About

This book was not written to argue that young children with Down syndrome can be taught to read. That argument was won by Sarah Duffen, Nigel Hunt and others more than 30 years ago. Rather, we wrote these pages because we would like families and caregivers to appreciate their own contribution to children's literacy development in the early days before formal lessons start at school.

We want to move the focus from the mechanics of learning to read to the nurturing atmosphere which encourages children to become willing and continued participants in a life of literacy experiences.

Proudly published by Post Pressed

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Contents

• Early Days
• Is there a BEST TIME to introduce reading and writing?
• How can caregivers support early learning?
• Establishing interest in print
• Helping children to focus and maintain attention, looking and listening
• Involving the child in everyday literacy activities
• Experimenting with drawing, painting and writing
• Developing skills in matching, comparison and discrimination
• Introducing the concept of word
• Developing greater awareness of words and sounds in words
• Understanding how print relates to speech
• Sight words
• Summary
• Resources for families and children

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