Special Needs Homeschooling: Important Tips for Parents

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If you are interested in special needs homeschooling tips, this guide will help take what seems like a daunting endeavor, and make it realistic and successful.

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Homeschooling special needs children regardless of their age, abilities, and needs can be done.

All you need to get started is to learn about some helpful tips and ideas.

This article will help you discover which type(s) of learner your child is as well as provide tips for homeschooling special needs children according to their grade level: elementary (grades K-5), middle school/junior high (grades 6-8), and high school (grades 9-12).

What works for one child, may not work for another. It is also important to remember that as their parent or guardian, you know your child the best and will homeschool accordingly.

Understanding Different Types of Learners

Regardless of your child’s special needs and abilities, every child learns in his/her own way. There are three different types of learners: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. A child might only have one type of learning whereas others may have two or more. Understanding what each type of learning is and how to provide instruction can be helpful in implementing while homeschooling your child with special needs.

Auditory is the first type of learning. This type of learning is done through listening and hearing. Listed below are some tips on how to teach your child who is an auditory learner:

• Teach vocabulary and skills through songs.
• Provide audiobooks either with or without printed books.
• Record notes on a cell phone, app, or computer, for students to listen to over and over again for studying.
• Teach concepts by using mnemonics and having your child say it out loud multiple times.
• Allow children to tell you out loud what they learned.

The second type of learning is visual. A visual learner is someone who learns by reading or seeing things. Listed below are tips on how to teach your child who is a visual learner:

• Use YouTube videos (that are appropriate for your child and his/her age), movies, PowerPoint, etc.
• Make flashcards for math problems, spelling words, new vocabulary words, reviewing main concepts, etc.
• Make charts or graphic organizers to help children visualize what they are learning.
• Encourage children to draw pictures or symbols while writing notes.
• Use printed books for instruction and free reading. Books with images are more common for younger children, but more books are being created with images for older children (i.e. graphic novels, books with a combination of print and pictures, etc.).

Kinesthetic learning is the final type of learning. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. No matter the age of your child, there are many things that you can do to help your kinesthetic learner. Listed below are some ideas on how to do this:

• Create a scavenger hunt, indoors or outdoors, to help your child find words (to read aloud, spell, etc.), practice math facts, learn new vocabulary words, etc.
• Allow children to make or create something that is tied to what they are currently learning (i.e. create a diorama, paint a poster, sew a clothing piece that is connected to the time period that they are studying).
• Do a lot of hands-on experiments for science classes.
• Go to museums, events in your community, etc. that tie into what your child is learning about.
• Find opportunities to volunteer in your community (i.e. if your child is learning about cats and dogs, volunteer at your local animal shelter).

Homeschooling Elementary (Grades K-5) Special Needs

Homeschooling elementary-aged children with special needs is an exciting time.

It is a time to provide instruction in the core subjects (i.e. reading, writing, math, spelling, etc.).

This is also a great time to incorporate what they are interested in into not only core subjects, but also within social studies, science, social skills, and very basic life skills.

You can do many things as your child’s homeschool educator to enhance their love of learning.

Stated below is a list of tips for special needs homeschooling an elementary school-aged child:

• Develop a visual homeschool schedule.
• Utilize unit studies to teach all subjects based on a topic of interest.
• Provide multiple opportunities for your child to go outside to play. Allowing children to play at a young age can be beneficial.
• Use a direct teaching approach (i.e. review what was taught the day before, introduce the new skill, model the new skill, have your child practice the skill with your assistance, provide an opportunity for your child to practice the skill independently, and then assess the skill once you believe your child has mastered it).
• Practice, practice, practice. When homeschooling children with special needs, it is important to provide them with multiple opportunities to practice the new skill until they can do it independently.
• Mix it up. It is okay to mix it up with the types of curriculum, materials, and activities that you chose to homeschool your child with special needs. If traditional textbook work is boring or causing frustration, try something else. You could go on a field trip, incorporate more hands-on activities (like educational board games or free STEM activities), go to the library to find activities and new books and/or movies.
• If your child is exhibiting behaviors or refusing to do his/her schoolwork, do some detective work. Think back to what happened before your child behaved negatively. Was your child not feeling well? Was your child completing a task in a subject matter that he/she does not like? Did your child have an argument with siblings or you? If you are unable to figure out the cause, ask yourself, “What is my child trying to tell me?” Many children with special needs have difficulty verbalizing what they are thinking or feeling.
• Teach your child how to ask for a break.
• Provide opportunities for your child to interact with others. This is also a great time to teach social skills.
• Try to keep your schedule consistent. If things are going to change, try to do your best to tell your child in advance. It is great to use daily, weekly, and monthly schedules that are accessible to your child. If your child is unable to read, incorporate a picture next to the word (i.e. playtime with friends with a picture of a basketball next to it, doctor appointment with a picture of a doctor or stethoscope, free read time with a picture of a book next to it, etc.).
• Use different manipulatives for math.
• Provide access to different writing utensils that work best for your child.

These tips will help you homeschool your elementary-aged child with special needs. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but they can offer some assistance whether you are a new homeschooling parent of children with special needs or an experienced homeschooling parent.

Homeschooling Middle School/Junior High (Grades 6-8) Special Needs

Homeschooling a middle school/junior high child with special needs is a bit different than homeschooling a child who is elementary age.

During this time, children are no longer in elementary, but they are not ready emotionally and academically ready for high school.

