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If you are looking into homeschooling your child with autism, this article may be for you. Below, we will discuss autism as a whole, what people on the spectrum need to succeed as students, and how you can help someone in your life who on the spectrum reach their full potential.
What is Autism?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Autism Spectrum Disorder is “a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave.” Autism Spectrum Disorder, also known as simply “autism” or sometimes shortened to “ASD”,can impact both children and adults. While the symptoms tend to first show up when someone is around two years old, it is a lifelong condition that presents in different ways (hence why autism is called autism spectrum disorder). ASD has a wide variety of symptoms that can’t easily be defined.
The symptoms of autism can cause someone to struggle in a variety of situations, impacting their ability to function in day-to-day living. An autistic person may struggle in social situations, have difficulty with transitions, deal with a number of sensory issues, and more. Depending on where someone is on the spectrum, they may have higher or lower support needs. Many autistic people are employed and take part in traditional daily activities, including things like hobbies, dating and marriage, and education. Some people on the spectrum have higher support needs and may need help with completing daily tasks such as personal hygiene, meals, and more. Regardless, every person on the spectrum has inherent value.
Many people with autism can and do thrive as well. There are a large number of autistic celebrities that you may or may not be familiar with, including Bella Ramsey, Dan Aykroyd, Courtney Love, and more. There are also famous historical figures who are thought of to have had autism, such as Albert Einstein and Emily Dickinson. In addition, there are numerous other autistic icons who are musicians, chefs, models, authors, and athletes with autism. To see if you know any of them, a comprehensive list has been compiled by inflow (2023).
How to Talk About Autism and People on the Spectrum
There is debate on how to refer to people on the spectrum. Generally, the professional use is “person first” language, where the diagnosis comes second, i.e: “person with autism”. This method has been established by the scientific and medical community. However, a community of people on the spectrum have begun to prefer identity-first language, i.e: autistic person, which has become more and more widespread. According to The Place for Children with Autism, Autistic Pride Day was established in 2005. Ever since, there has been a movement of autistic people referring to themselves identity-first with the goal of reducing the stigma of the autism diagnosis and the idea that it is a condition that needs to be fixed. As a result, this article will refer to people on the spectrum with a combination of both person-first and identity-first language.
How Autism Impacts Learning
Autism is not a learning disability. In fact, according to Neurosensory.com, autistic people’s intelligence can range from average to above-average. However, autism does often co-occur with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia and ADHD. With that being said, the ways that autism can affect someone’s communication and behavior may create difficulties in certain learning environments. This can include:
- A unique understanding of the emotions and communication of others, including empathy.
- Hyper-focused interests.
- Struggling with abrupt change (such as a change in routine or environment).
- Literal thinking.
- An inclination towards strict routines.
- Sensory difficulties (such as experiencing severe stress with lights that are too bright or uncomfortable clothes) that can lead to strong emotional, physical, and psychological reactions.
- Sensitivity to criticism and rejection (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria).
- Information processing difficulties. Autism can lead to difficulties with interpreting certain words, retaining what is said, and comprehending what is said.
Each of the above traits can cause issues for someone with autism more often in a traditional learning environment. This means that some children on the spectrum may thrive in a homeschooling environment instead.
Autistic people are not any less capable of learning than anyone else, they just have to find out what accommodations they need to create the most ideal environment to learn by reducing difficulties they may come across. A child or adult with higher support needs may need their parents or caregivers to assist with obtaining or implementing these accommodations.
How to Help an Autistic Child Learn (Strategies for Homeschooling a Child on the Spectrum)
You might be wondering if you are qualified to teach your autistic child. However, most parents are capable of doing so, according to Autism Parenting Magazine. Your state’s guidelines are a great place to start. The HSLDA offers information on homeschooling by state.
Homeschooling any child requires tailoring the experience to their needs. This is even more true for children on the spectrum. Becoming familiar with the needs of your child and the best way they learn is a good first step. Some other good ways to help your child learn include:
- Use a flexible schedule. This can be helpful to allow taking breaks whenever needed, make time for appointments, learning in any environment, and more.
- Focus on the child’s strengths. The parent or caregiver who is providing the homeschooling has the opportunity to promote the child’s strengths through one-on-one learning. This can include affirmations of the child’s strengths and providing them with opportunities to succeed by giving them tasks that are related to what they are best at. Understanding a child’s strengths can also help create a curriculum that is less frustrating for the child than a traditional curriculum might be.
- Individualize the instruction to the child’s needs. Like the benefits of a flexible schedule, individualizing the curriculum to the child can help them absorb the information if they are able to take breaks when needed and work in a sensory environment that is more friendly to them. One child might learn better through hands-on experiences, while others might learn better by listening to instructions or reading.
- Work with the child’s hyperfixations. One symptom of autism is hyperfixations on certain topics. This can be almost anything and can range in specificity. If there is a topic that your child loves to learn about, you can incorporate the topic into what the child needs to learn.
