Frequently Asked Education Questions
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How do I Deal with Behavioural Issues in the Classroom?
Children and teenagers with Down syndrome can have similar levels of behaviour difficulties to typically developing children of the same developmental level i.e. younger children. They have good social understanding and empathy, and they are capable of behaving in an age-appropriate and socially appropriate manner.
The following recordings will be helpful:
- Introduction to Behaviour
- Managing Behaviours at Pre-School & Primary School Stages
- In-Class Behaviour Management
- Understanding, Changing and Teaching Behaviour at the Post-Primary Stage
- Managing Behaviours at Post Primary & Young Adult Stages
Check out this information booklets:
Promoting Learning and Behaviour at home’ for a parent of a child in Primary School
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What are the possible impacts on pupil learning and progress?
Research has highlighted a profile of strengths and weaknesses. We can use this information to be more effective in helping children reach their full potential
The following recordings will be helpful:
- Specific Learning Needs of the Student with Down Syndrome
- Language & Communication
- Managing Vision & Hearing Issues
- Mental Well Being
Check out these information booklets:
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I need advice about school choices
There are three types of provision to meet the range of educational needs found among students in primary and post-primary schools.
They are:
- Mainstream classes in mainstream schools
- Special classes in mainstream schools
- Special Schools
The following recordings will be helpful:
Also check out the following link on choosing a school:
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What's an appropriate level and form of communication between parents…
What’s an appropriate level and form of communication between parents and teachers?
Communication acts as a bridge to engagement and, ultimately, strong parent partnerships. Once parents and teachers communicate with each other, they can work together to help students reach their academic potential.
The following recording will be helpful:
Check out the information booklet and the downloadable templates for Primary and Post Primary Communication Journals
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Essential Planning in Primary & Post Primary School
Planning for individual learning needs has been a feature of special educational provision for some time. It is not yet a legal requirement to provide IEPs for children in Ireland but many teachers have been using IEPs in various forms and guises in their work
The following recording will be helpful:
Check out the information booklets at the following links
- Special Educational Needs –A Continuum of Support –Guidelines for Teachers – Primary Schools
- Special Educational Needs A Continuum of Support – Resource Pack for Teachers – Primary Schools
- Special Educational Needs A Continuum of Support for Post Primary Schools – Guidelines for Teachers
- Special Educational Needs A Continuum of Support for Post-Primary Schools Resource Pack for Teachers
A ‘Student Support File Template’ and ‘Student Support File Guidelines’ are also available at the following link
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Literacy & Numeracy in Primary School
Planning for an appropriate programme of literacy and numeracy teaching for children with Down syndrome is crucial, not just in primary school but also continuing through post primary education journey.
The following recordings will be helpful:
Add link to the following recordings (in Recorded Education Webinars)
- Literacy & Numeracy at Primary School
- Numeracy Acquiring Basic Maths Skills
- Using Numicon as a Resource in Teaching Numeracy
Additional Information:
See and Learn Programme
See and Learn is an excellent resource for use in literacy teaching at Junior and Senior infant levels
Here is a video demonstrating the use of the See and Learn kits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oll1rHby18
We do not supply See and Learn kits to schools. Your local branch of Down Syndrome Ireland may have kits which you can borrow, and some local libraries have also begun to stock the kits. Otherwise they are available to buy https://www.seeandlearn.org/en-gb/language-and-reading/
Reading & Language Initiative (RLI)
‘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’
Further information on the RLI is available at this link https://www.down-syndrome.org/en-gb/
Check out the information in these documents
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Junior Cycle at Post Primary School
Junior Cycle at Post Primary School
Post-primary education is an important part of the lives of all young people. It involves significant transitions—from childhood to adulthood, from primary schooling to post primary and from school to the world of further study and work
The first stage of post-primary schooling that learners encounter is junior cycle, a three-year programme that builds on the young person’s educational experience at primary school by offering a broad, balanced and coherent programme of study across a wide range of curriculum areas. In the process, junior cycle prepares learners for transition to senior cycle, for other further education opportunities, in some cases for employment and, in general, for the challenges involved in growing towards adulthood
The following recording will be helpful:
Check out these websites for further information:
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Senior Cycle at Post Primary School
Post-primary education is an important part of the lives of all young people. It involves significant transitions—from childhood to adulthood, from primary schooling to post primary and from school to the world of further study and work
Senior cycle has a particular role to play in the preparation of learners for adult life. While many factors shape the future of the individual, senior cycle has at its core a commitment to educational achievement of the highest standard for all learners, commensurate with their individual abilities. It sets out to meet the needs of a diverse group of learners with a range of learning interests, dispositions, aptitudes and talents, including learners with special educational needs
The following recording will be helpful:
Check out these website for further information:
https://ncca.ie/en/senior-cycle/
https://ncca.ie/en/senior-cycle/programmes-and-key-skills/leaving-certificate-applied/
Additional Information
Transition Year
The Transition Year (TY) is a one-year programme that forms the first year of a three-year senior cycle in many schools
- It is designed to act as a bridge between the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate programmes
- It is available to all second level schools and currently approximately 75% of schools offer the programme
- Transition Year is optional for students in most schools
See here for more information on the Transition Year
https://ncca.ie/en/senior-cycle/programmes-and-key-skills/transition-year/
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Accessing the Curriculum - Differentiation
Teachers must adapt their teaching and provide differentiated work for their students with Down syndrome at both primary and post primary school.
Differentiation is the process of reducing the amount of work and reducing the level of work involved for students.
A need for this differentiation support for students with Down syndrome and an intellectual disability has been identified by parents, teachers and other educators.
The lack of differentiated materials is having an adverse effect on the inclusion of children with Down syndrome in mainstream classes.
The following recording will be helpful:
Additional Resources
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Managing the Transition from Primary to Post Primary School
Support is needed for both parents and schools as they prepare for the transition of the child with Down syndrome from primary to post-primary school. Most pupils with Down syndrome settle very quickly into the post primary school, once they understand the rules and routines.
The following recordings will be helpful:
We have developed information documents and a workbook for the student, which are available to download on our website.
Add links to the following documents (all in Downloads)
