Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, alters the way your child communicates and behaves. One of the biggest adjustment periods in your young child’s life will be when they start going to school. Homework is perhaps the hardest aspect of school because it requires the completion of a lot of difficult tasks over a long period of time. These are the four ways you can provide homework help for children with ASD.
Develop a Daily Routine
Developing routines is crucial when living with ASD, and this is no different when dealing with homework. Your child will have a much easier time completing their homework if it is done at the same time every day. The homework also needs to be done in the same location, so it would be wise to dedicate a desk or table exclusively to schoolwork. Once a routine is developed, they will gladly open the books without any issues.
Make Sure They Understand
It is impossible for your child to finish their homework if they do not understand the assignment. Since communication is one of the aspects that kids with ASD can struggle with the most, this will likely be a fairly common occurrence. Do not let your child get frustrated because they do not understand the assignment. Take the time to slowly explain everything that needs to be done before they start working.
Provide Small Rewards
It is hard for children to understand that they are getting something valuable out of their homework. This is why it is important to start a reward system. If your child completes the assignment without any behavioral issues, then they need to get something in return. This reward will obviously be determined based on your child’s interest, but it should be something small like extra television time or their favorite snack.
Small Periods of Work
Homework is a tedious process for every child. They do not want to spend hours on an assignment after being in school all day. This issue is even more prevalent when your child has autism. The best way to get the assignment completed without any behavioral problems is by breaking it up into small sections. This will prevent the homework from feeling overwhelming while also giving them a sense of accomplishment every time a section is finished.