Tackling Tricky High School Issues--High School at Home for AllTeens

Presented by: Faith Berens, M.Ed./Reading Specialist HSLDA Special Needs/Struggling Learner Consultant

540.338.5600,

Struggling Learner website,

Resource Handout

General HSLDA Links:

  • Home School Legal Defense Association,
  • HSLDA’s Struggling Learner web pages,
  • HSLDA’s Homeschooling Thru High School webpages,

*Sign up for HSLDA’s FREE,Early Years, High School, and Struggling Learner E-mail Newsletters

Home School Legal Defense Association’s High School Brochures

Diploma Information:

Special Needs Homeschooling Books and Resources:

  • **Homeschooling Children with Special Needs, by Sharon Hensley
  • Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner, by Kathy Kuhl
  • Understanding and Helping the Struggling Learner, by Dianne Craft
  • Choosing and Using Curriculum by Joyce Herzog
  • A Never Give-Up Heart, by Beverly Linder
  • Of Different Minds by Maren Angelotti
  • Homeschooling the Challenging Child by Christine Field
  • Teaching Your Special Needs Student: Strategies and Tools that Really Work!, by Judith Munday

Transcripts and Record Keeping for Students with Special Needs

Draft a written plan—student educational plan or a transition plan.

Resources for Drafting Student Education Plans and/or “IEP’s”:

  • HSLDA sample Student Education Plan,
  • The Individual Education Planning Manual by Jim and Debbie Mills, available
  • The Student Education Plan by Judith Munday,
  • Program Planning for the Special Needs Child by Sharon Hensley (DVD/Video and guide),
  • Learning In Spite of Labels, Luke’s List, and Luke’s Life List by Joyce Hezog
  • *You may be interested in renting the Brigance Transition Skills Inventory assessment from our Special Needs/Struggling Learner department. This assessment, geared toward Middle and High School age students, assesses employability, job-related skills, academics, and daily life/independent living skills, as well as knowledge and use of community resources. It is a really helpful tool to use in order to plan for your child’s post-secondary transitions. Go to the link on our Struggling Learner website to find out how to rent these assessments:

Portfolios & Record Keeping for Struggling Learners and Teens with Special Needs:

  • HSLDA Struggling Learner e-newsletters on portfolios, assessment, and record keeping,
  • Court Report article on Record keeping for Special Needs,
  • **Homeschooler’s Guide to Portfolios and Transcripts by Loretta Heuer offers different types of transcript samples and templates, such as a résumé transcript
  • **Book: Making the Grade by Lesha Myers: A Practical Guide for Grading and Evaluating Homeschooled Children; contains sample grading scales and systems, transcripts, and course descriptions

Transcripts:

  • HSLDA’s High School Consultants website, ; they offer a transcript review service! Transcript Sample Forms:
  • The High School Handbook by Mary Schofield
  • Campbell, Janice, Transcripts Made Easy
  • Cannon, Inge, Transcript Boot Camp; available at which also sells Transcript Pro transcript producing software
  • Diploma’s and Certificates of Completion can be purchased through the HSLDA on-line bookstore,

Alternative High School Plans: Suggestions for Parents of Special Needs Students and Struggling Learners

Modify Materials and Offer Accommodations:

Modifications vs. Accommodations:

  • * (This article contains some great practical ideas and strategies.)

It’s okay to accommodate and modify if it is truly needed! (It’s not “cheating”).

Utilize Right Brain Teaching Materials:

  • LoneStarLearning,
  • Inspiration software
  • Acadamiacs,
  • Prezi.com
  • Vocabulary Cartoons,
  • Bible Draw,
  • Hands On Equations, Math U See, or Right Start Math
  • usuablealgebra.landmark.edu (sample strategy for using graphic organizer for math and problem solving)

Tap Into Assistive Technology:

  • Dragon Naturally Speak
  • Smart Pulse Pen
  • Co-Writer
  • Ginger Spell
  • Kurzweil 3000
  • Ally Learning and/or Book Share program

Seek Support—Don’t go it alone!

  • HSLDA’s Find a Professional Searchable database,
  • Independent Educational Consultants Association, (professional association of full-time, experienced educational consultants)
  • HSLDA Group Services,

Private Educational Consultants and Learning Specialists:

  • Carol Brown, Equipping Minds,
  • **Kathy Kuhl, presentation and handouts on “Homeschooling A Child with ADHD”; book Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner
  • Carol Barnier, speaker and author
  • Dianne Craft, Learning/dyslexia specialist and certified nutritionist; Teaching materials for dyslexia, dysgraphia, right brain learners, auditory processing dysfunction, cd’s and DVD’s
  • Joyce Herzog,
  • Judith Munday, sample Student Education plans, articles, teaching strategies
  • Melinda Boring, speech pathologist, author, and speaker; Adapting Curriculum for Learning Differences audio cd and Power Point workshop outline available

On-line Blogs and Support:

  • HSLDA High School Coordinators’ Blog,
  • Heather Laurie’s website and blog,
  • FB page,
  • Tammy Glaser’s blog; homeschooling a child on autism spectrum,
  • Free e-book by Amy Dunaway, homeschooling mother, offers parents specific guidelines for learning success for children with Down Syndrome

National Organizations:

  • *NationalCenter for Learning Disabilities, (offer lots of free, downloadable resources and tool kits)
  • NATHHAN/CHASK, National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network
  • ICAN, International Institute of Christian Neuro-developmentalists,
  • National Institute of Learning Development,
  • Learning Disabilities Association of America,

Other Helpful Websites:

Resources for ADD/ADHD:

