Whether you are teaching one child at home or a few (or many!) you will quickly discover that no two children are exactly alike. As the parent at home with your children for many hours a day, you will come to sense and understand how each child differs in learning style and ability. You will come to understand that many of those differences are not wrong: each is simply what is ‘normal’ for your child. However, it may also become apparent that what is ‘normal’ for them actually falls into the category of special needs.
HSLDA recognizes a child as having special needs if they are working two or more years behind grade level in academic subjects; if they are receiving special education services; or if they have any disability that greatly impacts their capacity to learn.
What are these disabilities? While experts in the field name and categorize them in different ways, the exceptionalities fall into these basic, broad categories:
Intellectual: concerning intelligence and the student’s ability (great or limited) to acquire knowledge;
Communicative: concerning learning disabilities, and speech and language impairments (both oral and written);
Sensory: concerning the child’s difficulties in sight and hearing (and in processing information gained through eyes and ears);
Behavioural: concerning emotional and social struggles, as well as attention and anxiety disorders and more;
Physical: concerning mechanical, orthopedic, and mobility difficulties, as well as and gross or fine motor skill limitations;
Multiple: concerning those children dealing with more than one category of special need.
Each of these exceptionalities demands a different approach to teaching your children and requires a great amount of encouragement and support (both for your student and for yourself!). Knowing that, you may feel overwhelmed, and you may feel under-qualified to teach these special kids at home. However, home is most often the very best place for a child with special needs to be educated. (And, contrary to some external pressure you may receive, you are fully, legally free to homeschool your special needs children.)
We at HSLDA understand that the prospect of homeschooling a child (or several children) with varying degrees of special needs can be daunting. We want you to know that you are not alone. We are here to help you and to direct you to the right sources to get the answers you need.