Ryabchenko N.M., Draievska S.A. - The features of psychological and pedagogical support of high school children with Down syndrome

Contact: Nataliya Ryabchenko, a teacher of higher qualifying category, a head teacher, a teacher-defectologist of communal institution "Zaporizhzhya special educational boarding school "Dzherelo", Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Academic interests: the education of children with Down syndrome, in particular the formation of reading skills, the basics of financial literacy and social competence of students, the Cossack pedagogy.

Svitlana Draievska, a psychologist of higher qualifying category, a practical psychologist of the communal institution "Zaporizhzhya special educational boarding school "Dzherelo", Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Academic interests: the psychological support for children with Down syndrome and those with hearing impairments; socialization of children with Down syndrome; art therapy for children with special educational needs.

The article covers issuesof the implementationfeatures of psychological and pedagogical support of children with Down syndrome in the conditions of a special educational institution. The authors substantiate the importance of the team approach concerning the comprehensive child development that enables children and their families to receive high-qualified professional and psychological support. The article highlights the priority measures of psychological and pedagogical support that allow specialists to form and to
increase the level of pupils’ development by the following parameters: the formation of social and everyday skills, social behavior and communication skills, as well as the development of the cognitive and emotional and personal spheres. This comprehensive approach allows the child's personality to be fully developed, to reveal his or her personal abilities and resources, and timely to identify ways and methods of overcoming or preventing negative phenomena that will retard the socialization of children.
The basic principles of effective implementation of psychological and pedagogical support of children with intellectual disabilities have been defined as the formation of a harmonious person who has a desire to behave constructively and to be as independent as possible in adulthood. The authors pay attention to the issue (that is now sharply posed in the modern educational space of Ukraine) of the social integration, the involvement of children in active social life. Changes, that are taking place in society and public policy, target the work of specialists in the continuity of psychological and pedagogical support and the maximum and timely preparation of high school students with mental and physical disabilities foran independent life with priority of their interests and needs.

Key words: Down syndrome, developmental disorders in children, intellectual disorders, psychological and pedagogical support, socialization.