Hundreds of parents who now home school their special needs children can testify that you, too, can do it. They will probably also admit to their own initial fears at the prospect of withdrawing their child from a school setting to educate that child at home.
\nThey will tell you that they wanted their child to persevere, so they learned to model that ethic of \u201cplugging away\u201d and \u201csticking with it\u201d\u2014even on those days when giving up seemed desirable. (Most home schooling parents, whether the child has special needs or not, will confess that they have felt like \u201cthrowing in the towel\u201d at some point during their years of home schooling.)
\nYou, like them, know your child best and can teach your child at home using real-life experiences in a natural setting to make learning meaningful. You establish a \u201cneed to know.\u201d That is taking advantage of actual\u2014not artificial\u2014motivation for them to learn. In the process of doing this, you can emphasize your child\u2019s strengths while you are working on his relevant needs. What had previously been drudgery now has the potential to become a joy.
\nArmed with the truth that fearful feelings are normal, you can now proceed to some other concerns:
\n\u2022 Who is out there to help me?
\n\u2022 What curriculum shall I use?
\n\u2022 How can I spread myself around and manage to teach and care for my other children also?<\/p>\n
Parents of struggling learners or children who have special needs are often made to feel that they need to have their children taught by a professional in order for them to reach their potential. This opinion is often presented by very loving people. The parents can\u2019t help but ask themselves, \u201cAm I doing a disservice to my child by teaching him or her at home? Would he\/she be making more progress if he\/she were in a school setting, with the professionals?\u201d
\nHome schooling a special needs child is an individual decision, of course, but if you decide to home school such a child, we are here to help you be the best special education teacher you can be. With the literature, teaching aids, and other resources now available, any parent who desires to help their child learn can find that help, and eventually do a much better job with that child than any school could do.
\nAt times there may be a need to enlist the help of some of these professionals in areas such as speech or physical therapy. However, the bulk of the teaching can be done by the parent, and is being done by parents across the nation very successfully!<\/p>\n
HSLDA<\/strong> Home setting: ADD\/ADHD<\/strong> PUBLIC DOMAIN TESTING<\/strong><\/p>\n When parents suspect that their child is struggling with a processing problem, their first inclination often is to get the child tested by professionals. The intention is to find out what the processing problem is, and mainly, how to instruct this child differently at home, to make the learning process easier. Where can you get these tests? DISCLAIMER<\/strong>: The content of this packet was obtained from the Home School Legal Defense Association website, www.hslda.org. Neither the Education Alliance nor HSLDA warrant this information. The reader must evaluate this information in light of the unique circumstances of any particular situation and must then determine independently the applicability of this information. Hundreds of parents who now home school their special needs children can testify that you, too, can do it. They will probably also admit to their own initial fears at the prospect of withdrawing their child from a school setting to educate that child at home. They will tell you that they wanted their child […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":610,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-620","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/620","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=620"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/620\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2696,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/620\/revisions\/2696"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=620"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nSpecial needs coordinators: Where else can you talk to a professional about your child\u2019s special needs in learning, just by picking up the phone? This is a very valuable service for HSLDA members. There are two special needs\/struggling learner professionals available at HSLDA to answer your questions, and guide you on your way to make your child\u2019s learning successful.
\nLegal advice: State-by-state laws, testing issues, progress expectations, and transferring IEP\u2019s from the public school setting are just a few of the areas of legal advice that are available to HSLDA members, along with all the other general membership benefits.
\nRental of skills tests to determine grade levels: HSLDA has copies of the Brigance Skills test available for you to rent to find the achievement levels of your child at home. Other informal tests are also available through your special needs\/struggling learner coordinators.
\nTHERAPIES<\/strong>
\nWhile the bulk of the child\u2019s education occurs at home, outside interventions for a period of time can be very beneficial in helping a child overcome some larger obstacles. These therapies are offered by professionals in your community. Their services are paid for by the family of the child. Even though it can be a hardship financially, most places offer payment plans and reductions for certain situations.
\nThere are times when some of these services can be paid for by the family\u2019s medical insurance. This is particularly the case if the service is recommended by the child\u2019s pediatrician. Then a local hospital or clinic would provide the speech or occupational therapy or such, with the insurance company picking up the majority of the cost.
