As a parent of a child with a learning disability, you may worry that your child won’t be able to keep up with the home school curriculum or even thrive in the homeschool environment. However, with the right techniques, tools, and supports your child can have success in their home education journey.
In this article, we’ll cover fifteen questions you should ask yourself to help your child who has a learning disability succeed in the homeschool environment.
What is My Child’s Learning Disability?
The first question you should ask yourself is what is my child’s learning disability precisely, and how does it impact his learning? A learning disability is defined as “a disorder in one or more of the fundamental processes involved in understanding or in using language, symbols, or both” (Bishop, 2014). Some specific types of learning disabilities include Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia.
A diagnosis of a learning disability will be the first step to accessing the right supports for your child and to understand the challenges that need to be addressed. Once you have a diagnosis of your child’s learning disability, you can start to look at what strategies, tools and supports in the home education environment will best meet your child’s needs.
You may wish to look into things such as what types of modifications/accommodations can be made to the home school curriculum, and what kinds of learning techniques will help your child achieve success. Depending on the severity of your child’s learning disability, you may need to find specialized tutors or therapy to address unique needs.
What Types of Curriculum Accommodations Should I Make?
When planning the home school curriculum for your child who has learning disabilities, it is important to tailor it to the individual needs of your student. Depending on the type of learning disability, you may need to look into different types of curriculum accommodations such as simplifying the language and text used in the curriculum material, providing more frequent breaks throughout the day, utilizing more visual aids in learning, or utilizing more hands-on activities.
It is also important to look into options for further tailoring the curriculum to your student. This could include specialized tutors or therapy for more individualized instruction. You may also need to look into different methods of assessment, such as oral testing or providing extended time to complete tests.
You should also consider what types of instructional materials and tools would be most beneficial to your student, such as assistive technology, picture and text books, games, and interactive tools.
What Steps Should I Take to Set Up an Effective Home Learning Environment?
In order for your child to have success in the homeschool environment, it is important to create an effective and supportive learning environment. This includes having a designated area for their studies that is free of distractions, ensuring that you have adequate lighting and ventilation in the space.
You may also need to make sure that your student has the necessary supplies, such as paper, pens, textbooks, and other learning materials. Additionally, you should ensure that your child has enough time for breaks and exercise throughout the day. You should also look into the different types of learning opportunities your student could participate in, such as online instruction, group activities, and field trips.
Other important steps to take include setting up a routine for learning, such as outlining specific goals for the day or week, and developing strategies for how to handle any distractions such as noise from other family members or outside sources. Finally, it is critical to provide support and guidance when your student encounters any difficulty.
What Types of Adaptive Tools or Assistive Technology Should I Consider?
In home education, it is important to look into the different types of adaptive tools or assistive technology that can help your student with their learning. Some of these tools can include audio books for helping your student with reading, laptops for writing and organizing materials, and different types of software for addressing math or study skills.
Other tools you can consider include visual organizers and timers for helping your student stay organized and on-task, as well as voice-to-text tools for writing. Additionally, many of these tools are available for free, or at a low cost, depending on where you live.
What Strategies Should I Implement to Facilitate Independent Learning?
It is important to look into different strategies and techniques to help your child learn independently in the home school environment. Some strategies you can look into include providing clear expectations, utilizing visual aids, providing choice in the classroom, and teaching your student executive functioning skills.
Additionally, finding ways to make learning enjoyable can help motivate your student to work independently, such as creating games, incentives, or utilizing tactile activities.
How Can I Help My Child Overcome His Anxiety?
Anxiety can be an issue for many students with learning disabilities, especially those learning in the home school environment. To help your student overcome his anxiety, it is important to understand the source of his anxiety, whether it be from the home environment or from the material being learned. Once you understand why your student is anxious, you can look into different strategies for addressing the issue, such as reminding your student of his/her strengths and successes, creating a structured environment, and providing positive reinforcement.
Additionally, you can look into different sources of support, such as therapy or support groups.
What Resources Are Available to Help Struggling Parents?
Learning disabilities can create a unique set of challenges that many parents may need additional help and resources to address. Thankfully, there are many support networks and organizations available to help parents of children with learning disabilities. This can include telephone hotlines, websites, or even physical support groups and workshops.
Additionally, many schools or states have access to assistance programs, such as special education or parent education programs.
How Can I Motivate My Child Who Has a Learning Disability?
Motivating your student with a learning disability can be a difficult task, especially when in the home school environment. To help motivate your student, it is important to ensure that your student feels supported and invested in their learning.
This can include showing interest in their learning by asking about their day, and avoiding comparisons with other students. Additionally, rewards and incentives, such as praise, breaks, and treats, can help incentivize your student to stay motivated and make progress.
How Do I Help My Child Keep Up With Assignments?
Managing assignments can be particularly challenging for students with learning disabilities. To make it easier, it is important to create a plan or schedule for assignments, such as breaking them down into smaller tasks or sub-tasks. Additionally, providing clear expectations or a timeline can help your student stay on track.
If needed, you can also provide supports, such as checklists, visual cues, and timers to help your student with organizing and managing assignments.
How Should I Handle Homework Struggles?
It is important to look into the various strategies and supports your student needs to facilitate homework success. This can include rephrasing instructions and breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
It can also be beneficial to look into different types of assistive technology and supports, such as voice-to-text tools, calculators, or text-to-speech software. Additionally, providing incentives, such as rewards or breaks, can be helpful in motivating your student to complete their assignments.
What are the Benefits of Socialization for Students With Learning Disabilities?
For many students with learning disabilities, socialization can be an important part of their development. This is because it helps with their self-esteem, development of social skills and sense of belonging. Additionally, it is beneficial for students with learning disabilities to spend time with their peers and to learn from them.
There are many different ways that you can help your child have successful social interactions, such as participating in extracurricular activities, organizing get-togethers, or joining support groups. Additionally, it is important to talk to your child about his/her disability and communicate any concerns or questions so that they feel supported.
How Can I Help My Child Develop Greater Self-Advocacy Skills?
Self-advocacy is an important skill for any student, especially those with learning disabilities. As the parent of a student with learning disabilities, you can help your child develop stronger self-advocacy skills by talking to them about their disability and helping them to have a better understanding of it. Additionally, you can help your student understand the importance of using resources, such as time and tools, efficiently and effectively.
Another important way to help your student is to encourage them to discuss their needs and concerns, as well as their goals or successes. This can be particularly beneficial for students who are shy or hesitant about advocating for themselves, and it can help them develop greater self-confidence.
What Challenges Will My Child Face in a Group Education Setting?
Group education settings, such as in a homeschooling environment, can create a variety of challenges for students with learning disabilities. This can include difficulty with social interactions, understanding instructions, comprehending material, organizing their work, and managing assignments. Additionally, it can be difficult for students with learning disabilities to follow the flow and pace of the group setting.
It is important to be aware of the different challenges that can arise and to plan ahead with strategies and resources to help your child succeed.
How Can Technology Help My Child With a Learning Disability?
Technology can be particularly beneficial for students with learning disabilities, due to its ability to provide supports, accessibility, and independent learning opportunities. There are a variety of assistive technologies available, such as visual or audio books, reading and writing tools, calculators and math tools, and study tools.
Additionally, there are tools available to help with organization and motivation, such as timers and calendars.
Conclusion
All in all, it is important to ensure that your student with learning disabilities has success in their home school journey. Through understanding their learning disability, providing the right support and accommodations, and utilizing the right tools and strategies, you can help make this journey a successful one.