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Learning From Home During a Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, schools across the nation have closed their doors. Millions of students are engaging in home-based learning with the help of their teachers and administrators. For most of these students, the chief support person is their parent. How can parents best support their child’s learning during this extended period of distance education? 





In your home, create an environment that promotes concentration – choose a well-lit area with plenty of table space where you can minimize distractions during work time. Work with your child to create a routine and stick to it. Learning at the same time each day can increase your child’s ability to focus, while providing consistent break times increases motivation. 





Help your child to prioritize assignments, then assist them in identifying appropriate resources. Remind your child of strategies for independent learning. Keep in mind that a lot of learning can happen through play and exploration; structured learning time is important, but keeping a schedule aligned to the traditional school day is not imperative. Consider making room for time where your child can explore outside, read material that they enjoy, grow plants from seeds, design their own inventions, or a variety of other free-form activities that promote curiosity and exploratory thought.





Home-Based Learning for Students with Disabilities





If your child has a diagnosed disability and receives special education support in school, standard advice may not be enough to help your child succeed at distance learning. In the absence of their usual school environment, teachers, supports, and accommodations, students with disabilities may struggle to make progress on their schoolwork. Students may exhibit a lack of motivation or focus, frustration with learning content or instructional style, or difficulty with participation and understanding. What can you do to help?





  • Create a visual schedule for your child outlining the expectations for each day. Include specifics (watching a video math lesson, reading a science article, participating in a live classroom check-in, taking a break to stretch and move).
  • Contact your child’s teacher. Establish a plan for regular conversations about your child and their needs. Your plan should include both time (weekly, bi-weekly) and method of contact (phone, email). Parent-teacher communication should include:
    • Goals for the student’s learning – what is your child expected to know and do as a result of each week’s distance learning experience?
    • Prioritization of assignments – of all the work the teacher is giving to the entire class, what is most important and what should your child focus on?
    • Recommended accommodations – what can you do to make this work more accessible to your child?
    • Troubleshooting – what is working, what is not working, and why?
  • Review the accommodations listed in your child’s IEP. Think about how you can apply these accommodations in the homeschool environment. Touch base with your child’s teacher, who may have insight into creative ways to accommodate your child’s needs at home. 
  • Determine the main objective of each class session, whether it is a video lesson, a live online class, or an independent assignment. What should your child know or be able to do as a result of this lesson? 
  • Use positive reinforcement with your child. Let your child know what work and behavior (completing an assignment without a tantrum, appropriate participation in video lesson) is expected in order to earn a concrete reward (time outside, game time, etc.).
  • Be flexible about the methods your student uses to achieve each learning goal. Students with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and other disabilities may not be able to internalize a concept during a limited video lesson or online class time. If your child isn’t clear on a concept after the online class or video provided by their school, encourage them to use an alternate resource such as a game, video, or article.
  • Provide extra emotional support. Disruption of established routines can affect children with disabilities more than their peers. Remember to reassure your child that many people are facing unfamiliar challenges right now, and everyone is trying their best. It’s important you provide security and understanding in your home environment more than ever. It is also okay to acknowledge that learning goals and habits may not be the same during this time as they normally are, as long as your child knows they can turn to you for support. 




Using Online Resources to Supplement Learning 





If your child is struggling to adjust to remote classes, consider using alternate learning material to supplement their education. Independent learning can be less stressful than live video class sessions and give your child time and space to learn at their own pace without feeling observed. Online learning providers can provide a selection of alternate resources that cover a broad range of topics and grade levels. Short videos from educational providers like Study.com, PBS LearningMedia, and Learner.org can help hold attention spans and make learning approachable. Students with disabilities may find aspects like short videos with transcripts and customizable playback speeds useful when approaching new topics, or as a review of topics they’ve already learned but need a refresher on. Online learning sites often provide short quizzes you and your child can use to gauge their understanding of a topic and whether they need additional review.





Learning During Uncertain Times





As administrators, teachers, and families work to meet the needs of all types of learners during school closures, students with disabilities and their parents may find it challenging to continue their academic progress. The most that parents and educators can do is continue to support children in learning the best that they can. Contextualizing school within today’s larger global situation can help us all acknowledge the most important aspects of education are instilling a sense of curiosity, the ability to tackle new and challenging situations, and strong problem-solving tools so that our children become resilient adults.





Photo by Julia M Cameron from Pexels


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