Homework Issues with Autism
Last year we had some problems with Dakota not doing his homework. He started school in May full time and he would get homework. There were days it would be a fight just to get it done. I really didn’t understand why. At first I thought it was just the fact that he didn’t want to do it. Which I am sure there were times he just didn’t want to do it. I don’t think he should be exempt from homework. As he is just like any kid in the classroom and should do it. As this is the second day of school and his homework has been pretty easy as to just answering a question and reading a book so far. I know that there will be struggles. The teacher and I are prepared for them and he is going to attempt it. We even agreed that he could use the laptop. He doesn’t know that yet. But I can print his homework when he is doing typing it. That will come later down the road if need be.
I came across an interesting article called “Should Autistic Children Be Exempt From Homework? By Dr Tony Attwood“.
He said there are two reasons that there are struggles with homework one being the stress of being at school and the second is due to their profile of cognitive skills. Which I can relate to the first one as I can see when Dakota comes home he shuts down. I am sure in time that will get better.
Stressors at School
- Learn with traditional curriculum but encounter additional learning experiences and stress.
- Learning only by mistakes is NOT the most efficient way to learn.
- difficulty in reading and responding to emotions
- unexpected changes in routine
- noisy classroom
I am not getting into the cognitive side but if your interested it suggests things on supervision, memory, emotions, etc. Which basically is what we have set up in Daktoa’s IEP and we can change it as necessary. The teacher is really great at communication so I think we can accommodate him along the way.
I think there are ways to accommodate the kids to get their homework done. It’s a matter of coming up with creative ideas and the school and parents working together. Maybe sometime into the year I will have some more ideas on this.
When my kid had difficulties in dealing with homework issues, the teaching staff had tried the aspect of not requiring my kid to perform homework; that the lesson plan “didn’t count” for him. In his thoughts, he felt that he, himself, “didn’t count”, separate from the group. In short: bad idea.
Kids learn by trial and error. Kids grow by weathering both the sunshining days and the storms. Yes, there is no doubt, homework issues were pretty heavy, early on – but we got through it once we established a “beat” – a time table, daily, after the after-school snack but before dinner, which homework was required to be worked on. Yes, it was a struggle – blood, sweat, and tears not just for my youngest son, but also my oldest son, the kids’ step parents, the kids’ biological parents…but it is worth it. Just one more step towards gaining independence – which is the goal, I would hope, of every parent.
Just a thought…from the mother of a mainstreamed autistic kid. He is “high-functioning, moderately autistic”, though, at age 4, I was told he “may not acquire speech skills – might not talk”.
He’s okay so far…
Would be great to hear your ideas as the year goes on.
I think Atwood is right. Exemption should at least be considered, especially as there is more homework than less going on for everybody.
Errorless learning is good too.
And using the laptop is just awesome. Then he can present his work well.
What do you do when Dakota shuts down?