\nIf the parent chooses to have his\/her child’s services provided by a regional center, or public school, then there is a chance that there could be some strings attached. For example, the professionals could decide that the child is not being served well in the home school setting, but would be better served in a government-sponsored program. This is not always the case and, if it happens, please contact The Education Alliance office at 501-978-5503.
\nThere are times when a child would benefit from therapy that is difficult to provide at home. An example of such therapies would be:
\nSPEECH THERAPY<\/strong>
\nHospital settings: Most children\u2019s hospitals provide speech therapy services through the child\u2019s insurance. This is weekly or biweekly one-on-one therapy or small group, and continues for a set number of weeks. This is generally done with a referral from the child\u2019s physician.
\nPublic school settings: If the child has been tested by the public school and determined to need speech therapy services, the child is brought to the school one day a week for about an hour for this service, usually in a small group setting. This method carries the most risk to parents, because of the involvement in a government program.
\nPrivate clinics:
\n\u2022 There are many speech therapists who work privately with students. They will see a child once or twice a week, and always in a one-on-one setting. They regularly test to see if services are still required. Parents take the child to the setting, and are responsible for payment. Local home school support groups are the best source of information about good speech therapists in your area.
\n\u2022 Scottish Rites Speech and Language Clinic offers free testing and language services to qualified applicants.
\nHome settings
\n\u2022 The video tape and manual, Straight Talk by speech pathologist Marisa Lapish is available for home school families. (Available at www.nathhan.com.) It contains daily lessons that the parents can implement at home to help their child with speech issues in both articulation and speech delay.
\n\u2022 The Listening Program, a home program designed to help children hear frequencies they did not hear before, improves both speech and auditory processing disorders. (Available at www.advancedbrain.com.)
\n\u2022 Mouth Madness: Oral Motor Activities for Children by Aby Catherine Orr
\n\u2022 Earobics is a computer-based program to improve auditory memory and sound discrimination and is very inexpensive.
\nOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY OR PHYSICAL THERAPY<\/strong>
\nHospital settings: If your child\u2019s physician is made aware of your child\u2019s need for occupational therapy for gross or fine motor development or physical therapy, a referral can be made for this therapy to take place at your local hospital, if the services are available there. This is often paid for in part by your insurance company.
\nPublic school setting: If you have had your child tested through the public school, then they will provide the services. These are generally provided only once a week and you will need to bring your child to the school to receive the services. This is inexpensive, but does come with some risk of involvement with a government agency.
\nPrivate clinic: If you suspect that your child would benefit from occupational or physical therapy intervention (very common with autism, and very special needs), you can explore the services provided in your community by calling the clinics listed in the phone book, checking with your support group , or asking your child\u2019s physician.
\nHome settings
\n\u2022 It is possible that after watching several therapy sessions with your child, you may feel confident continuing these same activities at home, if your child is cooperative. Some parents also pay for the therapist to come into the home. For private therapists who are stay-at-home moms, working just a few extra hours a week, this works very well, and they will train you to work with your own child. You can also inquire at a private clinic, if an occupational assistant could come into your home and work with your child. That is generally less expensive.
\n\u2022 Interactive Metronome has home programs that are similar to the ones used by occupational therapists used in clinical settings.
\nVISION THERAPY<\/strong>
\nPrivate clinics: If you suspect that your child has a visual tracking problem, you can have your child screened by a developmental optometrist. If vision therapy is recommended, you can take them to the optometrist\u2019s office for weekly or biweekly visits, and continue the exercises at home.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Some vision therapy offices will show the parents how to do the exercises at home, eliminating the need to come to the office for continued therapy. This is far less expensive. Other parents have found that if they do the exercises and retraining in brain integration therapy, there is much less need for vision therapy services.
\n\u2022 HTS (Home Therapy Systems) is a computerized program that helps reduce symptoms of eyestrain. For those who don\u2019t have the time or finances for in-office vision therapy.
\n\u2022 PTS (Perceptual Therapy Systems), is a home-based computer therapy program to improve visual processing
\nAPPLIED BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS THERAPY<\/strong>
\nPublic setting: In public schools and regional centers a specific method of modifying the difficult behaviors of children with autism, PDD, or other disabilities that affect behavior, is employed. ABA, as it is commonly called, is used with the children on a daily basis, in a special education, self-contained setting. This has the advantage of giving the parent some break time from the difficult behaviors, and allowing the child to be exposed to other authorities. The disadvantage is the risk it carries of having a government agency involved in our child\u2019s life.
