Homeschooling Your Child with Autism
All contents of this resource were created for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, therapist, or other qualified health providers with any questions or concerns you may have.
More parents of children with autism are opting to homeschool for a variety of reasons. In this article, you will information about homeschooling your child with autism, including: pros and cons to homeschooling, curriculum options, how to ensure your child has access to social opportunities, and sample schedules.
Requirements for Homeschooling
State law regulates homeschooling, so you will need to check with your State Department of Education in order to find out about their particular laws and requirements. This website has a summary of laws for each state as well as links to every state’s Department of Education website. Additional resources regarding homeschooling laws and requirements can be found at the end of this article.
Public School Responsibilities
Public schools are required to perform educational testing on your child if requested. On the other hand, state laws vary on whether they are required to provide services for your homeschooled child. Check with your local Department of Education for further information.
Pros and Cons to Homeschooling
After you’ve familiarized yourself with your state’s homeschooling laws and requirements, it’s time to take a look at the pros and cons of homeschooling. Below, you will find a list of pros and cons to help you get started.
Pros to Homeschooling a Child with Autism
- Parent and child get to spend more time together
- Instruction is individualized to your child’s learning needs
- Parent can focus on child’s strengths
- Flexible schedule and setting
- Take breaks as needed
- Homeschool at any time of day
- Homeschool anywhere – home, library, outside, coffee shop, etc.
- Follow a year-round schedule with fewer school days per week
- More time and flexibility for scheduling therapies
- More time to spend on special interests
- Home environment is safe and free of bullying
- Parent has control over nutritional needs and allergen exposure
- Parent can control the environment for sensory overstimulation
- Decreased anxiety for your child
- Decreased pathogen exposure for immune-compromised children
Cons to Homeschooling a Child with Autism
- May not be possible due to loss of parent income
- Parent may feel under-qualified to teach child
- Child may not respond well to parent instruction, but will respond to a teacher
- Parent is responsible for purchasing curriculum and materials
- Homeschooling takes lots of planning and organization
- Can be isolating and lonely
- Socializing takes effort to plan
- Lack of structure can be difficult for some children
- Parent and child do not get a break from each other
Homeschool Curriculum Options
A wide variety of curriculum options and homeschool methods are available to tailor learning to your child. Parents should consider learning style and developmental appropriateness of the method when researching curriculum. Here are some general options you should consider:
- All-in-one curriculum – same grade level and delivery method for all academics
- Computer based learning programs
- School-at-home style textbooks and workbooks
- Eclectic – parents pick and choose parts of different homeschooling resources
- Unschooling – driven by student interest and life experiences, not formal lessons
These websites provide free homeschool curriculum reviews:
Children that qualify for an IEP may count therapy hours as homeschool. Work with your therapy providers to conduct an independent assessment and create an in-home therapy treatment plan.
Socialization
Many parents worry about how their children with get peer interaction when homeschooling their child with autism. Here are a few suggestions.
- Join a homeschool co-operative
- Participate in local homeschool classes
- YMCA
- Zoo
- Museums
- Art classes
- Gymnastics centers
- Library reading times and groups
- Book Club
- Private homeschool groups
- Join a sports team
- Group music lessons
- Playdates
- Religious organizations
- Find a local homeschool Facebook group and ask about local options
Sample Homeschool Schedules
There are endless ways to structure your day while homeschooling your child with autism. Check your state homeschooling regulations to find out how many hours per day and days per year you are required for each school year.
Example 1: Access To Community Supports (Academic)
8:00am Breakfast
8:30am Reading
9:00am Math
9:30am Sensory break
10:00am Go to zoo science class
12:00pm Lunch/cooking lesson
1:00pm Special interest activity
2:00pm Writing
3:00pm Speech therapy
Example 2: Access To Community Supports (Therapeutic)
8:00am Breakfast
8:30am Get dressed
9:00am ABA therapy
12:00pm Lunch
12:30pm Reading with parent
1:00pm Physical exercise
2:00pm Occupational therapy
3:00pm Group art class
Example 3: No Community Supports (Academic)
8:00 am Breakfast
8:30 am Morning movement activity
9:00 am Math
9:45 am Sensory break
10:15 am Reading
11:00 am Chores
11:30 am Art or music
12:00 pm Lunch/cooking
12:30 pm Outside play/ PE
1:30 pm Social Studies
2:00 pm Board/card game
2:30pm Science activity
3:15pm Educational activity on electronics
Example 4: No Community Supports (Therapeutic)
8:00 am Breakfast
8:30 am Morning movement activity/Sensory diet
9:00 am Reading with parent
9:30 am Sensory break
10:00 am Occupational therapy activities (sensory or fine motor: crafts, coloring, play-doh, pipe cleaners)
10:30 am Educational activity on electronics
11:00 am Life skills (chores, cooking, dressing, bathing, turn taking)
12:00 pm Lunch
12:30 pm Outside playtime
1:30 pm Speech therapy activities (blow bubbles, articulation games, AAC practice)
2:00 pm Math activity (sidewalk chalk counting/math, math board games)
2:30pm Neighborhood walk with activity (count mailboxes, find an object of a certain color, work on communication)
3:15pm Communication/social skills (phone call/video chat/email)
Conclusion
If you’re considering homeschooling your child with autism, there are many options and factors to take into consideration. Nonetheless, with a little research and planning, homeschooling can be a rewarding experience for both you and your child.
