Mother-child interaction : scaffolded instruction and the learning of problem-solving skills in children with Down syndrome

This study examines the effects of maternal teaching style on the developing problem-solving abilities of children with Down Syndrome. Mothers were divided into two groups of three each, mothers with positive expectations versus mothers with negative expectations. Mothers and children were videotaped while the mother taught the child to construct a small pyramid from 21 interlocking blocks and again when the child attempted the task independently. The tapes were coded and analyzed to examine maternal instructional style and subsequent independent child performance. Mothers who were considered to have positive expectations towards their children used appropriate scaffolding behaviors significantly more often than the mothers who were considered to have negative expectations towards their children. The children of mothers who were effective scaffolders were significantly more adept and independent problem-solvers than the children whose mothers were not effective scaffolders. The more contingent the mother's instructions were, the more independent and successful the child appeared. Scaffolding is discussed in terms of its benefits for instructing children with Down Syndrome