Good morning students!

Today we have a new student joining us! Her name is Sonya, but before she arrives I want to discuss something with you all. See, Sonya is somewhat different than you and me, she has a disability called Down Syndrome.

Excuse me Mrs. Johnson, but what is Down Syndrome?

Excellent question Marta!

Allow me to explain!

What is Down Syndrome? 

Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder as a result of an extra copy of chromosome 21 during development in the womb. As a result, individuals with Down Syndrome suffer intellectual disability and potential health complications.

Oh ok!

Wait!!! But Mrs. Johnson!!! 

What does any of that even mean?

Settle down now! I'll tell you!

Characteristics

People with Down Syndrome are often identifiable by sight, as individuals with this disability tend to have a flat face, small facial features, and a short, stocky build. Down Syndrome being an intellectual disability causes great learning delay and a moderately low IQ, struggling most with sentence structure, grammar, and number skills. Due to their small facial features, including their mouth, they often have normal to bigger sized tongues, making speech difficult resulting in understanding speech potentially difficult. When it comes to personality, people with Down Syndrome are frequently portrayed with traits such as happy and outgoing, but it is important to remember that they have other emotions as well and their own unique strengths and weaknesses. It is also important to note that this intellectual disability also comes paired with potential physical health issues such as hearing loss, vision impairment, musculoskeletal problems, heart defects, and unfortunately many more.

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

Welcome Sonya! It's so amazing to meet you!

A few classes later...

Hey Wanda,

I'm having a hard time with my new student Sonya, I'm just not sure how to teach her properly. Not to mention, I feel like the other students still don't quite understand her condition, they assume things like she can't retain memory properly or has no emotions other than joy. What should I do Wanda?

Don't worry Alice! After school, lets go to the library and do some research on her disability. That way we can find the appropriate way to teach and address Sonya.

At the library...

There you are Wanda!

I found a book that looks promising on Down Syndrome!

Thats great! Let's take a gander!

Teaching Down Syndrome 101

By: Terry Peterson

                                 6 Common Misconceptions About Down Syndrome

1. People with Down Syndrome are always happy and outgoing, so there is no need to worry about their emotions or ability to communicate with others.

This is 100% false, as individuals with Down Syndrome are human, meaning they experience all the ranges of emotion that anyone without this disability can experience. People with Down Syndrome are not always outgoing either, many can be shy when around new people just as many others are; recalling from personal experience as someone with a brother with Down Syndrome, he can be quite reserved and hesitant to be his true self when around strangers. This misconception can be incredibly harmful as it can disregard the feelings of the individual and make them feel unvalidated in their emotions, which has been proven to lead to behavioral issues, frustration, and depression. It is also crucial to make sure that these people get proper socialization and feel comfortable with the people they are around, as everyone needs human interaction.

   2. Down Syndrome is rare, you might never run into someone with this disorder in your life.

 This couldn’t be further from the truth. Down Syndrome is categorized as a common disorder, effecting about 1 in evert 700 babies born in the United States, accounting for about 6,000 births per year. Knowing this, people should approach these individuals with empathy, compassion, and kindness, rather than avoiding them or babying them out of fear, since at one point in someone’s life, they will most likely come across someone with this disorder.

3. Every person with Down Syndrome suffers great mental/cognitive impairment

This is untrue, as Down Syndrome can scale greatly in terms of intellectual ability. Some individuals with Down Syndrome are fully capable to live a fulfilling life on their own, with a sustainable job and proper schooling, while others may need to depend on another person and require more assistance in their day to day lives. When it comes to the classroom, students who are not functioning may need assistance and further attention in when working on activities and learning.