Checklist for Parents: The Process
Before Year 1
Spring
If the school can accommodate it, visit the Grade 1 classroom with your child so the child knows what to expect
With child, discuss transition to Grade 1 and the new learning model
Check to see if bussing, school entry routines have changed and practice new routines, if possible
Summer
Complete outstanding assessments (hearing, vision, etc.)
With child, read stories about school, discuss transition to Grade 1
With child, practice to maintain “school” skills (i.e., holding pencil, moving from one activity to the next)
Start using a visual schedule at home, to get your child used to knowing what is happening in a day, and ending up one activity to proceed to the next
Early Fall
Assemble ideas you may have for IEP
Find mutually convenient time to discuss IEP with teacher
Transitions within the Primary Division (Grades 1 – 3)
- All students in the primary division are developing the foundational language, Math and social skills that they will build on for the rest of their lives.
- Students with Down syndrome are no different: while their classmates are learning to express themselves accurately, read and do Math, the student with Down syndrome also needs to engage in those areas, possibly at a different level.
- From Grades 1 – 3 the student with Down syndrome should be able to learn from practical Science and Social Studies activities, participate in Music, Art, Drama and Physical and Health Education, and follow the class routines.
- They will not be indistinguishable from their peers, but all students in Grades 1 – 3 are on the same learning journey, and they all benefit from strong teaching techniques such as the use of visual images, hands-on experiences and scaffolded tasks.
Moving from the Primary Division to Junior Division (Grade 3 to Grade 4)
Some of the differences between primary and junior instruction and learning may affect the transition of students with Down syndrome from Grade 3 to Grade 4 and through the Junior Division:
Primary Division Focus Learning to read
Junior Division FocusAfter they have developed reading proficiency, students in Grades 4 – 6 are expected to “read to learn” about more complex subjects
Implication for StudentsMost students with Down syndrome will continue to need work on decoding print and understanding what they read
Primary Division Focus Mastering the basics of six strands of Math
Junior Division FocusSix strands of Math investigated in greater detail
Implication for StudentsMany students with Down syndrome will benefit from focus on topics in the Number and Financial Literacy strands
Primary Division Focus Connecting content area subjects (Science, Social Studies) to students’ lived experience
Junior Division FocusContent area topics get more abstract
Implication for StudentsMany students with Down syndrome will need practical, hands-on ways to investigate topics like “biodiversity” and “matter and energy”
Primary Division Focus Physical layout of classroom encourages group work, communal learning
Junior Division FocusPhysical layout of classroom may lend itself to more individual work
Implication for StudentsStudents with Down syndrome will have individual reactions to this change; some will benefit
Moving from the Junior Division to Intermediate Division (Grade 6 to Grade 7)
Some of the differences between junior and intermediate instruction and learning may affect the transition of students with Down syndrome from Grade 6 to Grade 7 and through the Intermediate Division:
Primary Division Focus Teacher assigns and supports independent work
Junior Division FocusStudents work on multi-part tasks and projects with a growing degree of independence
Implication for StudentsSome students with Down syndrome will have a capacity for independent tasks and projects if the topic is of interest (see Gabby Seewald’s outstanding “Sharks” research project, cited in a
new teacher training text, while others will need significant adaptation of these expectations
Primary Division Focus Teacher uses multiple methods to transmit information
Junior Division FocusTeachers tend to use talk/informal lecture as a central teaching methodology
Implication for StudentsMany students with Down syndrome have difficulty comprehending extended talk about abstract topics
Primary Division Focus Topics studied range from ancient times to present, in local and international contexts, and require imagination to deeply understand
Junior Division FocusTopics may also require critical thinking and the examination of assumptions (i.e., to detect “bias”)
Implication for StudentsThinking about thinking can be difficult for students with Down syndrome, but their opinions and experiences can be solicited and incorporated into class discussions
Primary Division Focus Friendships and co-working relationships are very important to students
Junior Division FocusFriendships, social relationships among students are nuanced and shifting
Implication for StudentsStudents with Down syndrome may play similar video games, listen to similar music, and cheer for the same teams as their peers – social connections can still be strong
