Essential and Foundation Questions
Can good language skills help bring understanding of the world around them and an awareness of thier disability to children with Down Syndrome?
1. Are children with Down Syndrome aware of their disability?
2.Is there a part of language that is more difficult to learn? (receptive/expressive)
3. How does the Speech Language Pathologist approach therapy with these children.

The point I hope to make: Some children with Down Syndrome are aware of their disability and language is the key to bringing understanding of the world around them.
The genres I hope to use:
Webliography (author)
Poem (child's voice)
Power Point (child)
Journal Entry (parent)
Lesson Plan (SLP)
Tying them all together with a pamphlet about down syndrome(SLP )
Resouces

Resource: Academic Search Elite
Keyword: language abilities and Down Syndrome
Berglund, E., Eriksson, M., & Johansson, I. (2000, February). Parental reports of
Spoken language skills in children with down syndrome. Journal of Speech,
Language & Hearing Research, 44(1), 179-192. Retrieved July 14th, 2002, from
Academic Search Elite database.

Resource: Academic Search Elite
Keyword: language abilities and down syndrome
Miles, S., & Chapman, R. S. (2000, February). Narrative content as described
By individuals with down syndrome and typically developing children. Journal
of Speech , Language & Hearing Research, 45(1), 175-190. Retrieved July 14, 2002,
from Academic Search Elite database.

Resource: Academic Search Elite
Keyword: language abilities and down syndrome
Laws, G., Byrne, A., & Buckley, S. (2000, December). Language and memory
Development in children with down syndrome at mainstream schools and special
schools: A comparison. Educational Psychology, 20(4), 447-458. Retrieved July 14th,
2002, from Academic Search Elite database.

Resource: ERIC
Keyword: language and down syndrome
Chapman, R. S., Seung, H., Schwartz, S. E., & Bird, E. K. (2000, April). Predicting
Language production in children and adolescents with down syndrome: The role of
Comprehension. Jounal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research, 43, 340-350.
Retrieved July 14th, 2002, from ERIC database.

Resource: ERIC
Keyword: language and down syndrome
Kumin, L., Councill, C., & Goodman, M. (1999, March). Expressive vocabulary in
Young children with down syndrome: From research to treatment. The
Transdisciplinary Journal, 9(1), 87-100. Retrieved July 14th, 2002, from ERIC database.

My revised Essential Question: Can good language skills help bring understanding of the world around them and an awareness of their disabilty to children with Down Syndrome?

1. Are children with Down Syndrome aware of their disability?
2. Is there a part of language that is more difficult to learn? (receptive or expressive)
3. How does the Speech Language Pathologist approach therapy with thes children?

Well, I'm finishing up on week 4. Although I 'm still stuggeling with my essential and foundation question, the resource assignments gave me some extra time to find information. While doing these assginments I uncovered gold mines of information about Down Syndrome. This is a great relief, but I just can't get my question worded right.
I know what I want to address, I just don't know how.
I want to know what it is like to live with DS. This will be the child's view and it will have to be a higher functioning child.
I feel like I need to explain what DS is. I think this could be the parent's view.
And of course, I want to know how SLP's help children with DS communicate; expressively and receptively.
Although I'm going to drop the sign language part out of my question, I'm still leaving my self room to discuss it if I feel the need to.
Back to work on my question.