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Homeschooling is a process where a child studies at home, instead of a traditional school environment.
Homeschooling for children with special needs is not just an alternative to traditional schooling. Home education provides a supportive environment with tailored experiences to fit every child with special needs. Elective home education does not only mean education but also creating learning conditions to help children thrive.
Assessment and Planning
There are several steps to assessing and planning homeschooling for your kids.
Homeschooling as a process includes the following below.
- Figuring out what makes your kid tick
- Using criterion-referenced tests or curriculum-based assessments
- Setting up goals
- Creating reachable milestones.
It requires a Sherlock Holmes-like assessment to spell success in big, bold letters!
Curriculum and Teaching Strategies
The correct curriculum will make a difference for your child. ADHD, dyslexia, and autism require the right syllabus to make a difference and stimulate children’s’ senses in the best manner. Each child needs a special approach to make clear, concise and neat study plans to learn new skills.
“An effective special education curriculum allows for customization to meet each student’s unique requirements. This individualized approach ensures that:
- Students receive appropriate support and challenges
- Learning is tailored to their specific needs and learning styles
- Academic goals are aligned with their Individual Education Programs (IEPs)”
– New York State Education Department
Special additions to kids’ studies can include visual aid and tactile activities. For example, visual aids will assist with communication while tactile activities will help with sensory modulations or processing.
Here are several examples of visual aid for your children.
- Graphs
- Maps
- Pie charms
- Videos.
Here are several examples of tactile activities for your children.
- Art projects
- Playdough activities
- Animal walks
- Finger paintings
- Performing on music toys.
Technology and Tools
Children with special needs need engagement with accessibility. Children enjoy lessons that grab and hold attention. The tech toolbox for best homeschooling provides interactive programs like Time4Learning. Time4Learning itself is not an online school nor does it provide tutors for your child, it is a curriculum that any family can use for their child’s education.
See for yourself how Legacy Online School approaches the curriculum by clicking here.
Socialization and Extracurricular Activities
“Research has shown that promoting social and school inclusion for children with disabilities is associated with improved health-related quality of life. Inclusive socialization provides opportunities for:
- Interacting with peers of diverse abilities
- Developing a sense of belonging in the community
- Learning to navigate various social situations.”
– International Journal Of Environmental Research and Public Health
Children with special needs can have troubles with their social environment. Studying social skills is something that parents must include in their home school curriculum. Social skills are not bonuses but essential parts of education planning. The planning can include playdates, clubs, or community events. Playdates can happen between neighbors or club activities. Any parents must choose a club their child will be excited to join. Every social interaction in those clubs will help a young child with personal growth.
Professional and Community Support
Support from professional and community spheres offer both resources and moral support to navigate parents’ and their child’s journey. Parents will need an expert’s help in different stages of their journey, which include therapists or special education tutors. Other support spheres include online forums or local support groups nearby.
Legal Considerations and Resources
Your child has rights within the homeschooling framework. The legal landscape is a key you must arm yourself with to advocate for your kid effectively. You must stay informed about the laws in your state, community, or country to understand the correct path to take with your child.
Case Studies and Success Stories
Success stories about kids with special needs receiving at home education appear on social media sites like Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, where families publicly discuss benefits of homeschooling. Several impactful success stories appear on Reddit’s thread “Neurodivergent homeschooling success stories”, where parents share their own success stories or stories in the making.
Here are several success stories.
We – at Legacy Online School (LOS) – also want to show you stories from our school. Listen to the stories from students about LOS on our YouTube Channel.
Check out more success stories on our website for Legacy Online School right here!
Challenges and Solutions
A journey with a child who has special needs is not a smooth sailing even with online homeschooling. The challenges include behavior hurdles, pace adjustments, and curriculum changes.
Do not think of those as “troubles”, instead see them as “challenges”.
Any challenge can be solved with the correct strategy.
| DO NOT GIVE UP ON: | INSTEAD DO THIS: |
| Behavior adjustment | Establish a routine |
| Pace adjustments | Create a bullet plan |
| Curriculum tweaks | Organize a creative curriculum with clubs |
Conclusion and Further Resources
Homeschool with a special needs child requires a movie director level of assessment and planning. The process of online education at home can become daunting but it will always be deeply rewarding. There are 3 additional ways on how parents can proceed to dive deeper into their child’s education.
The three ways include tapping into specialized educational websites, forums, and support groups.
What about you? Do you have a journey to share with other parents?
Leave your own stories below to help young parents on their personal journey with their kid!
Check out Legacy Online School programs:
- Legacy Online School’s elementary school program sets the bar high. This is a quality education. We strive to ignite curiosity. We also strive to foster creativity. We offer a strong curriculum. We are assisted in this by qualified educators.
- Legacy Online Middle School provides digital education. It is designed for middle school students. The school prides itself on offering live online classes taught by certified teachers. The classes are online and interactive.
- Legacy Online High School is a unique method of online learning carefully designed for high school students. It combines synchronous learning, a wide range of pedagogical methods, and an emphasis on accessibility.
Legacy Online School offers the best curriculum for you and your child to get the best online educational experience.
Our rigorous curriculum ensures that graduates are well prepared for universities and workplaces around the world. In addition, our vibrant virtual clubs connect students all around the world.