\nPrivate clinics: Local clinics often provide the intensive behavior modification program called the Lovaas method on a daily basis. A parent takes the child to the clinic each day. This is paid for by the parents, or possibly with some help from an insurance carrier.
\nHome setting: Some parents use the home consultation program that Lovaas offers. Therapists come into the home daily to train the parent to work with their own child. This can be very helpful for parents who need this type of intervention for their struggling children. Again, if the child\u2019s physician sees the need, and makes a referral, the parent may receive some help in paying from an insurance carrier.
\nNEURODEVELOPMENT THERAPY<\/strong>
\n\u2022 The National Association for Child Development is one organization that employs this brain-based therapy, which can be done at home with the guidance of neurotherapists. It is quite expensive, but parents who do it report good results.
\n\u2022 Brain integration therapy, can be done at home with your child, and the other children at home also. It is very inexpensive, but is an independent program, totally parent-led.
\n\u2022 Brain Builder is a neurobic, computer-based training program designed to build memory and thinking skills
\nSPECIFIC EDUCATIONAL THERAPY<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Lindamood intensive phonics program is designed by speech\/language specialists. This sequential system of teaching phonemes can be very effective for children struggling to learn to read. It is usually provided by local clinics, and is expensive.
\n\u2022 PACE program (Processing And Cognitive Enhancement) is clinic-based, with additional exercises to be done at home. It is geared more towards visual processing deficits, but includes other areas also. It is usually proved by local clinics and is fairly expensive. Home programs are less expensive.
\n\u2022 Learning Rx is a clinic-based program that uses exercises to stimulate better visual and auditory processing. It is an intensive program that is clinic based and expensive.
\n\u2022 Brainworks (formerly SOI) is a clinic-based program aimed at helping a child with balance issues, visual issues, etc., through exercises. It is usually provided by local clinics and is fairly expensive.
\n\u2022 Interactive Metronome is a clinic-based program that helps a child or adult gain better rhythm, timing, etc., to aid in reading and many life activities. It is fairly expensive. Home programs are less expensive.
\n\u2022 Sylvan Learning Centers, a tutoring clinic, is designed to help a child gain reading or math skills using regular curriculum and techniques. The centers help children who just need more exposure to systematic teaching in various subject areas. It does not correct processing skills (visual, auditory, visual\/motor). It is expensive. Sylvan now offers online tutoring for home use.
\n\u2022 Brain integration therapy for children is a home program that can be used with all the children in a family, to make processing skills (visual, auditory, visual\/motor\u2026writing) easier. It is inexpensive.<\/p>\nHELPFUL PARENT RESOURCES<\/h2>\n
\nHow to Get Your Child off the Refrigerator and on to Learning by Carol Barnier
\n\u2022 No More Ritalin by Mary Ann Block, DO
\n\u2022 The Parent\u2019s Guide to Attention Deficit Disorders by McCamey and Bauer
\n\u2022 Help For Your Hyperactive Child, by William Crook, MD
\n\u2022 Smart But Feeling Dumb by Harold Levinson, MD
\n\u2022 Audio tape, Is It Really ADD? by Dianne Craft
\n\u2022 Teaching the Tiger by Dombush and Pruitt
\n\u2022 Website article, Natural Alternatives for ADD\/ADHD, Dianne Craft
\n\u2022 Crazy Makers, Carol Simontacchi, Feeding Your Child\u2019s Brain
\n\u2022 Sharper Brain computer program
\n\u2022 Play Attention computer-based interactive program with the same technology as NASA uses for pilot training.
\n\u2022 Excellent website information: National Home Education Network
\n\u2022 Homeschooling the Child with ADD or Other Special Needs, by Lenore Colacion Hayes
\n\u2022 Email support group: Homeschooling Spirited Kids at yahoo.com
\n\u2022 Inside the Brain of the Hyperactive Homeschooler, by Israel Wayne
\nAPRAXIA
\n(see Speech Disorders)
\nASPERGER SYNDROME<\/strong>
\n\u2022 www.gfcfdiet.com This largely biological disorder responds dramatically to diet and supplement implementation
\n\u2022 Brain integration therapy by Dianne Craft (helps special-needs children use their right brain to see the big picture)
\n\u2022 Sensory Integration and the Young Child, by Jean Ayres
\n\u2022 The Out-of-Sync Child, by Carol Kranowitz (sensory disorder is a big part of the picture)
\n\u2022 Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments, by Brenda Smith Miles & Jach Southwick
\n\u2022 Upsidedown Brilliance, by Linda Silverman, Ph.D.
