What is a parent to do when their child with autism is not on grade level? Don’t worry about it. Forget about grade levels when homeschooling a child with autism. Church is the only place where we assign an actual grade level for any of our children, autism or not. For Madison, our typical child, we looked at her actual age then placed her in the corresponding grade level. For Logan, our child with autism, we looked at his developmental age then placed him in the corresponding group regardless of his physical age. It was far more important that he be where he was socially rather than anything else.
The same applies to picking out a curriculum for your homeschool. You have to look at each subject individually then place the child at the level they are at regardless of where they are ” supposed” to be. The key here is to find their comfort zone then push them a bit past it. It’s called working in their zone of proximal development. The tedious part will be finding it for every subject you teach in your homeschool. A fresh out of the box curriculum is not going to work for most children with autism.
You will be discouraged to figure out that your child is all over the place academically. Due to different sensory or fine motor limitations in our kids, there will be discrepancies. That’s fancy talk for no two subjects will be alike.
Logan is extremely gifted in reading, math, science and history. He is doing advanced work well above grade level in these areas. On the other hand, he’s severely behind in writing and language. Anything that involves fine motor skills as well as motor planning are difficult for him. Behind as in doing the same work as his sister who is in 4 1/2 years younger than him. Anything that involves writing for any period of time makes him feel inadequate. It is clearly difficult for him so we make modifications using adaptive technology in addition to teaching at the correct level. You can be at the right level but still need to make modifications.
I can’t focus on his inability to write a complete report even though he’s graduated from high school. I will lose valuable time doing anything other than pushing him slightly out of his zone then allowing him to step back in it. I can’t look at what other children are doing. I must maintain my focus on him and him alone. I have to put blinders on so to speak to keep my laser focus. If he’s not college bound, the ability to write a ten paragraph is unnecessary.
Take time out of your homeschool to check out every subject you are teaching. Check to see if you have your child at his actual level or his grade level. Look at everything you are doing, even outside activities.
Don’t worry if he’s behind. By working at his level and forgetting about his grade level completely, you will help him to learn it completely and catch up with his peers faster with less grief for everyone. More smiles and less tears. Who doesn’t want that in their homeschool?
