilateral coordination, crossing midline and much more

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Discover more about the various pencil grasps and strategies to help. Also includes strategies for common writing mishaps. 

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Similar to the LSS Literacy Pack LSS have created a Numeracy skills pack to support you to identify gaps in math's knowledge deliver targeted support and interventions to address those gaps.

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"I got better at writing sentences...this makes me feel good, like the other people in my class"

"I've learned how to spell different words by using syllables"

"I have enjoyed getting taught some new things"

"when I've been writing in my English book and spellings, most of the words I've been getting right"

"my reading is better now"

"I feel more confident in class, I can do angles now"

"I learnt to be confident, I know I can do it"

"my confident went up lots, lots, lots, lots"

"Drawing and Talking is good, it really helps me"

“It’s really fun and interesting. It’s helped me because now I know the alphabet and the rainbow order and I’m not missing out on stuff”

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"She really benefitted from her (specialist teacher) extensive knowledge and experience of DS"

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This is a summary of all maths manipulatives pros and cons, where to buy and links to games and activities

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The DSA Advanced Clinical Specialist Speech & Language Therapist, Gwendolina Toner, has created a series of videos demonstrating some activities that will help to develop speech and communication skills.

The activities are generally aimed at children, but there is no specific age range.

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Speech and Language Activities

Our Advanced Clinical Specialist Speech & Language Therapist, Gwendolina Toner, has created a series of videos demonstrating some activities that will help to develop speech and communication skills.

The activities are generally aimed at children, but there is no specific age range.

The 'Hello' Song

The 'Hello' song is very important because it provides a clear cue to the child that the learning session is beginning, and helps the child to feel welcome, special and included.

It can also make the structured learning environment feel fun and accessible, and can encourage the child's confidence.

Turn taking activity

Many children benefit from opportunities to practise taking turns. This skill is the foundation of communication and developing friendships.

It supports our children's attention span and understanding of language, as well as their ability to participate, share, wait, make choices, anticipate, negotiate, play games and solve problems. Turn taking also promotes independence, self regulation and general awareness.

Taking turns with a physical object makes turn taking very concrete and visible.

It's very important that our children learn to recognise their own and other people's feelings, and to link feelings with experiences. Teaching emotion words works best in the context of everyday life.

You can label and sign feelings (such as happy, sad, cross, excited, frustrated, disappointed) when your child or another person is experiencing the emotion.

In this film, Gwen works with Selma to identify four feelings by facial expression, and then begin to link a feeling to an experience.

We are frequently asked which toys and games families should buy to support their children's language skills at home. There are many fantastic resources available, but the most simple toys can be very effective and are often the most versatile.

In this clip, Selma and Gwen are playing together with a squeaky pig toy. We are using this simple toy to practise engagement and attention, turn taking, making choices, copying, following simple instructions, and understanding and saying a range of language concepts (on, up, down), body parts, counting, some early verbs (jump, sleep, help), and animal sounds.

This film shows Selma working on a number of skills, including turn taking, waiting, sequential thought, and using language to give instructions in sequence. She is working on understanding and using the concepts 'up', 'down', and 'top', and she is beginning to understand the question 'who?' and negatives (e.g. 'hasn't').

Selma is also working on saying the consonant sounds 'p' and 'k' at the end of single syllable words (e.g. 'up', 'top', 'stop', 'peck', 'pink', 'shake'). She is practising some fine motor skills including isolating her thumb and using a pincer grip.

Selma is working on speech sounds while incorporating a range of other skills into the same activity. She is working on saying sounds at the end of words. The words have been chosen because they are functional and are included in her vocabulary targets.

You will see that Selma is practising turn taking, and that her teaching assistant and our Speech and Language Therapist take the first two turns so that the targeted skill has been modelled twice before Selma takes her turn.

We are also working on making choices, naming colours, using the concept 'first', and understanding negatives (e.g. 'haven't'). The buzzers in the activity are great fun, and we use them as rewards/reinforcers for a variety of speech sound activities, as well as a range of other learning tasks!

This film shows Selma participating in a composite activity that targets a number of skills. We call this a 'language immersion' activity.

You will see Selma practising waiting, listening, anticipating, making choices, and turn taking skills. As usual, Selma takes the third turn so that the task has been modelled for her twice before she is asked to take part.

The activity incorporates feelings/emotion words and food vocabulary, as well as body part vocabulary and isolating the thumb (a pre-pencil grip skill). We are also working on understanding and using short spoken phrases, and using signs and sentence starters to prompt spoken language.