\n\u2022 www.gifteddevelopment.com
\n\u2022 Asperger Syndrome: A Guide For Educators and Parents, by Brenda Smith Miles & Richard Simpson
\n\u2022 Excellent website information: National Home Education Network.
\nAUTISM (ALSO PDD)<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Different Roads to Learning Catalog
\n\u2022 Autism, by Stephanie Marohn, the biological basis of autism
\n\u2022 Children with Autism, by Michael Powers, Psy.D.
\n\u2022 Children with Starving Brains, by Jaquelyn McCandless, MD
\n\u2022 Autism Research Institute, Dr. Bernard Rimland
\n\u2022 Auditory Integration Training (sound therapy)
\n\u2022 The Listening Program (brain training with music)
\n\u2022 Important nutritional and diet strategies for this mainly biological issue, www.danwebcast.com (defeat autism now) www.gfcfdiet.com, www.autismndi.com, thundersnow.com\/enzymebook.htm,
\n\u2022 Homeschooling Children with Special Needs, by Sharon Hensley (Available at www.almadenvalleychristianschool.com)
\n\u2022 Newsletter, PREACCH for parents home schooling autistic children
\n\u2022 Newsletter, SHEPHERD BOY
\n\u2022 Newsletter, NATHHAN NEWS
\n\u2022 Label and Learn for the mostly non-verbal child
\n\u2022 The Lovaas Institute, an applied behavior analysis approach to modifying a child\u2019s behavior at home
\n\u2022 Huge amount of information regarding help for children with autism, www.Autism-Treatment.com
\n\u2022 Excellent website information: National Home Education Network
\nAUDITORY PROCESSING DYSFUNCTION<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Brain Integration Therapy for Children, by Dianne Craft
\n\u2022 Auditory training through music programs, available at www.advancedbrain.com, www.aitresources.com, and www.samonas.com
\n\u2022 Help for Auditory Processing, by Lazzari & Peters, available at www.linguisystems.com
\n\u2022 The Central Auditory Processing Kit, Mokhemar, available at www.linguisystems.com
\n\u2022 Teaching the Right Brain Child video, alternative teaching methods for children with auditory processing glitches by Dianne Craft, available at www.diannecraft.org
\n\u2022 Straight Talk video and manual by Marisa Lapish, speech pathologist, available at www.nathhan.com, covers speech and auditory processing issues
\n\u2022 Earobics computer based program to improve auditory memory and sound discrimination
\nA STRUGGLING RIGHT BRAIN LEARNER<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Teaching the Right Brain Child video tape by Dianne Craft, available at www.diannecraft.org
\n\u2022 Right Brain Children in a Left Brain World, by Jeffrey Freed
\n\u2022 Understanding and Helping the Struggling Learner video by Dianne Craft, available at www.diannecraft.org
\nDOWN SYNDROME<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Teaching Reading To Children With Down Syndrome available at www.woodbinehouse.com
\n\u2022 National Association for Down Syndrome provides info dealing with the special metabolic need of DS children.
\n\u2022 National Association for Child Development offers neurodevelopment program that can be done at home.
\n\u2022 www.downsyn.com Information for new parents
\n\u2022 Woodbine House (800.843.7323) Special Needs Catalog
\n\u2022 Riverbend Down Syndrome Parent Support Group offers dietary info.
\n\u2022 Kirkman sells nutritional supplements.
\n\u2022 Excellent information: National Home education Network
\nDYSGRAPHIA (WRITING PROBLEMS)<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Brain Integration Therapy Manual by Dianne Craft available at www.diannecraft.org
\n\u2022 Handwriting Without Tears Manual by Jan Olsen, available at www.hwtears.com
\n\u2022 Understanding and Helping the Struggling Learner video by Dianne Craft
\nDYSLEXIA<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, M.D.
