featuring

DR. LIBBY KUMIN

 Renowned author, speech-language pathologist, 

and Loyola University Maryland professor

  

 

 

Since 1968, Dr. Kumin has taught and researched extensively on the communication, speech, and language skills of infants, toddlers, children, adolescents, and adults with Down syndrome. At our Annual Conference on March 23, she will present two workshops for parents and educators (see below for details).

 

Her newly revised  "Early Communication Skills in Children with Down Syndrome" is the latest edition of her classic guide used by thousands of families since 1994.   Parents and teachers learn how to work through characteristic challenges, including hearing loss, intelligibility issues, apraxia (difficulty planning oral-motor movements), or a slower pace of development. Families soon see that many children with Down syndrome are natural and willing communicators.
 
The 2006 DVD "What Did You Say?" examines how to help children develop intelligible speech. 2008's "Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better" focuses on communication skills in children from ages 6-14. Her current Down syndrome research focuses on speech intelligibility, computer usage, and communication skills related to employment and activities of daily living.  

 

At our Annual Conference, she will cover the following topics: 

  • Communication Skills in the 21st Century: Speech, Language and Technology - What is the role of technology in maximizing speech and language skills in the classroom? School age children with Down syndrome have visual strengths and auditory challenges that impact on learning. Partnerships between SLPs, special educators and classroom teachers can apply technological advances to increase successful 
    learning.
  • Developing Communication and Language Skills (preschool through elementary school age) - How to develop communication and language skills from preschool through the elementary school years. Dr. Kumin will present a model for describing and teaching language skills needed for classroom success through partnerships between families and teachers in school and opportunities in daily living will be addressed.    

Saturday, March 23, 2013  

DCU Center

Worcester, MA 

8:00am - 4:00pm
Early Bird Rates Expire March 11

 STAY TUNED TO OUR REAL LIVES WEBPAGE AND OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST UPDATES   
What does 

"REAL LIFE" WITH DOWN SYNDROME

look like? 

 

It looks like MDSC member Hope Forster and her friend Maeve. In a chance meeting on York Beach in Maine last summer, the two became fast friends. The girls set up a bean bag toss and here's the reaction when they scored.

  

Send us your photos of you or your loved one with Down syndrome living their "Real Life." We will showcase the photos at our Real Lives conference and online.

 

You could call it an "action shot," but it doesn't need to be athletic 

It's whatever living a "Real Life" means to you 

Dancing? Drawing? Voting? Singing? Climbing? Working? 

You name it!

 

Send your photos to RealLives@mdsc.org or message us on Facebook. Include a sentence or two about the "Real Life" depicted in the image. Images must be minimum 100KB.

 

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 11th


VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

 

  

   


Can you help for just a few hours? 

If you are available to assist with a great cause, come volunteer at our Real Lives Conference on March 23 at the DCU Center in Worcester

 

Volunteers are needed at the conference for:

  • Set-up and stuff conference bags (Friday evening, March 22) 
  • Registration (Saturday, 7:15am - 9:00am)
  • Assist in the Young Adult Workshops (Saturday, 8:45am - 4:00pm)
  • Book Sales (Saturday 7:30am - 3:00pm)
  • Floater - Assist where help is needed

Complete and return our volunteer application