Homeschooling a child with low IQ/intellectual disability.

[my3peanuts]

My son is 6 and is currently in public school kindergarten. This is his 2nd year in K. He has a disability, is on an IEP, and has a low IQ. In any consideration of homeschooling I feel like I'm presented with a lot of challenges. I don't know that I feel capable of teaching him. He does not learn in a typical way and I'm afraid I might not be able to understand well enough they way he learns to truly teach him. I also worry about standardized testing that is required by the state. There's just no way he'll pass the standardized tests, he is roughly 2-2.5 years behind his peers in most regards, especially academically.

I do know he would continue to receive therapy as he has gross and fine motor delays, speech delays, visual motor challenges, etc.

Has anyone else successfully homeschooled a child with these special needs?

[moominmamma]

I don't have any direct experience. However, I did want to extend some hearty words of encouragement. I highly doubt that with a child as unique as your ds, you will find that his teachers in the school system will be able to quickly understand all the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of his personality, his delays, his strengths, his limitations and his learning style in order to effectively apply whatever theoretical knowledge they have to his situation. Realistically I think you'll find that they'll spend months each year just trying to get to know him, and more months trying out a variety of ways to work with him. And then with every new classroom and every new teacher there will be that whole getting-to-know-him learning curve to climb again. Your intimate knowledge of his long-term development, your love for him, your big-picture I've-known-him-since-birth intimate knowledge of what works for him will more than make up for your lack of expertise. And I expect your expertise will grow astronomically as you wade into homeschooling, as you research approaches and begin to apply what you are learning.

Every state I know of that requires standardized testing either requires it just for the parent to keep on record (no reporting) or if reporting is required, it's merely expected that the child will "show progress commensurate with age and ability" or similar wording. Meaning you are totally covered if he's testing 2 or 4 years behind and has documented developmental delays. No worries there.

Miranda

[Greatfamily5]

I too have a son diagnosed with an intellectual disability.  He is in a 3rd grade Life Skills Program in his zoned public school. I too am considering home schooling him in addition to what he is learning in the classroom.  The questions I have asked the professionals is: How do I know my son is receiving everything he needs for his specific educational needs in the county we currently live in?  How do I know determine that and how do I go about finding that out?  It just feels like he is not being challenged to do more.  It just "feels" like I should be doing more because the schools are not.  I haven't been able to have anyone answer those questions for me. 

[fruitfulmomma]

http://www.nathhan.com/ - might be useful for you and I am pretty certain that the state would not expect him to test at grade level