Meet Matt – he’s in his late 20s, has Down Syndrome, and is one of my favorite former students. As a student, Matt had a strong tendency to speak to himself out loud as a way to learn. Whether he was self-disciplining or adding money, he would talk to himself.
Concerned, I did some research and found that many individuals with Down Syndrome speak to themselves as a self-processing tool. While most people learn to process, work through challenges, think and brainstorm internally, some people never learn to do that. Instead, they do these things out loud, like Matt.
After having Matt in class for several years, I found myself having a few conversations out loud. I tend to get “stuck in my head” with ideas, and I found that hearing myself say the words out loud helped me learn, process and hear whether something sounded like a good idea or not. This simple tool helped me process too! Putting my thoughts out there into the world, even if I was saying them to myself, helped my brain to move forward.
Now that Matt is no longer one of my student’s, the classroom is much quieter. I miss hearing him “talk it out” as he processed something we were learning. Every time I find myself “talking it out” I am reminded of him. Perhaps this simple tool is something that you can use too or share with your students. Give it a shot! It’s okay to talk it out.
Concerned, I did some research and found that many individuals with Down Syndrome speak to themselves as a self-processing tool. While most people learn to process, work through challenges, think and brainstorm internally, some people never learn to do that. Instead, they do these things out loud, like Matt.
After having Matt in class for several years, I found myself having a few conversations out loud. I tend to get “stuck in my head” with ideas, and I found that hearing myself say the words out loud helped me learn, process and hear whether something sounded like a good idea or not. This simple tool helped me process too! Putting my thoughts out there into the world, even if I was saying them to myself, helped my brain to move forward.
Now that Matt is no longer one of my student’s, the classroom is much quieter. I miss hearing him “talk it out” as he processed something we were learning. Every time I find myself “talking it out” I am reminded of him. Perhaps this simple tool is something that you can use too or share with your students. Give it a shot! It’s okay to talk it out.
 | Erin Luchterhand |
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