Effectiveness of Responsive Teaching

For many years early intervention programmes aimed at accelerating children’s development have been offered to families in many countries in the developed world. There is not clear evidence on the most effective ways to provide this help in terms of the style of intervention offered. There are some concerns in the literature that the structured, directive, skills teaching approaches commonly used may not be the most effective.

Research

A Responsive Teaching approach has been developed in the USA and shown to be effective with children with autism and other disabilities. The approach draws on research into the interactive and social nature of all aspects of development and promises to be an effective approach for working with families and children with Down syndrome. It focuses on strengthening pivotal behaviours that underpin learning, including attention, persistence, initiation and cooperation.

An evaluation study is needed to establish whether this approach is effective for children with Down syndrome. The study will compare Responsive Teaching to the more traditional skills teaching approaches offered by many early intervention programmes.

Investigators

• Gillian Bird, Julie Hughes

Partners and advisors

• Gerald Mahoney, Sue Buckley

Location

• The Sarah Duffen Centre, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.

Education

Study results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific publications. Practice implications will be published in periodicals for families and professionals, including Down Syndrome Research and Practice and incorporated into freely available Down Syndrome Topics advice and information summaries and Down Syndrome Issues and Information books. Open Access articles and summaries will be provided for reproduction in the newsletters and journals of associations, support groups and professional societies. The study results will also be shared through the Trust's training courses and its contributions to conferences in the UK and worldwide.

Impact

• An evaluation of the Responsive Teaching approach to support early intervention
• Improved understanding of children with Down syndrome and social/communication difficulties
• Improved understanding of parent/child interaction and parent communication skills
• An understanding of the way to improve outcomes for parents and children from this approach

Status

We are seeking funds for this project.

If you would like to support this work, please visit our giving site for details of how you can help or contact giving@downsed.org.

Related projects

• Research
  • Longitudinal study of influences on early development
  • Attachment and behaviour

  • Problem solving in young children

  • The development and impact of reading skills

  • Parental concerns and experiences of support in the pre-school years

• Education

  • Down Syndrome Topics

  • Down Syndrome Research and Practice

  • Down Syndrome Issues and Information

  • Down Syndrome Online