Special Education Department
This department is still small, but I hope what is here will help you with the challenges of teaching very special children. All of my children have physical and learning challenges, and I have learning disabilities myself, so I know a lot about this area of teaching. I'm not an expert though-just someone forced to learn. Most of my lesson plans throughout this site are hands-on and broken down to the smallest steps. They usually work for learning disabled children for this reason. Here are the basics of what I've learned:
1. Break everything down to its smallest unit, and spend a long time on every step.
2. Teach only the most important things if time is a problem. Don't shortchange the reading and math. Everything else is optional for now, and can be taught in context of other things.
3. In math, stick to the basics if this is hard. (For now, until they are mastered)
4. If a child can't read, nothing else matters. If you have to, do nothing but reading every day until he catches on.
5. LD kids will know something perfectly one day, and act like they've never seen it the next. My son will swear I taught him to do something a certain way because he somehow got it in his mind that this is how it's done. It's not your fault-it's how they are. Hang in there!
6. Review, Review, Review. It's got to get into their long-term memory and it takes a long time.
7. Don't be afraid of labels. In today's world, you have to have labels to get help. They're just a name to get you what you need. The label doesn't define your child. Get the evaluation and be grateful for the label.
8. Use the public schools. Homeschoolers are entitled to special education services. Have the school do the testing and meet with the specialists. Go over those reports thoroughly and, if they qualify for help, consider taking some of it. If they don't, use the meeting time to find out how to help at home. "How can I help him concentrate better? How can I help him keep track of his steps in math?" If you get stuck later, call back and ask more questions. I do.
9. Become the world's greatest expert on your child's disabilities. Read all the special education books in the library, buy the best ones, and search the internet. Learn the vocabulary. You'll be taken more seriously by the school if you can talk the talk, and you'll be better prepared to make choices.
10. Don't be afraid to tell your child what his disabilities are. My kids aren't afraid of their labels, because they aren't treated as a problem-just an interesting challenge. Sympathize: "You're right. It isn't fair that you have to work three times harder than any other kid to learn this. Good thing you're a good worker!" Let them become experts too, and help them practice an explanation for their disabilities.
Here are the two articles I have up so far. One is from the Eric Clearinghouse, and the other is my homeschool perspective on the subject. following that are some links to help you in your work. Good luck!
Gifted But Learning Disabled Yes, you can be both. Einstein and Thomas Edison both were. Both were also homeschooled after the schools kicked them out for being "too stupid to learn." This is a public domain article by Eric Clearinghouse.
Homeschooling the Gifted/LD Child Yes, it can be done, and with good results. Einstein and Edison turned out okay.
Some good links on disabilities:
SPECIAL NEEDS
The Council for Exceptional Children This is the first stop for parents of children who are gifted, learning disabled, physically challenged or a combination of these. Check out the Eric Clearinghouse for Disabilities and Gifted Education. The articles can be distributed freely with proper credit, and I have one on my own page, if you want a sample. I used them often when my children were younger, and they are wonderful.
LD Online. This is one of the best learning disability sites on the web. The bulletin boards are frequently answered by professionals, and the conversations are fascinating. There are articles by professionals, first person articles by adults with learning disabilities, writings and drawings by children...It's all here. It's not specifically for homeschoolers, but many of us seem to be there. Bookmark this.
Dysgraphia Visit this one quickly. The parent who wrote this is no longer at this school, and the site may disappear. She says she may place it elsewhere, so if you like her site, please let her know you want it to stay. Good advice for parents and students, plus good links.
Inland Empire Branch of International Dyslexia Association. This also has information on dyasgraphia.
Ability Network: Canada's Cross Disability Network A Canadian print magazine on-line. Includes a section for children with a wide variety of disabilities to share their artwork and writing. Let your children meet others with disabiilities, or learn what is ahead. This is an site for adults, but there is a section for teens and children. This is a wonderful resource.
Cerebral Palsy Tutorial This is a beginner's site, but the explanations are simple enough to use in explaining the disability to siblings or friends. It also makes a good site to use if your children don't have cerebral palsy, but you want to teach a unit on the disability.
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Terrie Bittner
terrie@sunrise-sunset.com
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