Every human being should enjoy the pleasure of reading a good book. Whether you have a child at the earliest stages of pre-reading and matching flash cards, or a teenager or adult, people with Down syndrome can read and enjoy books. 

 

Below is a link to Natalie Hale's website "Special Reads for Special Needs." That website has many  resources for helping readers with Down syndrome at any age.

 

To the left is a picture of Mark Radel , at age 4, learning to read using Natalie Hale's program. It really prepared him for kindergarten and beyond.  Natalie's no-stress approach to reading helps our children gain confidence and a love for reading.  

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The 21 Club offers a literacy program for our members.   A certified teacher will meet with you at your home or other convenient location and time to work on your child's literacy, comprehension, and pre-reading skills.

 

The focus of this program is to provide literacy support and reading instruction to individuals with Down syndrome.  Participants and tutors will be matched based on mutual availability, and will meet once a week for an hour of one-on-one instruction for six weeks.  Tutors will be responsible for creating lesson plans and assessing participants.  The Utica Public Library has resources for tutors to utilize, including an array of leveled readers and the ability to duplicate or laminate materials and make personalized books for participants.  Participants can meet with their tutor at a location and time that works best for their schedule.  

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Any questions? Contact our literacy program coordinator, Heidi McManus by e-mailing her HERE or calling her at 315-735-2279 ext. 220.