Educating a Child with Special Needs or Autism

I am a child therapist who also home schools my three kiddos. Please remember that there are many ways to learn not everyone can verbalize or communicate using vocal abilities. I suggest that you look up special "occupational therapy" techniques that can accommodate learning for your child. For example, instead of writing with a pencil and paper you would use a sand tray and his finger to help him trace letters. If your child can't sit still for long periods then have him sit on an bouncy exercise ball. Things like this will help facilitate learning for your child. Please also remember that there is NOT a RIGHT way to learn. An excellent education can come from taking a hike in the woods just as much as it can come from sitting in a student desk at a thriving educational institution:) 

Here are some really good occupational therapy resources (these are just a few). I'd like to encourage you to think OUTSIDE of the BOX. Every child is special and a label or a diagnosis doesn't change that:) These websites provide you with a few ideas but you know your child the best and you can take what he/she loves and base their entire day of learning on it! For example, he wakes up and points to his stuffed dinosaur...so you make him Dino pancakes for breakfast, help him make a Dino out of playdoh, go for a walk around the neighborhood discussing the weather while searching for Dino bones, foot prints, fossils, read Dino books and then finish it off with a little Dino math by finding round rocks (Dino eggs) and counting, adding and subtracting them! See, it's educational, fun and doable with your special needs child! 

Reading:

http://therapystreetforkids.com/EyeHandCoord.html

http://readingtokids.org/ReadingClubs/TipOccTherapyTips.php

General Ed:

http://www.theclassroomcreative.com/2012/10/19/occupational-therapy-ideas-for-kids/

Writing:

http://drzachryspedsottips.blogspot.com/2012/05/matching-colors-and-improving-fine.html?m=1

http://therapystreetforkids.com/Handwriting.html