Twilight Talk: Supporting children and young people with Down syndrome in mainstream schools
- Online
- 13 Oct 2026 (16:00 - 17:00)
This twilight talk explores how mainstream schools can effectively support children and young people with Down syndrome to achieve positive educational, social, and emotional outcomes. Key themes include understanding the learning profile associated with Down syndrome, adapting teaching strategies to improve access to the curriculum and supporting communication and interaction with peers. The talk emphasises practical approaches such as using visual supports, providing structured learning opportunities, promoting communication and language development, and making reasonable adjustments within the classroom.
The presentation also focuses on the role of collaboration between teachers, teaching assistants, families, and specialist professionals to ensure consistent and effective support. Social inclusion, fostering friendships, and encouraging independence are highlighted as essential elements of a successful educational experience.
Online
Suitable for: A parent/carer, Administration Staff, Assistant Head Teacher, Consultant, Deputy Head Teacher, Early Years Practitioner, Inclusion Manager/Leader, Newly Qualified Teacher, SENCO, Student, Support staff, Teacher, Young person, Other
Meet your trainer
Dr. Becky Baxter
Dr Becky Baxter is Director of Education and Speech and Language Therapy at Down Syndrome UK. With almost 20 years of experience working with schools and families, Becky has successfully supported hundreds of children with Down syndrome of all ages across a range of education settings. Becky is committed to promoting evidence-informed practice and works with researchers to develop research priorities and projects to improve the speech, language, communication and education of individuals with Down syndrome.
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