1. family and parenting
2. children

language and reading
first written words
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guide
See and Learn First Written Words
UK English Edition. First published: 2009. This reprint: 2012.
ISBN (printed kit): 978-1-903806-98-2
ISBN (electronic edition kit, personal licence): 978-1-908335-13-5
ISBN (electronic edition kit, professional licence): 978-1-78261-030-4
ISBN (printed guide): 978-1-903806-23-4
ISBN (electronic edition guide, personal licence): 978-1-908335-98-2
ISBN (electronic edition guide, professional licence): 978-1-78261-014-4
Published by Down Syndrome Education International
www.dseinternational.org | info@dseinternational.org
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Down Syndrome Education International is a charity, registered in England and Wales
(company number 3266266, charity number 1062823).
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Distributed in the USA, Canada, South America, Eastern and South Eastern Asia, Australia
and New Zealand by Down Syndrome Education USA
www.dseusa.org | info@dseusa.org
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Down Syndrome Education USA is an independent nonprofit organization, incorporated in California
and exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code.
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Distributed in the UK, Europe, Africa and Western, Northern and Southern Asia
by Down Syndrome Education Enterprises CIC
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Down Syndrome Education Enterprises CIC is a not-for-profit social enterprise, registered as a Community Interest
Company in England and Wales (company number 2413145), owned by Down Syndrome Education International.
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Copyright © Down Syndrome Education International 2009, 2012. All Rights Reserved.
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All rights reserved. This publication is protected under European, United States and international copyright laws
and treaties. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by
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Electronic Edition, Professional License: Electronic editions of this publication sold under a Professional
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guide
first written words
First Written Words
Step 2 of the See and Learn Language and Reading programme
Guide book
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About See and Learn Language and Reading......................... 2
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About Step 2 - See and Learn First Written Words.................. 5
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Getting started with Step 2............................................................ 7
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Using the record sheets.................................................................10
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Common questions.........................................................................10
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Further information.........................................................................14
Activity instructions
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Matching Words................................................................................17
Selecting Words................................................................................21
Naming Words...................................................................................25
Matching Phrases to Pictures.......................................................29
copyright © 2009, 2012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
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guide
first written words
About See and Learn Language
and Reading
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About the programme
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See and Learn Language and Reading is a programme of activities
designed to help children who have Down syndrome learn to talk
and read. It is based on research into the visual learning strengths of
young children who have Down syndrome, and may also be useful
for other children who may benefit from a visually-based approach to
learning to talk.
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The See and Learn Language and Reading programme provides
a step-by-step structure to promote two key areas of language
development:
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• vocabulary development - the number of words a child knows
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• grammar development - a child’s knowledge and skills in
combining these words into sentences.
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The programme aims to build on and complement the language
learning that occurs through a child’s everyday interactions and play.
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See and Learn Language and Reading is one of four See and Learn
programmes planned or under development (subject to funding).
The other planned programmes will cover Memory, Numbers and
Speech.
About the steps
The See and Learn Language and Reading programme consists
of five steps grouped into three stages. Each stage contains a step
with a focus on vocabulary development. The two later stages also
contain a step with a focus on teaching reading to develop grammar
(how words fit together into phrases and sentences).
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copyright © 2009, 12012 down syndrome education international
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guide
first written words
Stage 1
• Step 1 - See and Learn First Word Pictures
Stage 11
Stage
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This first step is designed for children who are at the first stage
of learning language. It contains activities to help children learn
60 common first words using pictures. This step also prepares
children for learning to read by developing their visual skills
through matching activities that they will use during later stages.
see and learn
language and
reading programme
see and learn
first word pictures
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• Step 2 - See and Learn First Written Words
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Stage 2
Step 1
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This step teaches children to read 16 written words, taken from
See and Learn First Word Pictures. When children have a
vocabulary of more than 50 words, they begin to combine words
together, so this step also uses reading to support children in
understanding and using combinations of two ‘key’ words. This
step is designed to be used at the same time as See and Learn
More Word Pictures.
• Step 3 - See and Learn More Word Pictures
Step 2
Step 3
see and learn see and learn
first written more word
words
pictures
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This step uses pictures to introduce a further 55 words that are
common in children’s early vocabularies. This step is designed to
be used at the same time as See and Learn First Written Words.
Stage
Stage 22
Stage 3
Stage
Stage 33
Step 4
• Step 4 - See and Learn First Sentences
This step teaches reading of a further 16 written words, taken from
See and Learn More Word Pictures, and uses reading to support
children in understanding and using simple sentences containing
three ‘key’ words.
copyright © 2009, 2012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
Step 5
see and learn see and learn
first
more
sentences
sentences
3
guide
first written words
• Step 5 - See and Learn More Sentences
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This step introduces around 100 more written words within simple
sentences. This step continues to use reading as a visual support
for language development, to help children understand and use a
wider range of sentences with three ‘key’ words.
