It’s important to recognize that every autistic experience is unique, and finding the right learning environment and method that suits each child’s individual needs is crucial.
🌟 began attending a special education school recently. Before this, we were avid home schoolers for a number of years. However circumstances warranted her return to school (including me going back to work and the arrival of a new baby!) While I’m grateful for the services she receives, I also wanted to showcase how we adapt materials and teaching methods at home to help her learn in a way that resonates with her intelligence.
Our Approach in Adaptive Learning for our Autistic Child
Our approach centers around one understanding: that 🌟 is cognitively more capable than she is executively. We found that relying on a few methods for doing work and answering questions works best for her, and adapting the learning/teaching method to help her complete the work easily.
For example, instead of using the typical way of doing worksheets, we simplify the process by using only a few methods that she is familiar with, such as a choice board, letter board, fill in the blanks, or make a choice then copy the answers out.
The neurotypical way of doing worksheets and other learning materials can be unnecessarily complicated for her autistic mind. In one section, it’s circle the right answer, in another it’s underline, in another it’s draw a connecting line, in another it’s scratch out the wrong answer and so on and so forth. What works best for her is to use only a few methods that she gets very familiar with and keep the variety and complexity in the content itself.
My rule for special education at home is straightforward: If the material is complex, keep the method simple. And if the method is complex, like in art/craft, then keep the material or content simple.
The Challenge with Mainstream School/Education Methods
Many special education schools/systems make the executive part complicated, leading to the wrongful assumption that the child doesn’t understand the material when he/she can’t execute the work. This misconception can be detrimental to an autistic individual’s learning and overall growth. That’s why it’s essential to adapt the learning/teaching method to fit each person’s unique needs and provide them with the opportunity to learn in a way that resonates with their intelligence. By presuming competence, we can create a positive and empowering learning environment that nurtures their abilities.
While 🌟’s school is a lot more flexible than most, my observation of many special education schools/systems is that they often make the executive unnecessarily complicated, which can be challenging for many autistic individuals. We need to continue raising awareness and advocating for inclusive and empowering education systems that celebrates and enhances each individual’s capabilities.
I hope that our experience of doing school-like work at home inspires parents and educators to consider adapting the learning/teaching method to fit each autistic individual’s unique needs. We need to recognize and celebrate neurodiversity and create adaptive learning environments/methods that supports each person. #neurodiversity #specialeducation #inclusiveeducation
Story of a Little Star 