Special Olympics 2011

When your family has been touched by someone with special needs I believe that it opens your eyes to see the world a little bit differently.  You start to look at things through THEIR eyes and once again you are aware of the beauty that surrounds you. At the very same time you also want to hold them close and keep them from this world that you know from experience can be a very scary place.

One of the most beautiful attributes that our special once possess is their self confidence. They believe that they have the ability to do anything they want to try, and why would they think anything else?! 

This is why I love attending the Special Olympics.



I think we sometimes forget what are loved ones with special needs are able to accomplish. We are told from the beginning about all the things they will probably never do, places they probably will never go, and the lives they probably will never have. I don’t know about you, but I am constantly being shown that the possibilities are endless if you give them tools they need to achieve their goals.   

(this is a picture of me and one of our Challenger teammates - so excited to see her!)

I apologize I didn’t take very many pictures, but I got caught up and enjoyed the moments I was witnessing rather than trying to get the best shot.  It is difficult to put into words what it is like seeing the smile of someone who has difficulty walking, cross a runner’s finish line.

The athletes of the Special Olympics are truly amazing, and I’m not gonna lie – I probably couldn’t do half of the things they can do . . . okay . . . less than half.  I really think that more people need to attend the Special Olympic Games, to cheer on the athletes, to be a part of something life changing, and to be reminded that anything is possible when someone believes in you.

To learn how you can be apart of The Special Olympics go to specialolympics.org

"I only have Down Syndrome sometimes"

Some of you have likely seen this blog link already, but if you haven't it's a FABULOUS reminder that our kids are not to be defined by this pesky and perky extra chromosome.

But we ALL can find some great encouragement through this post. The root argument is that for those of us who are prone to over-parenting ... don't. And don't put them in a box based on a diagnosis... or a character trait... or birth order... or whatever.

I'm definitely not saying you should have a boundary-less parenting philosophy. I think the key is having the wisdom to know when those boundary lines can be pushed out.

Thank you, Dave Hingsburger, for eavesdropping. You shared something we ALL need to hear.

They make, if not the best, a very serviceable eggplant parmigiana. We don't go there often, but when we do, we each always get lunch from the same vendors. As they are at the start of the food court, we grab a table right at the entrance. It's perfect for people watching, eavesdropping and is almost always the source for amusement. The parmigiana comes from the vendor right at the start of the court, Joe gets soup from the vendor next door but one. I grabbed a table just two in, with a chair removed, there is enough room for me to pull in and be out of the way.

We'd just sat down for lunch when we both heard that pronunciation of the word, 'Mother' that communicates so much. 'Muhhhhh-therrrrrr'. I glanced up and saw a frustrated and harried woman, carrying packages from the Bay and her son, a young man with Down Syndrome who was in his pre-teens.

Of course, I listened.

(Realize that I would have listened irregardless of the boy's Down Syndrome. I would have listened if it was a couple having a spat, if it was a businessman mumbling to himself, if it was someone having an animated conversation on a cell phone. That's what I do.)

So, aside, aside, I listened.


It seems that the mother wanted to go with him to get his food and then have him go with her to get her food, then they would eat together. Son, thought this was silly. Why doesn't she get hers, he get his, then they meet for lunch. She did an admirable job of keeping herself calm. I did an admirable job of just listening, not judging. Who knew what kind of experiences she'd had that led to this arrangement? They had been standing arguing and just before she moved again towards the court he said something that had a profound impact on me as a listener and she as a mother.

'Trouble is you think I have Down Syndrome all the time and I don't,' he said with real frustration.

She stopped again, 'What?'

'I only have Down Syndrome sometimes, when I'm learning something new or if the words are real hard. I don't have Down Syndrome the rest of the time when I'm doing what I know how to do.'

'And you don't have Down Syndrome now?' she asked.

'No, I know how to get my lunch, I buy my lunch at school all the time. I don't have someone with me all the time you know.' he was frustrated, he didn't even realize he'd said something of real importance, to me and to his mother.


'So,' she continued looking at him hard, 'you don't feel like you have Down Syndrome all the time.'

'No, most times I don't even think about it,' he said.

She said, her tiredness seemed to be gone, 'Go ahead, we'll find a table after we've got our food.'


They disappeared from view.

Joe and I looked at each other. I said to him, 'That kid should teach classes to parents of kids with Down Syndrome.'

Special Reads With Natalie

TEACH READING TO LEARNERS WITH DOWN SYNDROME

This Month’s Article:

 HOW TO MOTIVATE YOUR LEARNER TO READ

Natalie Hale Special Reads.com

Special Reads for Special Needs

This one’s easy. We work with whatever floats their boat, whatever fires their jets. What do I mean by that? We begin to teach reading by focusing on topics that they care about more than anything in the world, and work from there.


