Number Skills Development for Infants with Down Syndrome (0-5 Years): (Down Syndrome Issues & Information)

The mathematics curriculum in primary school includes learning about number and calculation, shape, size, quantity and measurement, time and money. Learning in children's pre-school years introduces them to the ideas and language for helping them to learn about mathematics. Young children's first understanding of number and other mathematical concepts comes from their experiences with people and items in their environment. Language is an essential part of learning about mathematics as it provides the tools for thinking about, comparing and manipulating sets of objects and activities, and relating these to a number system. Young children with Down syndrome experience delay in language learning, in auditory short term memory development and may have less experience of manipulating or playing with objects, but have strengths in learning visually. With focused language teaching, repetition and visual teaching approaches, they can learn the language for numbers and mathematics. Number games should be interesting and allow for exploration and fun, making number skills meaningful to everyday life and the child's environment. Some children will learn in very small steps, with each aspect broken down for them, taught and practised, other children will develop skills more quickly, after they have been helped to learn about numbers using visual aids, through good teaching and from multi-sensory learning experiences. This module provides examples for everyday social interaction, language teaching and games that can help to develop early number and maths skills, beginning with nursery rhymes, songs, play and words, introducing activities from one year of age up until the child goes to school. Vocabulary lists for maths concepts that will be useful for parents of children to early school age are included. This module should be read in conjunction with Number skills for individuals with Down syndrome - An overview.[DSii-09-01]

Table of Contents:
Introduction What do children typically learn? Teaching children with Down syndrome Early learning about number Expectations Motor skills Handling and moving objects Construction play Supported play Learning through play, language and environment at home Social learning Play and teaching activities Understanding number: a more formal approach Counting practice Learning about quantity In summary References Vocabulary lists A checklist for early number skills

About the Author :
Sue Buckley is a psychologist, Emeritus Professor of Developmental Disability in the Psychology Department at the University of Portsmouth, UK and Director of Research and Training at The Down Syndrome Educational Trust. Sue has been actively involved in researching the developmental and educational needs of children with Down syndrome since 1980. She is an internationally recognised authority and has published widely for parents, professionals and researchers. One of Sue's three children, Roberta, is a young adult with Down syndrome. Gillian Bird is a psychologist and Director of Consultancy and Education at The Down Syndrome Educational Trust. Gillian has been working with children with Down syndrome, from birth to teenage years, and their families since 1983. She has developed and supported the successful inclusion of children with Down syndrome in mainstream education since 1988. Gillian has also developed early intervention programmes and been active in research, publishing and training with colleagues.