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copyright © 2009, 12012 down syndrome education international
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guide
first written words
About Step 2 - See and Learn
First Written Words
pack contents
See and Learn First Written Words is the second step in the See
and Learn Language and Reading programme.
About this step
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See and Learn First Written Words uses reading as a support
to language development. It will help your child learn to read 16
familiar written words and also to develop his/her understanding
and use of 34 phrases containing two ‘key’ words.
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When to start this step
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Please note: This pack is designed to be completed at the same time
as See and Learn More Word Pictures which will help increase your
child’s vocabulary.
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See and Learn First Written Words is designed for use with children
who have completed See and Learn First Word Pictures, i.e.
children who understand more than 50 single words and who are
able to match pictures.
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How do children learn to read written
words?
See and Learn First Written Words is based on what we know
about how children learn to read written words. Learning to read
written words opens a gateway for learning about the world and
can provide a great source of pleasure for all children. Children will
be better prepared for learning to read if they have had enjoyable
experiences with books. Sharing books with an adult is important
for developing children’s attention skills and for their language
development.
copyright © 2009, 2012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
This guidebook to See
and Learn First Written
Words, which includes
instructions for the
activities in this step.
5 First Written Words
record sheets (in a
booklet)
16 First Written Words
picture cards
16 First Written Words
word cards
4 First Written Words
word-to-word matching
baseboards
9 First Written Words
books
20 First Written Words
phrase cards
20 First Written Words
large picture cards
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guide
first written words
vocabulary set
drinking
eating
on
sitting
sleeping
table
teddy
washing
• First they begin to recognise a small number of familiar words,
often beginning with their name. They recognise the word as a
whole, rather like a picture or shape - this is generally called ‘sight’
reading. The activities in See and Learn First Written Words
encourage your child to develop ‘sight’ reading of 16 words.
• Later on they develop an awareness of the individual letters and
groups of letters in words, and how they represent different
sounds. This skill can be used to read new words.
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baby
ball
bed
brushing
cat
chair
dog
dolly
Children usually learn to read written words in a typical pattern:
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It is also important that children understand the meaning of the
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Vocabulary
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words and sentences that they are able to read. This is called ‘reading
for meaning’.
two ‘key’ word phrases
dolly is drinking
on the chair
teddy is drinking
on the bed
baby is drinking
dolly is sleeping
on the table
cat is drinking
teddy is sleeping
washing teddy
dog is drinking
baby is sleeping
washing dolly
dolly is sitting
cat is sleeping
washing baby
teddy is sitting
dog is sleeping
brushing dolly
baby is sitting
dolly is eating
brushing teddy
cat is sitting
teddy is eating
brushing baby
dog is sitting
baby is eating
brushing cat
cat is eating
brushing dog
cat’s ball
dog’s ball
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dog is eating
dolly’s ball
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See and Learn First Written Words helps children learn to read 16
familiar words (box left) through a series of activities based on 34
phrases/short sentences (box below) containing two ‘key’ words.
(the key words are
shown in bold text)
copyright © 2009, 12012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
guide
first written words
Getting started with Step 2
Activities
activities
See and Learn First Written Words consists of four activities:
1. Matching Words
1.
matching words
2. Selecting Words
3. Naming Words
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4. Matching Phrases to Pictures
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Before starting any of the activities in this step read the following
guidance about progressing through the activities in See and Learn
First Written Words.
2.
selecting words
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Progressing through the activities
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See and Learn First Written Words follows on from the previous
step, See and Learn First Word Pictures.
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The focus of See and Learn First Written Words is on teaching
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reading to promote the understanding and use of two ‘key’ words
together in phrases. All of the individual words used in See and
Learn First Written Words were introduced as pictures in See and
Learn First Word Pictures. This ensures that your child only learns
to read the words that he or she already understands.
The reading activities begin with Matching Words for the first set of
words. You teach your child to read the words in sets of four, using
the following sequence of three activities:
3.
naming words
4.
matching
phrases to
pictures
1. Matching Words, then
2. Selecting Words, then
3. Naming Words
copyright © 2009, 2012 down syndrome education international
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guide
first written words
Record sheets
Using the record sheets
Use the following record
Recording your child’s progress
sheets to track your child’s
Use the First Written Words record sheets to record your child’s
progress through the activities and to plan your practice sessions.
progress through See and
Learn First Written Words:
Session Record sheet
• First Written Words
Session Record sheet
Use the Session Record sheet to keep an overall record of sessions
and your child’s progress through the See and Learn First Written
Words activities.
