About Homeschooling Programs for Kids With Learning Disabilities

Families who have children with learning disabilities often wonder if they would serve them better by providing homeschooling. Developing a homeschooling program for kids with learning-related challenges is a worthwhile pursuit; paying attention to each child's specific needs is the best approach.

Potential Benefits

A lot of the issues that students have in the classroom are not duplicated at home. Removing the distractions of the classroom can help kids with behavioral-based learning disorders learn to focus better.

Actual Benefits

For students whose attention spans are short, or are easily distracted, homeschooling allows them to work within their natural attention spans, rather than trying to conform to an arbitrary pattern of attentiveness that works well for the rest of the class.

Misconceptions

Many would-be homeschoolers fail because they try to duplicate a classroom environment at home; seasoned homeschoolers advise parents to focus on the needs of the child, and not the curriculum.

Expert Insight

Speech therapists can often be secured through your medical insurance. Some school districts allow homeschoolers to have access to special services. If you need professional help, be resourceful and work closely with them to ensure maximum benefit from each visit.

History

NATHHAN, the National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network began in 1990, when two homeschooling mothers of kids with Down's Syndrome began chatting on the phone. Today, they have a vast amount of resources online and in their monthly newsletter.

References

• NATHHAN