Homeschooling a 3yo with special needs

[IncompetentHousewife]

Forgive me if I should have put this in the homeschooling forum!

I'd like to connect with anyone who has experience homeschooling a preschooler with special needs. I am in the process of adopting an almost 3-year-old through foster care who has a variety of special needs. If he were born to me I'd just keep him at home and go about day-to-day life and learning, but because he is still a ward of the state until the end of the year I feel as if I need to be prepared to answer specific questions about our homeschooling plans.

I'm open to hearing about any resources or ideas you have: curriculum, books to read, how to set goals for him when the typical 3-year-old milestones don't fit a child who is functioning at half his chronological age, etc.

I did learn today that the early intervention program, which normally ages kids out at age 3, will keep him in a home-based program until he's 5 if he's unable to be in a classroom. (I'm saying he's unable.) This will allow me continued access to OT, PT and speech therapy.

[waiting2bemommy]

A few things I have done although my ds' issues are social/behavioral and not academic:

Sign up for weekly story time at the library and follow their "curriculum." i.e. each week they focus on something specific....we did a series of colors, then letters, then animals. Supplement that activity with similar things at home. Although ds can do most 3 yr old activities I try to find things that wioll include his 1 yr old sister as well. So for example, the week that we focused on the color red, we made red finger paint (sensory), then used a variety of household objects (like empty thread spools) to make prints on an old box I broke down. Ds has fine motor delays so this was also an OT activity. Another time we did a scavenger hunt for things that started with that letter. That might be a bit tricky but I included dd by looking ahead, spotting something that started with that letter and then asking her to find it.

I keep a notebook with samples of ds' work in it. I don't add to it as much as I'd like to, but whenever we do something new, I will glue it in there and notate the date.

There are a lot of things you can do that can be adapted to whatever his abilities are.

I get good ideas from here:http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/  It's not specifically geared towards SN but like I said the ideas are easily adaptable and a lot of fun.

A way to find goals for him might be on your state's public schools' website. Our state has a list of skills for preschoolers to master. Or, if those are yet out of his reach, the Early Intervention website usually has comprehensive lists of milestones.

I don't know if any of that helps. I find myself floundering with ds sometimes as I try to make sure that I'm covering all my bases in working with him!

[beenmum]

At 3, there is nothing to do for actual Homeschooling.

Provide information on where you will take him to socialize with his peers. What summer activities you plan on doing with him. Any playgroups you have joined.

As for education, this could be your answer:

"Its still to early to choose a curriculum with him yet. I would like to see where his skill sett is and what type of learning style would suit him. I have some great HS resources on line. And by the time he is ready to start kindy, I think we will know more about his educational needs"