Selma is learning language concepts such as first, big/little, quick/slow, high/low; and prepositions such as in, on, under, behind. She is working on understanding and saying verbs, including eat, drink, jump, swing, sleep, fly.

The activity incorporates counting, 'semantic links' (what goes together? - 'yogurt and spoon') and syllable clapping. Selma is also practising short term visual memory skills (remembering what she has seen) and auditory memory skills.

Blowing bubbles can help to calm your child and help her to become more regulated. It may help your child to focus, pay attention, and to be more organised.

In this film, Selma is working on making choices, taking turns, and understanding and using the concepts 'big' and 'little'. She is also working on sequential thought, and using 'first/next' to promote motivation and positive behaviour as well as expressive language.

Blowing bubbles supports the development of the oral motor skills needed for clear speech, including lip rounding, tongue retraction, and controlled elongated airflow.

Using bubble blowing as the final activity communicates to the child that the session is coming to an end. Following the activity, you can ask the child to 'clean up the bubbles' on the table, using a sterilising wipe (particularly important at the moment!). We can include additional language concepts, such as talking about the table's shape, finding the 'corners' and 'legs', wiping 'quick' or 'slow', etc.

The large arm movements involved in wiping the table's surface can calm the child, which will help her to transition to the next environment or activity.

We Can help

If you have any questions about social care, please contact us using Tel: 0333 1212 300 or Email: info@downs-syndrome.org.uk. If our information officers are unable to help, they will refer you to our social care adviser. We can help you by writing letters, requesting assessments, and formulating complaints.

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Speech and language activities - Downs Syndrome Association

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Our Advanced Clinical Specialist Speech & Language Therapist, Gwendolina Toner, has created a series of videos demonstrating some activities that will help to develop speech and communication skills. The activities are generally aimed at children, but there is no specific age range.

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How to teach using the Concrete Pictorial Abstract method

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How to teach using the Concrete Pictorial Abstract method

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All you'll need to know about this fabulous way of teaching and supporting pupils of all ages.

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Great step by step session plans for introducing staff and pupils to Numicon.

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How to Use the Multiplication Strategies Mat

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Salford LSS Diagnostic Pathway for Dyslexia

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Dialogic Book Sessions Advice sheet for School TAs

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MLD - Salford Working Definition and Guidance

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We welcome your feedback.  Please complete this quick survey following involvement.

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We welcome your feedback.  Please complete this quick survey following involvement.

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Please note that PDF documents from external sources may not be fully accessible and may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

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A useful resource for pupils approaching or going through puberty. accessible video clips to share with your pupils

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BBC Two - Personal, Social and Health Education for SEN

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Animated clips for young people aged 12-16 with severe learning difficulties.

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Down Syndrome International (ds‑int.org) is a global human‑rights organisation and network led by and for people with Down syndrome and their families. The website highlights DSI’s work to promote inclusion, equality, and quality of life worldwide, through advocacy at the United Nations, support for self‑advocacy, and projects focused on health, education, and social inclusion, particularly in under‑resourced countries.

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Charity working with people with Down syndrome

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Teach Me Too (website) is a simple, accessible resource for parents and educators that explains and supports an adult‑led, visual approach to early learning for children with additional needs. The website focuses on how to use Teach Me Too materials effectively, emphasising shared attention, clear language, repetition, and interaction, rather than independent screen use.

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Children with Down’s syndrome have a specific learning profile, with their own strengths and weaknesses. Research shows that certain strategies are very effective for people with this profile, but many of our children are not benefiting from this knowledge, as many services are limited to families w…

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Colourful Semantics Hub - Integrated Treatment Services

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Discover Colourful Semantics resources, training and assessments for schools and therapists. Support sentence building, language development and literacy across the curriculum.

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Speak Up Salford is a comprehensive, user‑friendly NHS website dedicated to improving speech, language and communication outcomes for Salford’s children and young people by combining clear guidance, accessible resources and joined‑up local services.

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ELKLAN is a nationally recognised provider of accredited speech, language and communication training, helping parents, educators and carers create communication‑friendly environments so that all children and young people can learn, participate and succeed.

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Elklan Training Limited | Elklan Training Limited

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Dyslexia Awareness Consortium Quality Mark (DACQM)

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Dyslexia Awareness Consortium Quality Mark (DACQM)

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Parent/Carer questionnaire for Dyslexia referral

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Parent/Carer questionnaire for Dyslexia referral

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Parent questionnaire dyslexia latest 2025 version

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School questionnaire for Dyslexia referral

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School questionnaire for Dyslexia referral

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School questionnaire dyslexia latest 2025 version