\n\u2022 Homeschooling Children with Special Needs by Sharon Hensley
\n\u2022 Learning in Spite of Labels by Joyce Herzog
\n\u2022 The LCP Solution: The Remarkable Nutritional Treatment for ADHD, Dyslexia & Dyspraxia by Jacqueline Stordy, Ph.D
\n\u2022 Right Brain Phonics Practice Book (simplified color-coded phonics method) by Dianne Craft, available at www.diannecraft.org , inexpensive
\n\u2022 Go Phonics Reading Program is a complete program that goes fairly quickly.
\n\u2022 Merrill Readers is a complete program that moves very slowly with much success. It\u2019s available at www.sra4kids.com, and www.wisdomseekersinc.com.
\n\u2022 Right Brain Sight Word Cards (36 sight words made by a successful dyslexic child) by Breanna Gates and Dianne Craft
\n\u2022 At Last! A reading Method for every Child by Mary Pecci, available at www.onlinereadingteacher.com
\n\u2022 Reading Mastery program by SRA, available at www.sra4kids.com
\n\u2022 Primary Phonics Story books, available at www.dyslexiabooks.co.uk
\n\u2022 Lindamood Home Phonemic Awareness program, intensive, and pricey, but very good. Available at www.ganderpublishing.com.
\n\u2022 EPS reading program, available at www.learningabledkids.com
\n\u2022 Online support groups for parents at Yahoo! Groups
\n\u2022 Wilson Reading System
\n\u2022 Fast Track Reading Program for older students who are two years behind.
\n\u2022 REACH System for older dyslexic children.
\nMENTAL RETARDATION<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Homeschooling Children with Special Needs by Sharon Hensley, available at www.almadenvalleychristianschool.com, an excellent resource
\n\u2022 When Slow Is Fast Enough by Joan Goodman
\n\u2022 God\u2019s Special Child by Donna Adee
\n\u2022 Slow and Steady Gets Me Ready by June Oberlander is a parent\u2019s handbook of weekly developmental activities from birth to age 5. Available at www.home-school.com
\n\u2022 NATHHAN is a homeschool organization for special needs children.
\n\u2022 LinguiSystems provides teaching tools for kids with special needs.
\n\u2022 Kirkman sells nutritional supplements for special needs children.
\n\u2022 Excellent information: National Home Education Network
\nSENSORY PROCESSING DYSFUNCTION<\/strong>
\n\u2022 The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz
\n\u2022 Sensory Integration and the Young Child by Jean Ayres
\n\u2022 Brain Integration Therapy Manual by Dianne Craft
\n\u2022 Is Your Child\u2019s Brain Starving? by Michael Lyon, MD
\n\u2022 Crazy Makers by Carol Simontacchi discusses how to feed your child\u2019s nervous system.
\n\u2022 Homeschooling Children With Special Needs by Sharon Hensley, available at www.almadenvalleychristianschool.com is an excellent resource.
\nSPEECH DISORDERS<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Straight Talk video and manual by speech pathologist Marisa Lapish (home program), available at www.nathhan.com
\n\u2022 Childhood speech, Language & Listening Problems, by Patricia Hamaguchi
\n\u2022 Speech Language Catalog from Woodbine House
\n\u2022 Label and Learn sign language to start with some communication
\n\u2022 Super Duper Publications sells many speech and language materials.
\n\u2022 Help for Articulation by Lazzari, available at LinguiSystems
\n\u2022 Mouth Madness: Oral Motor Activities for Children by Catherine Orr
\nVISION IMPAIRED<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Home schooling Your Vision Impaired Child website
\n\u2022 Six Friends, resources for Christian families living with a visual impairment website
\n\u2022 Resources for Parents and Teachers of Blind Kids website
\n\u2022 Support group for families who are home schooling a blind child at Yahoo! Groups<\/p>\nTESTING AND CONSULTANTS FOR STRUGGLING LEARNERS<\/h2>\n
\nThe public school system special education team administers psychoeducational testing to students who live in their geographic area. These tests generally include a cognitive test to measure IQ, an achievement test to measure grade levels, a speech\/language test, social worker evaluation and possibly a Conners Behavior Scale test for ADD\/ADHD. Even though this testing is free to the parent, it can come with a higher cost: interference from the public school system in your child\u2019s home education.
