WHAT:
The Down Syndrome Research Foundation’s Centre for Specialized Learning offers unique reading and communication programs for children and young adults who have developmental disabilities.Reading and Communication Plus is offered in our Surrey satellite location and serves 10 young adults. The teachers, parents and all those associated with theprogram have been thrilled to see significant gains in reading accuracy, rate,and comprehension as well as increased language skills in our young adults.While standardized testing is used to determine student success, another equallyimportant measure of our success is qualitative—the growth in confidence wesee in these young adults as they learn to do independent research, use thecomputer to create reports, or make a presentation to their peers for the firsttime. Learning to read, and to communicate more effectively, has opened thedoor to active and independent citizenship for our students.
PERSONAL STORY:
Our young adult participants are making steady progress toward independencein their community thus decreasing reliance on scarce government resources.They are demonstrating capabilities far beyond the expectations of generationspast when the usual trajectory was a group home and a day programs afterleaving school. Our students are demonstrating that relationships, employment,and pursuit of a good life, the same goals that we all have, are achievable goals.
LONG-TERM IMPACT:
A majority of our students have achieved employment in their communities in avariety of jobs including: maintaining the weight room of a community recreationcentre, assisting in the kitchen at a seniors centre, work in the shipping centre ofa spa product manufacturer, work at an organic farm market, cleaning bottles ata wine shop, and work as a daycare assistant.
A further benefit to the community is the relief of parental stress experiencedas young adults become more independent. As one mother said: “….(my son)has improved beyond recognition and now reads, computes, comprehends,and engages in every aspect of his young life. He plans ahead and manageshis life with little assistance from us as parents. The difference between “then”and “now” is huge and fills us with much hope and confidence for his future”.These young people will be an asset to their communities as employees and asactive citizens.
www.specializedlearningcentre.org
