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How do you tackle the homework challenge alongside your
child with special needs?
Homework can be a challenging task for any student. But when you are parenting a child with special needs, the task can seem insurmountable. Answers to the questions “How much of a challenge?”, and “How can I be helpful?” are going to be dependent on a number of variables such as the subject, and level… and of course the nature of your child’s disability.
The answer is “maybe yes, maybe no”… for a child with special needs the response should be individualized for them.
The quantity, level, type, and timing surrounding the work your child is presented with in a given subject will vary. It should be guided by their needs, the behaviors they exhibit, and the accommodations they require to succeed in their educational environment.
Subject area work level, including homework, is one area where the importance of a detailed, data-based, specific, and well written IEP or 504 plan can are important. Remember, you are a key participant in IEP/504 meetings. Your student can also participate if appropriate. As goals and accommodations are created, make sure there is adequate specific mention of the level, type and timing of any homework given. It is important that accommodations created for the classroom learning environment, are able to be transferred home for the purposes of doing homework.
Some examples of how you might ensure goals and accommodations that transfer through to homework…
If your child has an accommodation that provides for extra time on tests and assignments, you can also ensure their IEP/504 states that any homework is modified to allow completion (eg. a reduced number of math problems, or shorter essay…).
If you child has goals modifying the grade-level of work in a certain subject, review homework to make sure this is adhered to (student might be working on addition, while the remainder of class is focused on multiplication tables).
If you child has trouble focusing, and this is accommodated in school, you might look to ensure that the amount of homework, is not so overwhelming for a day that they struggle to have time to complete it with adequate breaks.
As you work with your student to ease the homework anxiety and frustration consider a number of “environmental factors” that should guide your strategy. Also consider that these may change daily depending on the stress and work level your student experienced in the classroom that day.
You can use the answers to these type questions to help your child create a daily strategy that is driven by their strengths and needs. This also provides them with mechanisms and resources that will help with time management skills in daily life going forward.
Work with your child to create the best homework environment for them each day. Understand their needs and accommodations. Most importantly, make sure that what comes home does so in an appropriate fashion as part of a considered plan, by ensuring their capabilities and needs are represented their IEP/504 plan.
If you have questions, or want some support in reviewing goals and accommodations for your student, please feel free to give me a call. I offer a free initial consultation.
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