Home Education for Children with Asperger’s Syndrome
At Oxford Home Schooling we appreciate that a child with Asperger’s Syndrome can face tremendous challenges in their daily school life. We know that he or she can find social interaction and communication difficult and can also find it hard to interpret the feelings of others. This can sometimes lead to conflict with peers and teachers. Yet at the same time, children with Asperger’s Syndrome may be of above average intellectual ability and often excel in specialist subjects.
We understand that some schools may not draw on the specialist knowledge parents have of their children’s needs, strengths and likely behaviour in a variety of situations. This can have a dramatic effect on a child’s self esteem, quality of education, and ability to achieve his or her full potential in the classroom.
Home Schooling can provide advantages for a child with Asperger’s Syndrome, although we realise that making a decision to educate a child at home is a very difficult one for any parent to make.
On the plus side, study hours are more flexible, there is more time to work on a particular topic (lessons need not follow a rigid timetable!), and children can have a say in organising their own time. They are able to work in an environment in which they feel happy and safe, and possible conflict with their teachers and peers is greatly reduced. This can help to reduce feelings of frustration and help to build confidence and self-esteem.
At Oxford Home Schooling, one of our Student Advisers would be pleased to discuss home education with you if you are considering educating a child with Asperger’s Syndrome at home.
