Phonological Awareness Activities

Rhyming is a great phonological awareness skill to work on with our little ones, but just remember it's not a prerequisite for reading. Some students with Down syndrome may struggle with rhyming, but they can still learn to read.  The extended activities below are broken down into smaller steps to help learners better understand the process. Be sure to model the steps with: I do. We do. You Do.

The book, Down by the Bay by Raffi  is a fun book and  instructive in early language skills such as rhyme, rhythm, and repetition. You can either read the book or sing it to your child using this delightful song below.. 

Extended Activities

Down by the bay
Where the watermelons grow.
Back to my home
I dare not go.
For if I do
My mother will say,
"Did you ever you ever see a fly
wearing a ______?”

Down by the bay

Coming up with words that rhyme can be challenging.. And since our learners with Down syndrome are so visual, we can assist them by providing pictures that rhyme.. When doing this activity, teach to success by laying only one picture down that rhymes. For example, when you sing the verse and get to the place where you say

 "Did you ever see a fly  
(lay down the picture of a fly)
wearing a _____,?"
pause and let your child find the picture that rhymes with fly. (tie) 

Moded first with I do, we do, you do. Then, you can add more pictures to the activity as your child begins to hear the rhyme.  This is a great activity for non-verbal students.

Develop Oral Language and Vocabulary

Print on cardstock and cut out the pictures. (Right-click the image to download)  Talk about the pictures and make sure your learner understands each one. For example, the goose could look like a duck.