Abstract
The early education of infants with Down syndrome has been strongly influenced by studies highlighting the importance of the environment. These studies encouraged the belief that intelligence is not fixed and that early experience is critical to the course of development. Since the origins of a decline in IQ for Down syndrome had been traced to early infancy, it was hoped that early intervention programs might halt or even reverse this decline. The de-institutionalization movement converged with these studies to emphasize the home as a teaching environment and to view the mother as a teacher. It is suggested that the concept of the environment should expand beyond the family and that professionals should consider their own role in terms of the social ecology of the family. The programs need also to address the specific arousal needs of the infant with Down syndrome and to include motivational aspects in addition to cognitive measures when evaluating the effects of infant education.
Résumé
L’éducation précoce des enfants mongoliens a été très influencée par les études soulignant l’importance de l’environnement. Ces études maintiennent que l’intelligence n’est pas fixée et que l’expérience précoce peut être critique au cours du développement. Dans la mesure où le déclin du QI commence dès la première enfance chez les mongoliens, on a espéré que des programmes d’intervention précoce pourraient arrêter ou inverser ce déclin. La tendance à dé-institutionnaliser a convergé avec de telles études pour souligner le rôle de la famille comme environnement didactique, et considérer la mère comme éducateur. On suggère ici que le concept d’environnement devrait être élargi au-delà du groupe familial et que les professionnels devraient penser leur propre rôle en liaison avec l’écologie sociale de la famille. Les programmes d’intervention doivent également considérer les besoins particuliers du bébé mongolien en ce qui concerne la vigilance, et l’évaluation de tels programmes doit considérer non seulement les effets cognitifs mais également les effets sur les motivations.
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This research was supported by grants from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Research Grants Scheme.
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Gunn, P., Berry, P. Education of infants with down syndrome. Eur J Psychol Educ 4, 235–246 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03172606
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03172606