This is a great time to help your child explore further into what they are interested in by encouraging your child to try new activities and introduce some life skills (i.e. basic cooking, cleaning, leisure and recreational activities, daily health and beauty activities – brushing teeth, taking a shower/bath, using deodorant, putting clean clothes on daily, etc.). In addition to teaching these skills, here are some additional tips for homeschooling your middle school/junior high child with special needs:

• Teach your child how to fill in a planner or calendar. This can be done electronically, in a regular planner, or in a schedule (daily, weekly, monthly) that is posted on a wall.
• Introduce note-taking. This can be done in the traditional sense with pencil and paper, typed on Google Docs, recorded out loud onto an app on a cell phone, etc.
• Encourage and model how to advocate.
• Ask your child what they want to learn and how they want to show what they have learned. This would help your child with special needs learn how to advocate for him/herself as well as exhibit what was learned (i.e. different learning styles).
• Begin teaching prevocational skills (i.e. time management, job shadowing, interviewing professionals in the career field of interest).
• Make sure that your child knows how to use a computer as well as how to stay safe online (if permitted by you). If your child needs adaptive communication devices, teach your child how to use them properly and maintain them.
• At the beginning of your child’s eighth-grade year, sit down and discuss what his/her high school plans are. It is great to start this and “plant a seed” to have your child think about it, so there are no surprises at the end of the school year when you need to finalize plans for the ninth-grade year.
• At the end of the eighth-grade year, finalize plans for your child’s ninth-grade year and contact your local Vocational Rehabilitation Services counselor. No matter the type or severity of your child’s special needs, as long as your child’s special needs are documented by a professional, you can help your child apply. Vocational Rehabilitation Services counselors can assist with prevocational and vocational skills and opportunities.
• Continue using the direct teaching approach.
• Unit studies can continue to be used while homeschooling children with special needs during this age group.

Homeschooling middle school/junior high children with special needs can be done. It is a great time to help them develop skills academically, but also with life skills. Both are needed to help all children with special needs thrive and grow.

Homeschooling High School (Grades 9-12) Special Needs

Homeschooling children with special needs can seem nerve-racking to parents. Believe it or not, it doesn’t have to be.

Homeschooling during the high school years can be fun for both parents and their children.

It’s a time to think about what is going to happen after high school. It is important to remember that this will not look the same for each high schooler and that is okay. Every child with special needs has different abilities, needs, and strengths. Postsecondary plans, what happens after high school (i.e. career, education/training, living arrangements, etc.), will look different.

Listed below are some tips that you can use to homeschool your high school child with special needs:

• Remember that plans and interests change. Many high school students with and without special needs will change their minds three or more times during their high school years. This is a great time to go with the flow and allow your teenager to try new classes and activities and attend community events that allow teenagers to learn about different careers.
• Keep track of grades (you can decide how you want to do this).
• Maintain a transcript and update it at the end of each year. Make sure to include activities, volunteer opportunities, and employment on your transcript; many allow you to do this.
• If possible, especially if your child has a mild disability, have a professional do a full evaluation to provide an update for accommodations and recommendations for additional services. This can be used for your child to request post-secondary accommodations at school (i.e. 4-year college, community college, trade schools, apprenticeships, etc.). At the end of 10th grade or beginning of 11th grade school year is the best time to do this.
• Continue teaching life skills that your child will need for high school to live an independent life as possible.
• Encourage your child to try different classes, activities, volunteer opportunities, etc.
• Find out what is needed by postsecondary education establishments (i.e. four-year college, community college, trade school, etc.) to apply for admissions.
• Visit multiple postsecondary education establishments in person to allow your child to have a sense of what it is like and whether or not it is a good fit.
• If you have a Vocational Rehabilitation Service counselor, develop an annual plan with your counselor, ask for assistance in job shadowing, and practice creating a resume and interview skills.
• Check in with your child frequently to see what they need help with academically, socially (i.e. practice social skills or find opportunities to practice interacting socially with others), and post-secondary.
• Listen. Make sure you take the time to listen to what your child has to say about anything. This will make it known to your child that you are there for them.
• Decide when your child has graduated high school. This is your decision when you believe that your child has met all of the necessary requirements (remember that each state has different requirements for this as well as homeschooling in general). When your child has done this, you can make or purchase a custom-made high school diploma.
• If you have a child with severe/profound special needs, you may need to think about contacting a lawyer to set up a guardianship, conservatorship, etc. If either one needs to be created, you should start as early as the end of your child’s ninth-grade year. It can take years to complete this process.

Homeschooling a high schooler with special needs doesn’t have to seem scary. Enjoy this time with your child. It is wonderful for their parents/guardians to see how much they will thrive and grow.

Online Classes for Special Needs Students

Outschool is another great resource for homeschooling families of children with special needs. Regardless of what type of learner your child is, Outschool has both group classes and one-on-one tutoring sessions for ages 3 to 18.

Your child can receive instruction not only in core subjects, but also in the following areas: coding and tech, games and hobbies, health and wellness, life skills, music, and world languages.

Their instructors are knowledgeable in area(s) of expertise and are great to work with. If this is not of interest to you, that’s okay too.

Click here to browse their selection of online classes specifically for special needs students.

Final Thoughts on Special Needs Homeschooling

Homeschooling children with special needs at any grade level can be done. It allows you as their parent or guardian to provide instruction in a manner that works for them.

Learning what type of learner your child with special needs can also help guide you to which approaches and materials to use. It can also help you determine which homeschool curriculum for special needs students is the right fit.

This article has provided a lot of tips and ideas on how to homeschool your child with special needs. The only thing you need to worry about now is to decide when you want to start homeschooling your child with special needs. Get ready for an adventure of a lifetime.

You might also be interested in checking out our guide with tips for teaching a student with disabilities as well as the advantages of homeschooling a special needs child and our classroom setup article for more helpful info!