Ways to Help Your Special Needs Child Transition to Homework
- amykdtobik2
- Aug 8
- 3 min read
By Karen Kaplan, MS
After a full day of school, homework is probably the last thing most students want to do.
Can you imagine how it might feel for students with differences to handle all the sensory factors at school, the verbal demands placed on them, and the expectations from other students and staff to connect, engage, and collaborate? What about all the transitions that must be faced by students?
The phrase “It is time for homework” just might be the last thing they want to hear upon arriving home. So, what can you do to complete this expectation in a positive manner?
Here are some tips for getting homework:
First and foremost, try not to enforce homework right away.
Give them some space to put things away.
Offer a snack they like.
Let them engage in some type of transition activity that brings joy or calmness to them.
Now, create a calm and supportive homework environment.
Provide a desk or table away from noise, bright lights, and people coming and going. They might do better with earphones (Amazon.com: earphones for autism) or with calming music while they work.
Provide a great chair (maybe a ball chair from Amazon.com, a chair with a sponge seat cushion, or a wobble chair).
If you notice that their feet or legs are in motion, tie a rubber strap (Thera-band) Amazon.com: resistance bands for autism around desk legs or chair so they can push on it while sitting.
Once they are comfortable, find out how you might help. Would they like you to go over the homework activity with them? Do they need some additional prompts on how to do the assignment? Do they have all the supplies they need to accomplish the task (paper, pens, crayons, scissors, etc.)? Do they have any questions?
Perhaps ask them if they would enjoy a snack while they complete the task.
If the assignment seems too long, reach out to the teacher. Perhaps they might give fewer problems to solve, especially if they are unnecessary. If your individual has an IEP (Individualized Education Program) or an ITP (Individualized Transition Plan), include some homework accommodations in the documents.
Some accommodations might be:
Extra time for homework completion.
Reduced workload or fewer problems per assignment.
Chunked assignments to match the student’s focus or processing abilities.
Preferred seating or quiet workspace at home.
Oral or audio instructions for assignments.
Use of assistive technology (voice recognition software, calculators, large print).
Practice materials or study guides.
Visual aids (charts, graphic organizers, highlighted key points).
Frequent breaks during independent work.
Home materials (extra textbooks, adapted supplies).
Karen Kaplan, MS, is a native San Franciscan. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, in speech pathology and audiology. She minored in special education and obtained her speech therapist and special education credentials in California. Karen worked as a school-based speech therapist for 20 years before opening her own residential and educational program for students with autism. She worked in credential programs at Sacramento State University and UC Davis and spent 20 years directing private schools for students with autism and similar learning challenges. Karen founded a non-profit, Offerings, which helps cultures worldwide understand people with developmental challenges. For seven years, she founded and facilitated an autism lecture series and resource fair in Northern California. Karen still facilitates an annual Autism Awesomeness event. She is currently consulting and helping families, schools, and centers serving children, teens, and adults. Karen has authored three books: Reach Me Teach Me: A Public School Program for the Autistic Child; A Handbook for Teachers and Administrators, On the Yellow Brick Road: My Search for Home and Hope for the Child with Autism, and Typewriting to Heaven… and Back: Conversations with My Dad on Death, Afterlife and Living (which is not about autism but about having important conversations with those we love).
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