\nThe criteria used to determine if a child is qualified to receive special education services used to be a \u201cdiscrepancy scale\u201d only. This meant that the child\u2019s IQ and achievement levels were found to be around 15 points apart. When that level of discrepancy occurred, it was determined that the child had a disability that was interfering with his true learning ability. The criteria that schools are moving towards now is to use various tests to determine if a child is \u201cresistive to learning\u201d (the new term), and needs various interventions such as reading, writing, or math tutoring in order to achieve up to grade level.
\nThe problem with public school testing for home schooling families is twofold:
\n1. The tests \u201cquantify\u201d the problem, but do not give the parent any recommendations for remediation at home, aside from common suggestion, including:
\n\u2022 Sitting closer to the teacher,
\n\u2022 Using hands-on teaching methods,
\n\u2022 Giving the child something to fidget with,
\n\u2022 Breaking longer assignments into smaller units,
\n\u2022 Giving clear deadlines,
\n\u2022 Allowing more time for tests,
\n\u2022 Providing a quiet room for testing,
\n\u2022 Using a word processor for longer written assignments.
\nCommon services offered by public schools include:
\n\u2022 Speech therapy once a week (in a small group),
\n\u2022 A special education resource room for help with reading, or writing, or math three to five times a week,
\n\u2022 Occupational therapy once a week,
\n\u2022 Meeting with a psychologist or social worker once a week for behavior management.
\nOther than the use of the school professional services, many of these suggestions generally have already been implemented at home by the frustrated parents.
\n2. After the testing has been completed, a meeting is held in which the test results are revealed to the parent. During this time, the child\u2019s needs are outlined, and the parents usually are strongly encouraged to sign an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for services provided by the public school. It\u2019s tempting for parents to agree, since the services are free. However, they are not free in the fullest extent. The IEP is a government document authorizing the school system to use their means to meet the child\u2019s educational and emotional needs. The government then becomes responsible for the child\u2019s remedial education. The child needs to be registered with the school system as a student in order to receive these services. Many times the parent is strongly advised to enroll their child in school, so that the full education can be provided\u2026not just the special services.
\nIf the parent declines to sign the IEP\u2014rejecting school services\u2014sometimes that is where the process ends. Other times, and more often than we would like, the school district advises the parent that the only way for this child to make the progress that needs to be made is to avail themselves of the school\u2019s services. If this doesn’t happen, they insinuate, it could constitute neglect.
\nThis, of course, is a very uncomfortable position for the parents to find themselves in. They never expected to encounter so much interference; they just wanted to find out how to better teach their child at home. It is for this reason that it is strongly recommended that parents secure testing outside of the public school setting in order to pursue the needs of their struggling learner. As we will see later, many times formal testing is not even required to find out where the child\u2019s learning problem is, and how to work with a special needs child.
\nPRIVATE DOMAIN TESTING<\/strong>
\nThe telephone directory for every city lists various centers or individuals who perform psychoeducational testing for IQ and achievement. Your statewide home school group also often has names of local testers who are home school friendly.
\nEven with private testing, parents face the question of how best to educate their child. Tests alone do not answer this question: They are designed to reveal a child’s learning level, strengths and weaknesses\u2014to \u201cquantify\u201d the problem through a standardized set of scores. And those who administer private tests generally make the same instructional recommendations as public school officials, with one exception.
\nPrivate consultants often recommend various outside services including:
\n\u2022 Private Speech Therapy
\n\u2022 Private Occupational Therapy
\n\u2022 Outside tutoring such as one provided by a reading clinic in your area.
\nParents generally must pay for these services themselves, unless their child\u2019s pediatrician recommends them. If that is the case, often the parents\u2019 insurance company will pay for all or part of the therapies.
\nUnfortunately, there are times when parents spend much money on testing, only to find they still lack direction as to how to instruct their child differently, to make the learning process easier.
\nThese valuable consultants do not do psychoeducational testing, but rather tend to rely on the achievement testing to find the child\u2019s present grade levels in subjects, and to find the child\u2019s strengths and weaknesses in learning. If they do use some cognitive measure, they generally use the Woodcock Johnson Cognitive Testing as opposed to the more in-depth WISC IV testing.
\nThe reason is that the Woodcock can be given by anyone with a college education, whereas the WISC IV requires extensive training and education to administer. What is the difference? Technically, the differences are huge. Practically speaking, for home schooling purposes, the differences would be negligible, since the focus of all testing should be on the interventions or change in instructional practices for the child, versus the test scores achieved.
