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How do I home educate my autistic child?
For a child with autism, home education may be something you’re considering as an inclusive education option. Perhaps you are already educating your child at home. There are lots of things you can do to succeed, including:
- Experimenting with teaching methods to find what works for your child.
- Creating a comfortable area for school work.
- Defining a consistent family routine.
- Finding an activity to build your child’s confidence.
- Accepting that each child will have a unique developmental journey.
Video - How we teach our autistic children
Louise and Leigh are parents who home educate all three of their children. One of their sons, Alfie, has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and his younger brother Ted may have the same condition.
They explain how they manage their living room lessons and offer some tips for parents in a similar situation.
Leigh:
Hi, I’m Leigh.
Louise:
Hi, I’m Louise.
Leigh:
And we home educate our three children in South Leicestershire.
So, Alfie and possibly Ted have a diagnosis for ASD on the Autistic Spectrum Disorder. What it’s meant is that we can just experiment a little bit more, and just try different things to accommodate their needs can’t we? So, for example Ted really doesn’t like the touch of paper and so what we’ve been able to do is just get him an iPad instead with a pencil and he writes on that. Or we’ve got him some little gloves that he uses instead and so I think that the flexibility we’ve got from home education has allowed us to experiment with these things more and try and create an area for them to work in that’s a little more comfortable and meets what they need.
Louise:
Whereas Alfie’s not so much sensory, he’s more social, isn’t he? -Yeah. - So, since he’s been out of school, he’s actually calmed down a lot by just not having the social pressure and the unpredictability of school. So, we’ll make sure with the routine at the minute, getting up at the same time, having breakfast, so if we stick to those structures, he’s much calmer, isn’t he? And happier.
Leigh:
And so what we’ve been able to do with home ed is just try to make sure he gets much more positive socialisation interactions with people of all different age groups and backgrounds, and that’s really, really helped him. And dealing with the learning needs of the ASD side of things again, taking the pressure off and letting go of the expectations of where he should be at a certain age has really helped.
Louise:
But he’s absolutely fine with that now, and clearly his interest is more garden –and he’s amazing in the garden –Yeah. So, he can build his confidence, and that’s his calm place so he can get out there when he’s feeling anxious or stressed and he’s got somewhere to go.
Leigh:
And then once he’s got that confidence, he’s much more able to tackle the things that he struggles with. -Absolutely. So, he builds it up in one area and then can apply it elsewhere and so that again, just creating that environment has really helped him.
Home education hacks: autism and education at home
- Don't be afraid to experiment to find a method that suits your child. For example, Louise and Leigh’s son, Ted, doesn't like the feel of paper on his skin, so he wears gloves while he's filling out a worksheet.
- Think about an area for school work that you can create or adapt to make your child feel as comfortable as possible.
- Family routines can help to settle your child's mood - getting up at the same time and having breakfast together, if possible.
- Different learning needs as a result of autism might take the pressure off some worries you have as a parent, like where they should be in their development at a certain age.
- Find an activity that gives your child confidence. When they're struggling with their schoolwork and motivation is running low, give them a break so they can do this activity, then come back to the work with a brighter perspective. Louise and Leigh's son, Alfie, enjoys time in the garden during their breaks from lessons.
Where can I find more support for home education and parenting?
The BBC Bitesize home education collection is designed to support you and your child’s learning at home with free resources for early years and foundation stage (EYFS), primary and secondary-age students.
Bitesize Parents’ Toolkit is the go-to place for the whole parenting community to find stories, expert advice and fun activities.
If your child has special educational needs and / or disabilities, be sure to check out the Parents’ Toolkit SEND collection.
For more information about home education, these BBC News articles cover the rise in families deciding to educate their children at home and, from 2021, the impact of Covid on home education.