Events & Conferences
Educators = all persons who interact with children with Down syndrome or other developmental delays.
Purpose of Workshop
The Teaching Tools For Students with Intellectual Disabilities workshop will provide an overview of the specific learning needs characteristic of children with Down syndrome and other developmental delays and to define their academic impact. The workshop seeks to provide all educators with the skills to recognize and implement curricular programs that incorporate essential design elements targeting known learning needs.With the goal of providing all attendees practical information and the tools to help children experiencing developmental delays become successful in inclusive settings in the school and community, this will be one extraordinary day!
Who Should Attend?
The Teaching Tools For Students with Intellectual Disabilities workshop is appropriate for special and regular classroom teachers, parents, family members, paraprofessionals, and medical professionals, as well as any school service provider who interacts with children who have Down syndrome and other developmental delays. For an additional $20, 1 CEU Credit can be obtained for attending this workshop. CEU Certification is through Grace College, Winona Lake, Indiana, an Authorized Provider for granting CEU credits that meet the standards and criteria of the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
About The Speaker
Susan J. Peoples, loving wife of Stephen J. Peoples, is the proud mother of four children. Her youngest son, Michael, was born with Down syndrome in 1991. Susan’s three other children, Katie, Betsy, and Thomas are currently completing high school or attending college.
One day while driving, Betsy, then twelve years old, inquired, “Mom, if you could take away Michael’s Down syndrome, would you do it?” Without hesitation, Susan replied, “No! Down syndrome is what makes Michael the neat little boy he is. I would take away the hardships, but never the Down syndrome.” Subsequently, Susan has dedicated her career as an educator to reducing the academic hardships encountered by children with Down syndrome and their educators.
As an educator for 30 years (B.S. in elementary education and graduate studies), research clinician, author, and parent of a child with Down syndrome, Ms. Peoples has spent the past thirteen years exploring, evaluating, and designing curricular materials and methods to improve the educational experience of children with Down syndrome and other developmental delays. Recognizing that one individual could not generate the essential curriculum support needed for numerous subject areas, she has recently founded The Foundation for Special Offspring. Currently, the foundation is preparing to submit a multimillion dollar grant application to fund a highly experienced and creative team of educators to generate curricular tools for K-12 in reading, spelling, math, science, social studies, health and human development (issues of sexuality and appropriate behavior), handwriting, industrial technology, home economics, etc. All curricular materials will be clinically evaluated, revised, and proven effective prior to publication.
Ms. Peoples has been a featured speaker at numerous schools and conferences including: the first Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Outreach Conference 2007, the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) 2007 Annual Conference, the 2007 Down Syndrome Association of Central Minnesota Conference, the 2006 UPS for Down Syndrome Chicago Conference, the 2006 Manitoba Down Syndrome Society ( Winnipeg, Canada) Conference, the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan 2006 Educators’ Conference, the Phoenix 2005 Down Syndrome Network Conference, the Kansas City Down Syndrome Guild 2005 Conference, the 2004 Annual Greater St. Louis Down Syndrome Association Conference, and the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) 2003 Annual Conference.
She is the author of Stars of Success: Understanding How Children with Down Syndrome and Other Developmental Delays Learn. Approved by the National Down Syndrome Society, the text provides proven and effective instructional techniques for parents and professionals. She has also created several reading series, spelling, phonetic and handwriting programs designed to improve the inclusion of children with Down syndrome and other developmental delays in the educational setting.
Workshop Schedule
Upcoming Events
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