Lisa, a Home Educator Express reader, wrote in and asked if I'd please address ideas for teaching special needs students and give ways to help the day go easier.
While teaching special needs students brings up special challenges, all homeschooled students learn in a unique way. As parent-teachers, we are able to find the best ways to help our children!
Here are some tips that I've found useful in helping most special needs students transition to different activities, manage stress, and excel with less stress.
We have special needs in my house, and these are small, easy-to-implement ideas that I've found to be game-changing!
Visual Schedules
These save the day in our house. Not only to do they keep me from having to answer "What are we doing next?" a million times, but they reduce stress in my students.
They are useful for students with autism, anxiety, and a variety of processing disorders, helping them to feel in control so the day goes better.
There are lots of different types, but for us, having a magnetized one on the fridge (one side for each child) worked the best and was the easiest to implement day-to-day.
Figits are tools to help reduce anxiety, improve focus and concentration, and redirect stress in kids.
"Movement is a fundamental way to trigger the brain stem... Movement, even fidgeting with the hands, can help by sending signals from the body to the brain to awaken and be alert." (source)
We keep a variety on hand at all times!
We also have a ton of special needs information on HomeEducator.com!
I hope these ideas help you create an environment of joy in your home and in your homeschool overall.
Thank you for reading,
P.S. Is there anything you'd like to see in upcoming Home Educator Express newsletters? Any homeschooling questions you'd like answered? Feel free to reply and let me know!
Call THSC’s Special Needs Specialist Today!
Homeschooling a child with special needs is a blessing, but as all homeschooling moms, we have times when we have questions and need a community to help brainstorm with and gain encouragement from.
That is why, here at THSC, we offer our members coaching calls with THSC’s Special Needs Specialist.
Join THSC to schedule a coaching call today and take advantage of this great benefit!
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