October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and I’m dedicating this post to my niece, Ella. She’s a social butterfly with diverse interests. Ella’s mom, Jennifer, is an English professor at Bunker Hill Community College by day and a supermom by night. Jenn’s supportive network, including family, neighbors, and educators, has been invaluable in caring for Ella and her sister, Abby. Recently, Jenn shared a presentation aimed at fostering empathy for children with processing challenges and low tone. The activities discussed in this post can be adapted for various populations. Thanks to Jenn for sharing her experiences!
Socialization
After six years of worrying, I found myself in a unique situation. My concern was that my child would have difficulty making friends because she has a disability. She does not have the same language skills as the typical six or seven-year-old.
We moved to a town where kids took an interest in my child, becoming friends who sometimes overwhelmed Ella with attention. So I took it upon myself to help my child’s peers understand her. I arranged activities in her classroom, letting students experience her perspective firsthand, thanks to her teacher’s support.
Talking All at Once
First, we divided the class into groups of four. Within each group, someone needed to volunteer to stand in the middle. Three participants received slips with information: birthdate, favorite meal, and favorite toy and shared details with the person in the middle. They all tried talking to the person in the middle at the same time. After about a minute of this exercise, we stopped and asked the children how they felt trying to communicate and listen. Those in the middle commented that it was difficult to listen to everyone, and they felt overwhelmed. It was equally frustrating for those who were trying to share their information to the person in the middle.
I then transitioned to discuss how this exercise could apply to my girl. We talked as a group about how sometimes she would respond with an automatic “no.” Sometimes she would push people away. I asked the group what did they think they could do to help lessen these behaviors. And the children had some insightful answers. “Approach her one at a time.” “If she does say ‘no,’ then just say ‘OK,’ but wait for about five minutes and then go back to see if she wants to play then.”
The Marshmallow Test
The other exercise I did with them was a practice used by the Down Syndrome Society of Rhode Island. After making sure no one had food allergies, I handed out large marshmallows to the children. I cut the marshmallow in half because they were so large. Children stored marshmallows in their cheeks, realizing speech was difficult. They discussed understanding peers with low tone, suggesting repetition and slowing speech.
Concluding Thoughts
Overall, I was so happy with the way these exercises went and the children’s responses to them. I knew these exercises were effective when a parent approached me at the end of the year and said that her son had come home the day we did them and with enthusiasm, told her that he now knew how to talk to his friend at school. The fact that he offered this information freely, gave me the sense that he was listening that day. If these exercises helped him to communicate better with my daughter, then it was not only a fun venture, but also an effective one.