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• Matching Words record
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sheet
• Matching Phrases to Pictures
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Activity record sheets
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• Naming Words record sheet
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sheet
Each activity also has its own record sheet to help you keep a
detailed record of your child’s progress through the activity and to
plan the next session.
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record sheet
Each time you and your child complete a session, use this sheet to
make a note of the date, the activity or activities you have practised
and the words you used.
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• Selecting Words record
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Common questions
Answers to some common questions about See and Learn First
Written Words.
Should I use signing?
Children who find it difficult to learn to understand spoken language
often find extra visual support helpful, e.g. using gestures or signs.
Signs can be used alongside a spoken word to reinforce the word’s
meaning. Formal sign systems include Makaton and Signalong.
For this reason, the See and Learn activities include instructions
for using signs as well as speech. You should use signs alongside
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copyright © 2009, 12012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
guide
first written words
Further information
Language development for children who
have Down syndrome
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Speech and language development is a specific area of difficulty for
children who have Down syndrome[1] and therefore it is important to
take the opportunity to promote language development in the early
years.
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Children learn language as people talk naturally to them during
everyday activities. This natural interaction provides a foundation
for communication and speech and language development, and
determines how skills are acquired, used and developed. In addition
to this, it can be useful to provide a more direct approach to
language development alongside quality everyday interaction.
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Supporting language development
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The See and Learn Language and Reading materials have been
developed in response to the need to provide parents with practical
support in promoting their child’s language development.
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The See and Learn Language and Reading activities complement
the information and recommendations made in the Down
Syndrome Education International publications: Speech and language
development for infants with Down syndrome, and Reading and writing
development for infants with Down syndrome (see further reading
list). In particular, many of the steps are based on a progression
through matching, selecting then naming to learn new words and
demonstrate understanding.
The See and Learn Language and Reading activities are based on
the following principles from the available research evidence:
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copyright © 2009, 12012 down syndrome education international
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guide
first written words
• Children who have Down syndrome find it difficult to learn
language just from listening to it.[1]
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• Children who have Down syndrome are likely to benefit from
a structured approach to vocabulary teaching in addition to
learning language through quality natural interaction. A structured
approach provides opportunities for repetition. Research tells us
that the expressive language outcomes for a group of children
who have Down syndrome increased when targeted words were
repeated in ‘set up’ routines and play.[2]
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• Children who have Down syndrome are likely to have a relative
strength in their visual processing skills, and are often able to learn
to read at a young age. Reading games provide visual support to
create opportunities for learning single words, for joining words
together, for practising grammar and for developing awareness of
the sounds in words.[3]
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• Children who have Down syndrome benefit from an ‘errorless
learning’ approach to teaching new skills. This involves providing
just enough support to help the child achieve at a slightly higher
level than he/she can achieve independently, which allows the
child to learn, whilst still being successful. This enables the child
to build up a learning history of success, leading to greater
competence and motivation to learn.[4]
Although based on research evidence and practical experience
relating specifically to children who have Down syndrome, See
and Learn Language and Reading is likely to be useful for other
children who also have language delays and a preference for visuallybased learning.
For further resources and information about language development
for children who have Down syndrome see the next page.
copyright © 2009, 2012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
see also
• Down Syndrome Education
International’s web sites: www.
dseinternational.org and
www.down-syndrome.org
• Makaton Vocabulary
Development Project, 31
Firwood Drive, Camberley,
Surrey, GU15 3QD.
Tel: 01276 61390.
E-mail: mvdp@makaton.org
Web site: www.makaton.org
• The Signalong Group, Stratford
House, Waterside Court,
Neptune Way, Rochester, Kent,
ME2 4NZ. Tel: 08707 743752.
E-mail: mkennard@signalong.
org.uk Web site: www.
signalong.org.uk
15
activity 1
first written words
Matching Words
What do I need?
Why do this activity?
Materials
a First Written Words
baseboard
This activity will:
• introduce your child to a selection of written words - both in a
picture book and as individual words
corresponding set
of four First Written
Words word cards
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Is this activity suitable for my child?
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• help your child to recognise the individual written words
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• understands 50 or more spoken words/signs
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This activity is suitable for your child if he or she has already
completed the previous See and Learn First Word Pictures step or
you are aware that he or she:
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• is able to match pictures with a set of four words.
corresponding First
Written Words book(s)
Vocabulary selection
Work through the sets of
books and words in the order
listed on the Matching Words
record sheet.
When you have completed
Matching Words with the first
set of 4 words, move on to
the next activity (Selecting
Words) with those words.
When you have completed
the first three activities
(Matching, Selecting and
Naming) with the first set of
words, introduce the next
word set and next book(s)
into the Matching Words
Please remember to read the First Written Words guidance in
this booklet before you start on this activity
copyright © 2009, 2012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
activity, and so on.