Particularly with learners who have a reputation for being strong willed (what, my child?) it’s essential to hook their motivation. It’s not an exaggeration to say that engaging motivation is a prerequisite for teaching your learner with Down syndrome to read.


Our children have enough challenges before them; to struggle to read about things which do not interest them in the least is counter-productive. We want to hone in on their absolute favorite things on the planet and work with reading from there.


Are you ready? Good!


We begin by making an “A” list. Start your project by listing three items in each of these categories:
1. favorite people/family members/pets
2. favorite foods
3. favorite toys/ activities/sports.


Your list of 9 topics will vary greatly depending on the age of your learner. Once you’ve completed your list, you’re armed with 9 different routes to the heart of your learner’s reading motivation.


So now what?


Now you begin. This plan, which is research-based and respected as best practice for teaching individuals with Down syndrome to read (regardless of age!), begins with sight words coupled with personal books.


Head to your nearest office supply store and stock up on the following simple items:
1. 5” x 8” blank index cards for making flash cards (if you can’t find blank, use the reverse side of lined index cards)
2. A ream of 110# card stock paper, white (for printing your books)
3. Several red markers: broad or chisel-tipped (for making flash cards)


Your job will be easiest if you have access to a computer and a printer, and I’ll assume you do as we progress through this reading process. But if you don’t, you’ll just write everything by hand.


With your Hot Topic List and your office supplies in hand, you’re going to write your first book.


For this exercise, I’m going to assume that you have an emergent or beginning reader as a student. If your learner is more advanced, simply write your reading books at a more advanced level.


1. Write the text for your first reading book. For a beginning reader, try to limit yourself to a vocabulary list of only 10-15 words. Here is an example of what you might do; keep in mind that each short sentence occupies a page all by itself. I am Joseph. I love my Mama. I love my Daddy. I love Sarah. I love my family. The End. After each short sentence page, the next page turn will reveal a picture all by itself: pictures will be of Joseph, then Mama & Joseph, then Daddy & Joseph, then Sarah & Joseph, then a picture of the whole family. Kids love “The End,” because it gives them a feeling of reading accomplishment and success, so teach those words from the beginning. With this example, you’ve got a total of 11 vocabulary words. Perfect for your first book.

2. Create flash cards for all the words, using your index cards and the red marker. The most effective reading method for learners with Down syndrome uses large red letters, so make your words as large as possible on your 5” x 8” cards. Either print them or computer in red ink, or use your red markers and try to make the letters as uniform and well-formed as you can. You’re after visual clarity, so keep that in mind.

3. Take photos which correspond to your text (digital camera is most convenient if you have one), or use magazine cut-outs if appropriate.

4. Write the text on your computer and print it, with these guidelines:
             a. Set the page setup as landscape
             b. Use 70 to 100 point type, black ink
             c. Use the 110# index paper stock you’ve bought
             d. Print only one short sentence to a page
             e. Assemble your book with NOTHING ever on the left page when you’re looking at a double-spread. The best way to bind it is to take it to an office supply store/kinko’s/etc and ask for “plastic coil binding.” Don’t use “comb binding.” It lasts about 5 minutes in the hands of a child before coming apart.
             f. Assemble it in this way:
                          1. text page on right side page
                          2. turn the page
                          3. picture page illustrating the previous text, on right side page also
                          4. turn the page
                          5. next text page, right side page
                          6. turn the page
                          7. next picture page illustrating the previous text, right side page again
                          8. etc.

 So this is what we’re doing: we are creating a book which is Hot Topic for your learner with Down syndrome, a reading book which is highly motivating and personal. We’re coupling that with your learner’s first reading vocabulary. And we’re going to use the fastest, most effective method for teaching those sight words.


And what’s that method? We call it Fast Flash. It’s simple, astonishingly effective, and has a decades-old track record of success.


Here it is: divide your flash cards into groups of 5 or so; show each set 3-4 times to your learner, calling out the words as you move the cards at a rate of approximately one per second. There are brain-based reasons which support this method, and we’ll cover that in another lesson. But for now, just try it and you’ll believe it!


Then read the book to your learner and enjoy it together. End by showing/calling out the flash cards again, 3 or 4 times in a row, as before. End of session!


A frequent question is: “Does my student have to repeat the word aloud as I flash them?” No. The only requirement is that they look at the cards and listen as you say the word.


As your learner begins to be able to recognize the words, encourage him/her to read the words aloud. Eventually you’ll have an independent reader for this book, and that’s just the beginning.


Many parents and educators have made the amazing discovery that, using this reading method, their learners with Down syndrome grasp and retain all the vocabulary words in as little as a few weeks’ time. When this happens, motivation and excitement are so high that your learner gets on the reading fast track and, with continued reading support, just keeps going.

Natalie Hale Special Reads.com
Special Reads for Special Needs