Abstract
Though children with Down syndrome can learn to read, they may have difficulty developing
some component skills, including phonological awareness and word decoding. Given reading's
foundation in language, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) should play a central
role in supporting access to and providing reading instruction for children with Down
syndrome. This article reviews the available research on reading in Down syndrome
and offers guidance for SLPs working with this population. We start by reviewing the
Down syndrome phenotype, highlighting physical features and cognitive and linguistic
patterns of strength and weakness that impact reading development. Next, we define
different reading subskills and outline typical reading development, including stages
of prereading, learning to read, and transitioning to using reading as a tool for
learning. We then use these stages to review what is known about reading in Down syndrome,
including relevant intervention work. We also incorporate considerations for clinical
practice. In particular, we encourage SLPs to advocate for supporting reading development
in children with Down syndrome, to work with families to develop rich home literacy
environments, and to work with educators to promote phonological awareness and decoding
skills. Lastly, we note limitations in our current knowledge and include a call for
more research.
Keywords
Down syndrome - reading - literacy - phonological awareness - phonological decoding
