Tutoring for Kids with Special Needs

It may seem as though the prevalence of children with special needs is increasing, however, what is actually happening is that people are being more open and honest about their difficulties and special needs. This leads to more children being diagnosed with learning difficulties like ADD, ADHD, Autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia, amongst other difficulties.

Whether you’re looking for help to support your child with special learning needs or currently tutoring a child with special learning needs there are a few things you should keep in mind:

“Say what?”

Knowing exactly what the special need or disorder entails is the first step to assisting in the best way possible.

ADD and ADHD – it stands for Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

What does this mean?

It means that the student in question has some difficulty concentrating for long periods of time, they are probably easily distracted and forgetful. They can seem as if they have their heads in the clouds.

How to help?

Make your lessons different and interesting! Anyone is bound to start sky gazing if you read straight out of the textbook, make lessons fun and interactive, with lots of questions and activities. It always helps to change lessons up a bit – turn your student’s love for Smarties into a fun and interactive lesson on multiplication. Make sure to keep lessons focused on the subject at hand and not on the latest Marvel movie!

Autism Spectrum Disorder – otherwise known as Autism, Asperger’s and ASD.

What does this mean?

Autism is a developmental disorder which can cause difficulties with communication and some behaviours, Autism can range from severe (children who don’t speak) to mild (children who are slightly socially awkward).

How to help?

Make sure to be understanding and aware of the child’s needs, don’t make a situation more socially awkward if you can easily break the ice. Find out what the child’s interests are and centre lessons around the child interests. Try not to focus on one topic for too long, as children with Autism often grasp concepts very easily. Make sure to stick to a routine as this will help the child know what to expect and decrease anxiety.

Dyslexia

What does this mean?

Dyslexia is a disorder characterised by a difficulty in reading. This can include reading fluently and quickly, spelling, comprehensions and pronunciation.

How to help?

Read school notes and textbooks to the child with them following the words in the textbook, it will help them to see the word and hear how it is pronounced. When testing the child on concepts, try do verbal tests as a written test won’t accurately give you an idea of how much the child knows as children with dyslexia sometimes struggle to express themselves through a written format, but excel in expressing themselves verbally.

HELP! My child has a learning disorder!

Don’t worry! We’re here to assist along every step of the way. Weekly tutoring sessions with an expert tutor will help your child stay on top of all school work, home work and cycle test preparation, a Study Skills Crash Course may also help in identifying the best ways of studying specific to your child’s personal needs (click here to find out more). Our Zulu Boot Camp or Afrikaans Boot Camp will be ideal if you would like your child to go back to the basics in a language in a fun and interactive way!

A concession for tests and exams might be helpful, concessions granted are:

• Extra time
• Reader
• Scribe
• Prompter
• Separate venue
• Bad spelling allowance
• Bad handwriting allowance
• Braille question paper
• Typing allowance
• Medicine or food intake
• Rest breaks
• Special equipment
• Combination of the above.

If you think your child would benefit from a concession – visit a psychologist and they will take you through the application process.

Should you require a reader, scribe, invigilator or prompter for your child, give us a call or fill out this form and we will happily assist with an expertly trained facilitator who meets your specific needs.

Having special needs definitely doesn’t mean the end of your child’s school career! They just need some innovative and individualized support given by people who understand the complexities of the different needs of children, to find out more about our tutoring – have a look at this page.

Written by: Erin Miller, BrightSparkz Staff & Tutor