\nMany private home school consultants bypass the more formal, standardized testing such as the Woodcock\/Johnson and instead use more informal tests, such as the Brigance test or their own tests. Their goal is to determine grade levels and weaknesses in the learning process so that the emphasis can be on correcting those weaknesses using both therapies and instructional practices in the home.
\nIt is recommended that all parents of children with special needs use the services of a consultant to help determine levels of functioning and progress made throughout the year. Most importantly, consultants can help provide instructional techniques that the parent can use instead of the typical curriculum that works well for the other members in the family, but not for the struggling learner.
\nThese consultants help the parent explore many different methods to help their child get past the learning blocks that are preventing him from succeeding. They can serve as your encourager, instructional guide, and vouch for the progress your child has made each year, if this should ever be called into question by any officials.
\nHow can you find a good consultant to partner with you in your endeavors? First, seek out the recommendations from your local support group. They have first-hand experience, and know the names of the people currently providing this service. You can also check with HSLDA’s consultant database. You can contact them at www.hslda.org or 540-338-5600.
\nHOME TESTS<\/strong>
\nThe checklists provided in this packet were designed to serve as a guide for parents to determine where their child\u2019s learning is \u201cblocked.\u201d Home school parents are the ultimate \u201cdo-it-your-selfers.\u201d If parents study the material presented, an understanding of their child\u2019s struggles can be gleaned from the checklists. After all, the parents have observed their struggling learner more carefully than any tester, no matter how long the testing time allotted is.
\nThis packet also contains many suggestions for a significant change in teaching strategies for the struggling learner. Thus, the information provided in these pages serves as an informal tutorial for parents, as they search for the reason why their child is struggling with the learning process. It does not have to be so hard anymore to determine the cause of your child’s struggles, and to find some very good avenues to pursue in overcoming them.
\nFor parents who want to do a more formal testing at home, HSLDA provides the Brigance test for rent. This test will give grade levels that the child is presently on, and give some idea of the processing problem. It does not, however, give any strategies for teaching or instruction that would correct the processing problem.
\nEnd-of-the-year tests can be a helpful source of information concerning your child\u2019s strengths and weaknesses in subject areas. If you give the same test each year, you can chart your child\u2019s progress, or lack of it, and adjust your teaching emphasis and style. Some home schoolers do not consider end-of-the-year tests their friend, but they can be. They give parents the feedback they need, to see if they are spending enough time on a subject, or if they need to make curriculum changes, or instructional changes for next year.
\nEnd-of-the-year tests serve three purposes for the home schooling family:
\n\u2022 They give the child practice in test-taking (a skill that will be needed all their lives).
\n\u2022 They provide important information for the parent\/teacher, so that adjustments can be made in curriculum, content, instructional time, etc., for the next year, if necessary.
\n\u2022 They give encouragement. Many home schoolers doubt that their children are making substantial progress each year, because the daily struggles overshadow the view. They are often pleasantly surprised to see the steady growth in reading, spelling and math, as they test their children at home.<\/p>\n
\n1. The California Achievement Test (CAT), the most well-known end-of-the-year tests, can be obtained at Christian Liberty Academy (www.homeschools.org). This tests levels 2nd -12th grades.
\n2. You can also get a good home test from Seton Home Study School (http:\/\/www.setonhome.org\/testing\/default.php). This tests levels K-12th grades. No special qualifications are required to give these tests. They are very inexpensive.
\n3. You can get the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills from The Sycamore Tree (www.sycamoretree.com). It tests levels K-12 grades. Along with the scores, you will receive a professional critique.
\n4. You can get a norm-referenced test from Bob Jones University Press (www.bjup.com). You can choose from either the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) or the Stanford Achievement Test 10th Edition (SAT10). They both test levels K-12 grades.<\/p>\n
\nBeing listed as a resource does not constitute an endorsement by HSLDA or the Education Alliance. The list of resources is not intended to be an exhaustive inventory of all available materials, but rather a sample listing of resources.
\nHealth information provided on these pages is meant for educational purposes only, to assist home schooling parents in their research on how best to instruct their special needs children and struggling learners. The information is not intended for use in diagnosis or treatment of health problems, or to prescribe particular therapies, medication or nutritional supplements. For specific medical advice parents should consult licensed physicians and other certified health professionals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"