- Allow your child to make some of the decisions. Allowing your child to make some of the decisions when it comes to their education can increase their confidence. It also has other benefits, such as increasing their decision-making and critical thinking skills. It can also help them feel more motivated to complete tasks if they are a part of choosing it.
- Remember to include physical exercise. Homeschooling might make it easy to forget to get movement in, but all kids need exercise. Part of a typical school environment is usually physical education, and it can be a part of homeschool as well. This can be as simple as jumping, riding a bike, running circles or whatever movement your child wants to do every day.
- Create a predictable daily schedule. Some of the symptoms of autism can create anxiety if a daily schedule is unpredictable. Ensuring that the child knows what to expect can help both you and the child avoid stress.
Creating a Homeschool Schedule
There are a lot of different ways to create a homeschooling schedule for a child with autism. One of the best ways is including a visual calendar with pictures to go along with the words. Timing each activity can help the child know what to expect too. The Autism Helper has a great example of what to include on the schedule. The schedule should also include appointments unrelated to school, as well as leisure time, to go along with school activities. The most important part is consistency and predictability as much as possible, such as always having breakfast, then science class after, then lunch, then language-arts. Informing the child about what parts of the daily schedule are flexible, inflexible, and non-negotiable can mitigate anxiety and stress when they come up. Finally, having an after-school routine where the child can decompress from what they learned and transition to other activities is a good idea too.
Benefits of Homeschooling
There are numerous benefits to homeschooling. This is particularly true for children on the spectrum, since neurodivergent children may struggle more often in traditional school. Offering homeschool to your child on the spectrum can increase your bond and provide a safe environment for your child to learn without worrying about potential bullying. In summary, the benefits of homeschooling include:
- Flexibility. For busy families, especially those with children who have higher support needs, being able to work lessons in between various appointments and other obligations can benefit everyone.
- Higher engagement in learning. Homeschooling an autistic child can allow them to choose what they want to learn more than they could in a standardized classroom. This means that the child may be more interested in what they are learning. This can also be more fun for you as the caregiver.
- Learning style. Children on the spectrum may benefit from homeschooling if they have a learning style that struggles in a traditional classroom. Because homeschooling only involves teaching one or a few students instead of many, the child can get more attention from their instructor and learn in a way that works best for them.
- Socialization. Depending on your choices as the teacher and caregiver, it’s possible for your homeschooled child to get more effective and higher-quality socialization than in school, in an environment that you can choose to control what works best for your family.
Considerations of Homeschooling
While there are many benefits to homeschooling, there are also things to consider. Here, we will review these considerations so you can make the best decision for you and your family.
- The time commitment. With homeschooling, it’s important to ensure that the child is engaged and learning. This can involve a large time commitment to teach the child, ensure they are actually learning, and helping guide them along the way. This can vary depending on your child’s support needs, age, and personality.
- Potential isolation. Homeschooling a child often requires a parent to stay at home. For parents who are used to working and having the support of a school system, suddenly being isolated as the sole educator might feel difficult, especially if your child is struggling to learn certain things.
- Finances. The parent who chooses to be the educator might not be able to work as often as they used to, depending on the family dynamic, which can cause a decrease in finances for the household. This is important to consider before making the commitment to homeschooling.
Resources for Homeschooling an Autistic Child
There is a lot to know about homeschooling a child on the spectrum. Luckily, there are many resources out there to help. Below is some extra information to help guide you through the process so you can do what is best to help your child learn in a home-schooled environment.
- Autism Parenting Magazine. This resource is a magazine with numerous articles and tips surrounding autism, especially as a parent to a child on the spectrum.
- The Autism Community in Action. This resource is a community hub focused on improving the outcomes and lives of autistic people and their families. They provide education and support to those who want to learn more on autism.
- Autism Society of America. This resource offers a screening and diagnosis tool. Their mission is to provide people on the spectrum with resources to empower them to live fully.
- The Autism Helper. This resource offers courses and curricula as well as blogs, podcasts, videos, and other educational content for people with autism and those who care for them.
- Ignite Learning Academy. This resource is for parents who want to homeschool their child but need more guidance and a specific curriculum.
References
Arky, B. (2016). Sensory Processing Issues Explained. Child Mind Institute; Child Mind
Institute. https://childmind.org/article/sensory-processing-issues-explained
https://www.facebook.com/verywell. (n.d.). Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and Autism:
What to Know.
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Lapin, C. (2023, May 30). “Autistic People” vs. “People with Autism”: A Deeper Dive into
Disability Language. The Place for Children with Autism.
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Mannion, K. (2023, May 17). Autistic celebrities: 71 famous people with autism (2023 edition).
Www.getinflow.io. https://www.getinflow.io/post/autistic-celebrities-adhd
McPherson, D. (2019, August 28). Practical Advice for Homeschooling a Child with Autism.
Autism Parenting Magazine.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2024, December). Autism Spectrum Disorder. National
Institute of Mental Health.