What is autism? TheNational Autistic Societydefines autism as;
“A lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. Autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently to other people. If you are autistic, you are autistic for life; autism is not an illness or disease and cannot be ‘cured’. Often people feel being autistic is a fundamental aspect of their identity”
Autism is what’s known as a ‘spectrum condition’. This means all autistic people share certain challenges but being autistic will affect them in different ways – for example, some autistic people also have learning disabilities, mental health issues or other conditions, meaning people need different levels of support. All people on the autism spectrum learn and develop. How does it affect children? Autistic children, teenagers and young people may need additional help and support with education. Some will need highly-specialised education, while others will follow a more mainstream path. The right form of education can make a real difference for children and young people on the autism spectrum, whether that’s at a specialist school, in a mainstream setting or at home. As a parent, it’s important to be aware of the options for schooling which may be available to your child, especially if you’re considering home educating. Teaching your child at home is a huge responsibility, but you do have the right to do this. How can Exemplar Education help? If you have a child with autism, the Exemplar Education programme can offer some fantastic benefits whether youare home schooling or just looking for some extra support for them on their learning journey – and we often hear from parents whose autistic children it has helped. After all, we have one simple purpose: ‘To Help Parents Build Brighter Futures for their Kids’! These benefits include;
  • Helping to install confidence in responding to a teacher when asked questions
  • Offering infinite chances to revise content and practice before tests and oral presentations
  • It is learning environment controlled – no peers, no noise, no distraction – often crucial factors for those with autism who may havesensory needs that make a school environment noisy, distracting or even painful to them. They may find it hard to concentrate or behave in the way school expects, which may then stop them from reaching their full potential.
  • Creates a strong ability to build on times and routines that help autistic children who prefer specific structures
  • There’s no compulsory social interaction, yet a friendly human interface keeps it real (many autistic children do succeed in school and benefit from the support of dedicated staff, such as learning support assistants, but some find it difficult due to the emphasis on social interaction and group learning)
Exemplar Education offers a maths and English tuition programme that puts a virtual private tutor in your home seven days a week. If you’re interested in finding out more, simply click here!