Discussion and resources on bullying for people with Down syndrome.
At LuMind Research Down Syndrome, the safety of individuals with Down syndrome is the highest priority when it comes to the cognition research we support. Today, we take that role a little further out of the lab to talk about bullying. A 2008 study published in the British Journal of Learning Support shows that 60 percent of students with disabilities report being bullied regularly compared with 25 percent of all students. According to Pacer.org, research has also shown that bullying can negatively impact a child’s access to education and lead to school avoidance, decrease in grades, and inability to concentrate.
So, in light of statistics like these and the recent disheartening news about abuse of individuals with intellectual disabilities, we think it is important to share information on how to keep your loved one safe from bullying. We were happy to find a few good tips online and share three below that may help you prepare them to recognize and respond appropriately to potential bullying situations. You can find the links to the source of this information at the bottom of the article.
1. Remind them of their value by sharing stories of others like them who have overcome bullying to accomplish great things. Like the October 2016 news story about Noelia Garella from Argentina who surpassed rejection and bullying in her youth to become the first teacher with Down syndrome in her home country and heads a class of 2- and 3-year-olds at the Jeromito kindergarten in Cordoba, Argentina. Too often, marginalized groups may not appreciate their own value because they do not hear about people like them who are successful, thus they are quick to believe the negative talk they are subjected to when being bullied. We need to celebrate those in our community who break barriers so others know they can also aspire and persevere.
2. Use role-playing exercises to help them recognize and respond appropriately to bullying behavior. Role playing is widely recommended as a strategy to teach social skills to individuals with learning, intellectual and developmental disabilities. Role playing is also being used to teach students how to recognize bullying and be upstanders when they are witnesses of bullying behavior. So why not combine and adapt this strategy to teach your loved how to recognize and respond to bullying interactions by practicing different scenarios with them.
3. Revisit the conversation about bullying periodically and ask the right questions. Much like checking your fire extinguisher and going over fire safety drills at home, periodically repeating 1 and 2, and asking the right questions about their environment at home can be a great way of preventing your loved one from becoming a victim of bullying. Starting with open-ended questions that address their environment like “How was your bus ride today?” or “Have you ever seen someone be mean to someone else?” may help them open up about their own experience.
Sources
- Argentine woman becomes first nursery teacher with Down syndrome
- Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center Resources for Students with Disabilities
- Using video modeling and role playing activities to teach social skills to middle school students with intellectual disabilities
- Self-Advocacy Curriculum: Teaching Self-Advocacy to Adults with Disabilities
- Free playscripts about bullying from Kidsinco
Source: LuMind IDSC