Media Monday 043012 'DSE to Launch New Reading and Language Intervention'

DSE to launch new reading and language intervention (original location) - copied below:

DSE will launch a new reading and language intervention for children with Down syndrome in June. This structured programme is designed to teach literacy skills to children with Down syndrome. It has been shown to improve language and reading outcomes in a landmark randomised controlled intervention trial.
The Reading and Language Intervention for Children with Down Syndrome combines reading and language instruction in daily teaching sessions that are designed to meet the particular learning needs of children with Down syndrome. It incorporates work on letter knowledge, phonological awareness, whole word and book reading. In addition to these key components of effective reading interventions, the programme integrates the teaching of vocabulary and connected spoken and written language to help children with Down syndrome overcome some of the challenges associated with their particular language difficulties.
The programme was designed by leading researchers in the fields of reading development and Down syndrome and evaluated in a landmark randomised controlled intervention trial. The trial was funded by the UK Big Lottery Fund and conducted by researchers at Down Syndrome Education International and at the Centre for Reading and Language at the University of York. This study compared the progress of primary/elementary children with Down syndrome receiving the intervention with the progress of children receiving routine reading instruction in inclusive primary school settings in two areas in the United Kingdom. After 20 weeks, children receiving the programme had made significantly more progress on key reading and language outcome measures than children in the control group.
The first scientific paper from the study, reporting the primary trial results, will be published in the first half of 2012. We will also be publishing a web site describing the intervention and study results, a handbook for teachers and teaching assistants detailing how to deliver the intervention, and supplementary resources to support implementation of the program.