  • CHADD,
  • ADHD of the Christian Kind, Christ-centered, compassionate help and support for children and parents with ADHD, bi-polar, anxiety, Tourette’s, and other special needs
  • How to Reach and Teach Teenagers with ADHD by Grad L. Flick, Ph.D

Dyslexia Resources and Support:

  • International Dyslexia Association,
  • YaleCenter for Creativity and Dyslexia,
  • Bright Solutions for Dyslexia (Susan Barton),
  • Lexercise,
  • All About Reading/All About Spelling and Reading Horizons
  • Eye to Eye Mentoring,
  • Decoding Dyslexia,
  • How to Reach and Teach Children and Teens with Dyslexia by Cynthia M. Stowe, M.Ed.
  • The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan by Dr. Ben Foss
  • The Everything Guide to Children with Dyslexia by Abigail Marshall
  • The Secret Life of the Dyslexic Student by Robert Frank, Ph.D
  • To Read or Not to Read: Answers to All Your Questions About Dyslexia by Daphne M. Hurford (sections on technology tools, college and careers, and listing of special colleges)

What curriculum is good for…..?

Curriculum “In A Box”:

  • KONOS
  • Illuminations, Bright Ideas Press
  • My Father’s World
  • The Weaver, Alpha Omega Publishers
  • Switched on Schoolhouse, Alpha Omega Publishers

Publishers and Vendors of Alternative High School Coursework and Curriculum:

  • Sue Patrick’s Workbox System,
  • Hewitt Homeschooling Resources,
  • Remedia Publications,
  • Bright Apple,
  • New Readers Press,
  • Curriculum Associates,
  • School Specialty, (formerly EPS Books,
  • High Noon Books,
  • Attainment Company,

Functional/Daily Living & Employment Curricula:

Life Skills for Kids by Christine Field

7 Tools for Cultivating Your Child’s Potential by Zan Tyler

  • Pro Ed,
  • Special Education and Intervention,
  • Attainment Company,
  • Insight Technical Education, offers accounting, business, drafting, engineering, and graphic design courses
  • Key Train Curriculum,
  • Career Ready 101 curriculum,
  • Practical English series, Career Decision Making Survey, Practical Arithmetic Series
  • Woodbine House,
  • *Joyce Herzog’s books Luke’s List and Luke’s Life List, both available Joyce also has a book on Single Serving recipes—easy to teach cooking lesson to prepare for independent living.
  • Vicki Bentley’s Everyday Homemaking website, Everyday Family Chore System;
  • is a job skills assessment system and they have on-line practice tests
  • Autism Speaks offer a free, downloadable Employment Tool Kit

Resources for Training, Teaching, and Transitioning Teens:

*Additional High School Resources available at

  • The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell; section on Homeschooling Teens
  • Homeschooling the Teen Years by Cafi Cohen; good, solid general guidebook
  • Learning Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide by Penny Hutchins Paquette and Cherly Gerson Tuttle; written for teens and young adults; clear, informative, easy to read full of tips, encouragement, definitions, coping strategies, post secondary options and much more!
  • *Guiding Teens with Learning Disabilities: Navigating the Transition from High School to Adulthood by Arlyn Roffman, PhD. Practical, comprehensive guide with advice, information about disability law and protections afforded children at various stages, valuable resources, and information about accommodations and services
  • Peterson’s Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder, or (Search Engine)

On-line Sources:

  • *Article by Maren Angelotti, “Will They Make It? Higher Education with Learning Differences”;
  • HEATHResourceCenter through GeorgeWashingtonUniversity, on-line clearinghouse on post-secondary education for individuals with disabilities. At the bottom of their home page, go to: Guidance and Career Counselors Tool kit, “Advising High School Students with Disabilities on Post-Secondary Options”.
  • lists colleges and universities that do not require the SAT or ACT
  • Disability Friendly Colleges,
  • New Horizons Un-Limited, Inc. non-profit organization whose mission is to make information and life experiences accessible to individuals with lifelong disabilities and their families. Under the Topic heading “Education”, you will find internet resources for distance learning, financial assistance, and accessible colleges. Also under “Education”, the heading “Guides” offers numerous helpful resources.
  • Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), general and disability specific information; offers training programs, workshops, conferences, and publications; does not directly serve students)
  • Key Ministry, helps individuals and families find disability friendly churches

Exploring College Options:

  • College and University Reviews—
  • College Internet Connection; Private and Home school friendly colleges,
  • Peterson’s guide National Colleges with Programs for Students with LD and ADHD
  • Select Christian Education directory for extensive list of Christian colleges and universities
  • K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities *(also provide a list of assisted independent living options for young adults)
  • Counselor-O-Matic tool
  • provides a list of colleges and universities that offer degree programs through distance learning

Resources for Alternative or Creative Careers:

  • America’s Top Jobs for People Without Four Year College Degrees by J. Michael Barr
  • But What If I Don’t Want to Go to College? By Harlow G. Unger
  • Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People by Carol Eikleberry

Conservatorship/Guardianship:

  • Protected Tomorrows,

Financial Aid Information:

  • The Council for Exceptional Children,
  • Disability Information and Resources,

Information on Special Accommodations for Testing and Post-Secondary:

  • **Applying for special testing accommodations through College Board—there is a Documentation Review Board process through which home schoolers with special needs must submit application paperwork
  • be sure to watch their informative webinar:
  • To access forms,
  • Link to article, “Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Accommodations”,
  • ACT, ACT Guidelines for documentation:
  • U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, It is highly recommended that students with disabilities, who are considering a college education know and understand their rights and responsibilities; Read the article “Protecting Students with Disabilities” under the Questions and Answers link.