“What home school curriculum should I use?” is the #1 question people ask me when they want to know their best home school curriculum choice! I’ve put together this page to help you pick the right program for your child.
However, before you seek the “perfect” curricula, I must tell you there is no “one size fits all” learning disabilities curriculum.
The 2 BIGGEST keys for figuring out the best home school curriculum to fit YOUR child are:
1) Identify your child’s Learning Style so you can pick programs that will make learning easier for your child,
and
2) Have your child evaluated so you will KNOW what learning difficulties, like working memory deficits or a slow processing speed, you need to address so your child will be able to learn. This will also help you pick the best home school curriculum for your individual child.
After you figure out the TYPEs of programs you need for your child, visit the pages below for curriculum ideas. Be sure to pick the best home school curriculum that fits your child’s needs based upon his specific learning disabilities. In addition, be sure to consider your child’s learning style and your personal teaching style. Be sure to keep in mind, your child’s learning style is more important than your teaching style.
Pages with Home School Curriculum for Learning Disabilities:
Free Multisensory Curriculum Online
First, let’s look at high-quality, free learning programs on the Internet. These programs can be stand alone sources of curriculum for children with an auditory or visual learning style. Children with ADHD often like the engagement of such programs as well.
Online, Interactive Reading Games and Programs
If a child has ADHD, dyslexia, or another learning disability, using audio-visual programming to engage a child in learning can help build a child’s reading skills. Having interactive, online reading programs keeps kids interested in learning.
Finding Effective Orton-Gillingham (O-G) Programs
Something else to consider is O-G programs. They are special reading programs used to help children with dyslexia learn how to read. O-G reading programs will work for almost any child. However, O-G programs are essential curriculum for children with dyslexia. If your child has been diagnosed with true dyslexia and lacks phonemic awareness, then an Orton-Gillingham reading program will be your best home school curriculum choice for your child.
Scientifically Proven Reading Programs
These reading programs have scientific study data to prove their effectiveness. They are typically used for remediating learning disabilities in the area of reading, specifically for dyslexia. They are good solid, comprehensive programs for teaching reading using Orton-Gillingham methods. The proven programs that are also Orton-Gillingham are some of the best home school curriculum choices for any child.
Reading Programs for Homeschooling to Overcome Dyslexia
– These programs and materials are somewhat less expensive than the programs listed under the “Proven Reading Programs” tab. These programs may or may not have study data to back them up. However, generally speaking they are an inexpensive approach to remediation. If you use the programs diligently, they can be good, solid programs. They may not be the best home school curriculum option available, but they’re inexpensive and generally work well for kids who don’t have clinically diagnosable dyslexia.
Math Curriculum for Homeschooling to Overcome Dyscalculia
As another consideration, look at the options you have for math programs. Math programs are chosen for their visual and multisensory elements, which help children with learning disabilities remember the content more effectively. Any math program that uses multisensory materials rather than just text in a book is going to be your best home school curriculum for your child with learning disabilities.
Learning Disability Curriculum Providers for Homeschoolers
Check out these sellers of Hi-Lo curriculum for learning disabilities in the area of reading. The materials are age-appropriate for a child’s chronological age, and available in various lower reading levels. You can purchase books with your child’s current reading level (RL) and his current chronological age/grade level (IL). If you select carefully, you can make a viable curriculum package for your child.
General Homeschool Curriculum Providers
Lastly, I thought I’d go ahead and point you to our page on general home school curriculum providers even though they aren’t specifically best home school curriculum options for children with learning disabilities. Select typical home school programs in subjects where your child’s learning disabilities do not affect his learning. Keep in mind, your child can use grade-level science and social studies programs if they include audiobooks or teaching is by DVD or computer. In ability to read does not have to be a barrier to learning! A couple of our favorites were Sonlight for their history readers and Apologia Science for their hands-on science activities.
In addition, if you need help figuring out which programs your child needs, go through an instructional design process. It will help you better understand which home school curriculum will best meet your child’s needs. You can step through the process by beginning here: Programs for Overcoming Learning Disabilities.
