Thursday, February 14, 2008
J. A. Rondal "Down Syndrome"
The J. A. Rondal article takes an in depth look at the general features of Down’s syndrome. Through a myriad of topics concerning nonlinguistic deficiencies, language acquisition, and the cognitive basis for language acquisition for those affected by Down’s Syndrome; Rondal explicates the matter fully. Given the disease’s multitude of effects that act as a detriment to the development of language, Rondal feels that those afflicted by it prove the “robustness of language” in our species. Those with Down’s syndrome have to hurdle mechanical, sensory and cognitive factors to produce intelligible speech, yet they persevere still in the face of these detriments. Language acquisition is a slow and arduous endeavor for those with Down’s syndrome, both with phonological and grammatical constructs. Pragmatics, or the social aspect of conversing with another, are also seriously inhibited by the traits of the disease, and make intelligibility even more crucial to the learner. Rondal insists throughout his extensive research that our understanding of the problems that Down’s syndrome learners only raises his esteem for those who can achieve intelligibility in the face of such a myriad of detrimental physical, and developmental difficulties.
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The video we watched in class on Wednesday really helped me to better understand this article. I used to be one of those people who believed that people with Down Syndrome would probably never learn how to communicate "efficiently." However, after reading both the article and the movie, I realized that that notion is not entirely true. When I watched the group of girls in the video planning their party, I was absolutely amazed. I could understand everything they said. People with Down Syndrome can learn to communicate...it just takes them much, much longer than the average person and must endure more hardship. What an accomplishment it must be fore a person with DS to be able to communicate with others! I truly admire those who have and praise them for overcoming such hurdles in life!
The article in conjunction with the video really taught me a lot about Down’s Syndrome. People with Down’s Syndrome have so many obstacles to overcome. It is amazing to me that they can learn to speak intelligibly at all. But they can. Their speech may not be perfect but it can definitely be intelligible. I could understand the girls on the video planning the party. There were still a few things that I had to think about to understand and some of the girls were more intelligible than others. But I understood them all. I have a great respect for anyone who overcomes that kind of obstacle.
Bryan Norbut
The video on Down Syndrome highlighted the fact that DS children do have the ability to learn. If anything, they just learn differently. Their obstacles are not just based on IQ. Muscular problems and communication issues make learning difficult for them, but knowing more about the problems they face can help one know how to better teach them. It also illustrated that there are different degrees of Down Syndrome. Some children with Down Syndrome can carry on a conversation that makes it difficult to even realize that they have DS. Others are completely debilitated. The main thing I got from the movie is that only through understanding the complexity of the disease can anyone hope to teach the students.
I really enjoyed reading the article and also watching the movie in class. Both resources really helped me gain a better understanding of what it is like for a child with Down Syndrome. Some things I was already aware of but learned many new things that I did not know. I think that the way the children are taught with DS is amazing. They seem to have so much drive and a want for learning. Overall, I found the movie and article to be great learning tools and am happy I got the opportunity to learn more on children with DS.
I think that putting this article and the video together was a very good idea because a lot of the information was found in both places. I agree with the author that it is amazing that the children are still able to overcome the obstacles in their lives and have the ability to communicate their ideas. I think that it is important that we understand the difficulties they have in their lives in order to give them the respect they deserve.
I think that it is amazing how much a child with D/S can accomplish. Especially considering the many things that cause problems with their language intelligibility. I am sure it is overwhelming at times when they want to tell something and they can't get their meaning across. I also have a lot of respect for the people who spend so much time working with these children. The movie made me realize so much about this handicap that I did not know before.
This time we have spent learning about Down’s syndrome has provided much insight for me on this topic. I know a few people with Down’s syndrome, and this has definitely given me more respect for them. There are many obstacles that one with this syndrome must overcome, and it is truly amazing that these children are so determined. After learning through this article and movie has brought a lot of insight and I've really enjoyed it.
There is minimal difference between the average student and a student with Down syndrome. Although the differences are clear physically and appear in the mental development of the child, the evolution of the child's educational development is nonetheless very similiar. It has dawned upon me that the learning process for any skill is a repitition of practice. As a student without down syndrome I have been in school my enitre life and and I am still here. Thus, we realize that people who have certain diseases are not handicap and can function in society with proper education. Bringing the marginalized into contextual normailty of scoiety has evolved our world.
Overall, this article was very informative and taught me a lot about Down Syndrome that I didn't know about before. Between the article and the movie I discovered the reasoning behind why children with DS have such a hard time talking. It isn't only that they hear and learn things differently, but also because their jaw grows differently and they need to strenghten their tongue and jaw muscles to be able to talk correctly. I think it was interesting how when the girls were planning the party they could understand each other so well and they were coming up with some very interesting ideas. It goes to show that just because a person may have DS doesn't mean that they are completely mentally handicapped. They are capable of learning just like the rest of us. I learned that it is more than learning the language, it is also working the muscles and using your nose/throat correctly. I have learned not to take my ability to speak for granted. I truly admire how those children were able to overcome the obstacle of having DS and learn to speak and be understood. It is amazing how much effort they put into being able to communicate with others.
This article along with the video really helped in my understanding of people with DS. I learned that the reason why DS people have most of their problems is because their muscles, nerves, and jaw structures prevent them from fully using their bodies. Although they have this problem, many go through therapy and excel in the world. In the video I liked how the group of women were talking and one of the ladies spoke of how she talks to groups of people about how to accept people with DS. She was able to get up and confront her DS and that was awesome!
After reading this article and watching the video about Down Syndrome I really feel as though I have a much better grasp on the subject. One of the most important things I learned is that there are ways to help people with Down Syndrome as far as communication is concerned. Before, I just kind of believed that people with DS were not capable of doing certain things; however, with practice and time these children can progress their communication skills greatly.
After reading this article as well as watching the movie I was able to put my experinces with Down Syndrome into perspective. I knew a little about Down Syndrome, but now I have gained a better understanding of people with Down Syndrome. By learning about this syndrome has made me realize that these children are one of the most strongest people in society. I am proud of all the accomplishments they have done in life because it was not easy for them to get where they are today!
The article paired with the film we watched in class, helped give me a new perspective on persons with DS. It was very interesting and very helpful to learn about the various problems they face. I got to see how complex the speech process really is and how the various problems people with DS have to deal with can be overcome with proper training and education.
The first part of the movie that we watched in class was very encouraging to people who are diagnosed with Down Syndrome. The girls talking and planning their party surprised me and showed that with a lot of work, a person with Down Syndrome can overcome the obstacles and talk clearly. I thought it was very interesting how childern with Down Syndrome learn the same amount of vocabulary as childern with a normal learning capacity. Childern with Down Syndrome just have problems putting the words together to make complete sentences. Often they only put in key words. This article helped me gain a better understanding of childern with Down Syndrome and will help me be more patient with their language difficulties.
The video from class really helped me learn more about people with down syndrome and their interaction with other people, especially other people with down syndrome
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