Practical Session
Interactive exercises: Creating a basic coding project
To consolidate learning and provide concrete hands-on experience, we propose an interactive exercise that educators can use with their adult students with Down syndrome. This project uses the Scratch program to create a simple interactive game, applying basic programming concepts in a creative and engaging context.
Project Goal:
To create an easy Jumping Game where the character (a chicken) has to avoid obstacles (eggs) in order to get as high a score as possible.
Project steps:
Initial setup: Open Scratch (online or desktop version) and familiarize students with the interface. This is a crucial time for orientation, allowing students to explore the environment in a guided way.
1. Choose a sprite[1] for the main character: such as uploading an image representing a chicken or selecting the “Chick” character from Scratch library.
2. Add a sprite for the egg. This can be done by selecting the existing “Egg” sprite from the Scratch library or by designing a custom one. Customization can increase the student’s sense of ownership of the project.
3. Choose the Stage[2] (background): have the student choose the background he/she likes through the Scratch library or by searching on the internet for a background he/she likes and then upload it to Scratch.
Programming the jump of the Chick:
- Bring Chick to the starting position.

2. Make Chick jump when the space bar is pressed, increasing the y-value. Once the set y-value (jump) is reached, wait 0.1 seconds and then return Chick to the starting y-value.

Programming the movement of Egg:
1. Decrease the size of Egg to 80%. To do this, enter the value ‘80’ in the box next to Size, located in the white section above the Sprite list on the right.
2. Bring Egg to the starting position and then slide it to the other side of the screen for 3 seconds, in a loop.

Stop the game:
1. We stop the game when Chick touches Egg, using the following blocks in the Sprite Egg workspace.

Programming the score:
1. In the section on ‘Variable’ blocks, create one by clicking on ‘Make a Variable’ and calling it ‘Score’.
2. Let’s add the ‘Change Score’ block under the blocks relating to Chick’s jump, to add the score of 1 each time he makes a successful jump.

3. We reset the score to 0 each time we start the game again.

Congratulations! You have just successfully completed the Jumping Game.
This is a basic version of the game, to introduce the student to a first project with Scratch in a simple and basic way. This game can be improved by adding more obstacles, animating the Sprites or making them produce sounds.
To try building a slightly more complete version of this game, we recommend following this simple step-by-step tutorial created by the Scratch team.
This Jumping Game can help us understand, in a practical way, almost all the pedagogical concepts and methodologies described earlier in this module. Indeed, the project demonstrates how the hands-on approach can transform abstract concepts into tangible and meaningful experiences for adults with Down syndrome.
Analysing the project through the lens of the principles discussed in the module, several key elements emerge. Firstly, the choice of a game as the final project is not accidental: it perfectly reflects the principle of gamification discussed above, where learning is embedded in a playful and engaging context. The game’s protagonist – a jumping chick – immediately creates an emotional connection, making the project more accessible and memorable.
The step-by-step structure of the project perfectly embodies the concept of ‘micro-goals’ introduced in the evaluation section. Each step, from the choice of the sprite to the programming of the movement, represents a clear and attainable goal allowing the students to experience frequent small successes, which are crucial for maintaining high motivation.
Particularly significant is how the design naturally integrates multi-modal feedback: the visible movement of the character provides immediate visual feedback, potential sound effects offer auditory feedback, and the game mechanics themselves (the score increasing) create a quantifiable and comprehensible feedback system. This alignment with the principle of multimodal feedback, discussed above, reinforces the effectiveness of learning.
It also lends itself perfectly to the implementation of ‘digital narrative feedback’. Educators can easily place the game creation process within a broader narrative: each development phase becomes a ‘chapter’ in the story, each new element added a ‘power’ gained by our hero-programmer.
The scalability of the project is another crucial element: it can be simplified or made more complex according to the individual needs of the learner, perfectly in line with the principle of personalisation of learning discussed in the previous chapters. The possibility of adding elements such as sounds, animations or more complex game mechanics allows the project to be adapted to each student’s level while keeping the challenge appropriate and stimulating.
Moreover, the project naturally lends itself to collaborative learning: it can be developed in pairs or small groups, where each student contributes his or her own ideas and skills.
This practical session also demonstrates how coding can be a vehicle for developing broader skills. Logical thinking in sequencing actions, creativity in customising the game, perseverance in debugging and problem-solving are exactly those soft skills that, as discussed in the first chapter, are increasingly in demand in today’s labour market. Overall, this practical session represents a microcosm of the entire pedagogical approach presented in the module: inclusive, progressive, multimodal and deeply rooted in concrete practice. It demonstrates how programming can be made accessible and meaningful for adults with Down syndrome, opening up new possibilities for learning, personal growth and, potentially, professional opportunities.
[1] To create and choose the image of a sprite, i.e. a character/component of the project, click on the purple icon in the bottom right-hand corner depicting the face of a cat. From there you can choose to upload an image, choose an image that already exists in the scratch databases or design one from scratch.
[2] To choose the Stage, click on the icon at the bottom right of the ‘Stage’ column. From here the student can choose the wallpaper they prefer or upload one previously saved on their device.