This morning my son and I discussed literature. Specifically, we noted a good author’s ability to challenge and strengthen the mind and character in ways mere escapist entertainment never can. Michael wants to protect his mind, because he fears the long-term prognosis of some of his conditions. He does not want to lose the ability […]
Teach him to read well. Stop his body from moving before giving a verbal direction. Give clear, short directions he can follow. Minimize auditory and visual distractions during work time. Provide headphones or earplugs and a supervised “office” area for independent work. Teach in a small, contained area with clear physical boundaries. Provide a visual […]
Perhaps your child struggles with attention or concentration, speech or language, sensory or intellectual function, emotional regulation, reading, writing, or other aspects of learning. Whether you have been trying to teach him for years, have recently pulled him from a disappointing or unsuccessful program, or are just now in the earliest stages of research, now you can teach your […]
Shining Like the Stars Forever and Ever In the book Simply Classical, I share how my two children, despite their significant special needs, benefit from a classical Christian education which not only strengthens their minds, but also impacts their souls. One recent event underscored what this kind of education can do for our children, and what it can […]
Families come to trust Memoria Press for a variety of reasons. We came through desperation. Our oldest child did not speak until he was five, and he and his younger sister have significant receptive and expressive language difficulties. Finding a good, solid education for them was literally bringing us to our knees. We knew we wanted to homeschool. But having […]
How can I help my struggling student with his online classes? 1. Begin with only one course. We strongly recommend starting the student with only one course, unless he is accustomed to completing large amounts of advanced classwork. 2. Plan to complete each assignment. A structured online class may require a great deal of time for the struggling student, so […]
Far and few, far and few Are the lands where the Jumblies live. — Edward Lear Amidst all the academic rigor, children need a little nonsense. Not only do we love to hear our children giggle, nonsense stretches a child’s mind. A little silliness can take them to unexpected, liberating places. We could research scientific […]
Q. I have a young son who has several special-needs issues. He is severely autistic, nonverbal, and significantly developmentally delayed. His cognitive age was just recently rated at 2 years. He is learning to use Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) cards to communicate and does approximated sign language for a few words. What concerns me, […]
Q. How will my special-needs child benefit from literature? A. Some special-needs children enjoy messages conveyed through simple picture books. In Frederick, by Leo Lionni, a little mouse cannot assist his family in the usual manner of hard, physical labor. He is not strong like the others. Instead, in days of distress, Frederick shares his small […]
Q. Our school uses Memoria Press K-8 classical curriculum. Currently we have a child with Down Syndrome in first grade. We are looking for any help you could offer with new modifications to the existing curriculum. A. Children with Down Syndrome can vary widely in ability, but these initial thoughts might spark more ideas of […]