So many people think that it’s difficult to engage children in learning during the summer months, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
If you outline structured lessons that are fun, engaging and flexible, you’ll find that most children with ADHD and autism will respond favorably.
It is important for both academic and personal development:
- It prevents social regression or what many teachers refer to as, the “summer slide.”
- It provides them with the structure and routine that they need.
- It caters to and fosters a particular area of interest or allows them to explore additional areas of interests.
- It reduces their ability to transition from their initial grade, to the summer slowdown, to the next grade.
- It increases their confidence, level of curiosity, independence and social skills.
Summer learning doesn’t have to be managed in a formal school like format. Focus on creativity. You can do so with the following activity.
Actionable Steps:
#1. Project Based Learning
Project-based learning is an excellent way to get children with ADHD and autism learning during the summer months because it focuses on creativity, has real-world applicability, is flexible, interest-driven and provides children with purpose. When a child completes their assigned tasks, it also allows children to feel a sense of accomplishment.
The following resource focuses on art, language development (writing, speaking and listening), geography lesson, planning and organizing, and so much more. You can download the following resource by CLICKING HERE or on the image below.
This resource has a step-by-step teaching guide with all of the activities prepped for you so that you don’t have to do any additional work.
Teaching Tip #1
When you teach your children, break it down into clear steps as many children with ADHD and autism struggle with executive functioning skills. Don’t give them the entire resource, but only one or two pages at a time. When you teach, hold up the pages that they need to work on so that they can see it. It’s important for them to have a visual as it will solidify your instructions in their mind.
Teaching Tip #2
Allow children to collaborate with each other so that they can learn from one another and stay on task.
Teaching Tip #3
Give children some creative freedom as it will maintain your child’s interest in the project and allow them to delve deeply into it.
Recap:
Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:
- The reasons it’s important to get children to learn during the summer months.
- One simple summer activity to engage kids with ADHD and autism in learning and three teaching tips: project-based learning.
Free Resources:
For a taste of the resources that were mentioned in step two, check out the following resource in my FREE Education Resource Library.
Teach your little ones how to make good choices with the following FREE Resource:
Next Steps:
If you found this video beneficial, would you do me a favor? Share this with your family, your friends, your loved ones, your co-workers or someone who you think could benefit from this. Thank you!
You’re welcome to join us inside ADHD and Autism Self Regulation by CLICKING HERE or on the fallowing image.
I’ll see you next Friday at 5:30pm PST.
Until I see you next time, remember to create, experience & teach from the heart.
Take care,
Charlotte
Disclaimer: I’m a teacher and a parent. I’m not a medical professional, so please don’t take this as medical advice. The advice that I provide in my videos and online are strategies that I have used in my own class or at home that have worked beautifully.