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activity 2
first written words
Selecting Words
What do I need?
Why do this activity?
Materials
a set of First Written
This activity will help your child to:
Words picture cards
• continue to develop recognition of the written words
corresponding First
• show which written words he/she recognises
Written Words book(s)
Is this activity suitable for my child?
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Vocabulary selection
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When your child has completed the previous Matching Words
activity with a set of four words, he/she can use the set of words in
this activity.
Work through the sets of
books and words in the order
listed on the Selecting Words
record sheet.
When you have completed
Selecting Words with the first
set of words, move on to the
next reading activity (Naming
Words) with those four words.
When you have completed the
first three of the First Written
Words activities with the
first set of words, introduce
the next word set and next
book(s) into the Matching
Words activity, and so on.
Please remember to read the First Written Words guidance in
this booklet before you start on this activity
copyright © 2009, 2012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
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activity 2
first written words
How do I do it?
1
Read the First Written Words book(s) together.
Look at the pictures and read the words to your child.
Encourage your child to participate, for example by showing him/her how to point to the words as you read.
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Place the cards on the table/floor, with the word-side facing upwards.
4
Ask your child to “find .......”. Give your child as much help as he/she needs to find the right word.
Encourage your child to turn the card over and look at the picture.
3
4
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2
written word.
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Show each picture card to your child, by looking at the picture and then turning the card over to read the O
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1
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Repeat steps 4-5 with the rest of the cards, giving
your child praise when he/she finds the right pictures.
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Finish by reading the First Written Words book(s) together again.
Please note: these photographs were taken during the piloting phase of See and Learn
Language and Reading so the materials look slightly different to the materials in this pack.
copyright © 2009, 12012 down syndrome education international
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activity 2
first written words
What else could I do?
• Lay out a set of word cards and ask your child to find one
and post it into a box or tin. Repeat with all of the words.
• Collect objects to go with the words where possible
and help your child to match the written words to the
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Recording your child’s progress
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On the Selecting Words record sheet:
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Note the date, activity and words used on the Session Record.
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the first time you use a word in this activity, record the date
in the ‘first used in activity’ column
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when your child selects a word without your help, record
the date in the ‘selected without help’ column
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Only do this for the first, second and third cards that you asked
your child to find. The fourth card was the final choice so did not
give your child an opportunity to show his/her understanding
of it. You will need to repeat the activity with this same set of
words, and ask your child to find the word cards in a different
order to check his/her understanding of all four words.
copyright © 2009, 2012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
23
activity 2
first written words
When should I move on to the next activity?
When your child can select a set of words by him/herself
consistently (i.e. several times), he/she is ready to use this set
of words in the next activity - Naming Words.
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Complete the first three of the First Written Words activities
(Matching Words, Selecting Words and Naming Words) with
this set of words before introducing the next set of words in
Matching FWords.
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When your child has completed the first three First Written
Words activities for all four sets of words, he/she is ready to
move on to the final activity, Matching Phrases to Pictures.
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copyright © 2009, 12012 down syndrome education international
www.seeandlearn.org
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Our scientific research, advice and information
services help over 150,000 families, professionals
and organisations in over 180 countries every
year.
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Down Syndrome Education International works
around the world to improve education for
children with Down syndrome.
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Our activities include:
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• Research - original scientific reseach improving our
understanding of the developmental and learning needs
of children with Down syndrome and pioneering more
effective teaching approaches
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• Resources - practical publications for families and
professionals providing guidance and advice to help children
with Down syndrome achieve sustained gains in all areas of
their development
• Training - web seminars, conferences and workshops
offering expert training for families and professionals,
including teachers, teaching assistants, SENCOs and speech
and language therapists
• Outreach - partnership projects improving educational
opportunities for young people with Down syndrome and
their families living in low and middle income countries
Find out more at www.dseinternational.org
language and reading
first written words
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See and Learn First Written Words is the second step in the
See and Learn Language and Reading programme - a series
of activities specially developed to help children who have
Down syndrome learn to talk and to read.
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See and Learn First Written Words uses reading as a support to
language development. It will help your child learn to read 16
familiar written words and also to develop his/her understanding and use of 34 phrases containing two key words.
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See and Learn First Written Words is designed for children who
have already completed See and Learn First Word Pictures (the
previous step in the See and Learn Language and Reading programme) and so already understand more than 50 single words
and are able to match pictures.
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The See and Learn First Written Words pack contains:
a guide book including detailed instructions for each of the four
activities in this step • record sheets to track progress through
the activities • picture cards, word cards, phrase cards, matching
boards and reading books to use in the activities.
This step is designed to be used at the same time as See and
Learn More Word Pictures.
ISBN-10 1-903806-23-2
ISBN-13 978-1-903806-23-4
9
781903 806234