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Supporting Neurodiverse Children as a Tutor
I have never worked with neurodiverse children before, how is it different?
Introduction:
When we are in a situation when we aren’t thinking logically, or our natural way of thinking isn’t the linear route that is expected to be the norm, or we are sat in an exam or the teacher just takes it upon themselves to single you out to be the person to answer their question, it is unlikely that our brain will hurry straight to the specific piece of information that we need.
Instead, it starts darting around inside our head like a ping-pong ball looking for that relevant nugget that will save the day. It travels all around the houses, the most scenic route it can possibly find and then often fails to locate that titbit that would have been so appreciated in that moment of time.
When we do something, we create a memory. So, if we ask a child to do a worksheet, they will store that information somewhere in the depths of their brain. To reinforce this information, we ask them to do another worksheet. And maybe another, each time congratulating ourselves on the support we are giving to our child.
However, when the child is asked a question relating to the information on that worksheet, their brain only has that one specific memory where it can find the information.
So instead, if we provide a series of different resources, we are helping them to create multiple memories.
Learning the times tables can give a simple example of this.
If we keep asking our children to recite them by rote, or suddenly bombard them with a general times tables question we are creating 1 memory.
However, if we play a game of bingo, pairs, fishing, noughts and crosses, snakes and ladders with a question focused to one specific times table written in each square, we can provide a range of memories making it easier for the child to recall the information when needed.
Additionally, if we ask the children to write out the times table in advance in a variety of large, bright colours we are opening up additional neuro pathways helping them to create more places in the brain to recall the information. You might choose to use scented pens to take the whole sensory experience up a level!
What’s more, the advantage to having the specific times table written down is that, not only will it provide a memory which will be stronger if they have created it themselves, it will also provide them with a check/ cheat sheet, which will offer them the confidence needed to answer the question. Initially, they may use it excessively to find the answers. This is fine because they are learning the correct response. As they become more confident, they will need to rely on the written answers less and less and take pride in not needing to relate to it anymore.
(I’ve heard of a game where you sit in a circle, and someone throws a ball at you and asks you to answer a random times tables question. For me that would have been the ultimate cruelty as a child having to think about the maths and the co-ordination needed to suddenly catch a ball with no forewarning, so be sure the tasks you use are relevant to the child’s idea of enjoyment and ability).
(Square Pegs and Round Holes, supporting every child’s education. Dawn Strachan, 2023)
As a tutor you will work with a range of children. Some who find it easy, some who for a variety of reasons will find it more challenging.
Some families will tell you that their child is neurodivergent, others won’t. Some may be oblivious themselves or have had a feeling but weren’t sure…
The foundations for any child you work with is to talk to them. What do they enjoy or find easy?
What is it that they struggle with more? Is there a reason why?
Often the label will give you a place to start:
Don’t provide too many instructions at once. Explain things one step at a time.
If they don’t understand it, explain it a different way, it is as or more likely that you’re not making things clear that they don’t have the ability to understand it.
Ask them, ask yourself what can I do to make it easier for them to understand this? What can I do to make this less challenging?
Those with ADHD have a reputation for being high energy which can’t sit still and would rather be swinging from the chandeliers. Yet for many the issue is that they focus intently to the detriment of anything else. Time passes and they are still engrossed, oblivious to the world around them.
Yes, for other children, concentration is an issue, and you will need to keep the activities brief to keep their focus.
Dyslexia can cause many issues for a child around their reading, writing, or spelling.
There are many things you can do to help.
They may give you the ideas to write down so that they can focus on their thoughts and knowledge rather than the act of writing.
Keep the instructions (both written and verbal) to a minimum. Have plenty of write space on the paper.
If appropriate, use images and diagrams to help.
Use colour, the more the better.
Some people, such as those who are Autistic like to know the routine. They may prefer to stick to just worksheets or past papers because then they can prepare themselves for what is to come in an exam.
Others prefer the mix and light relief of a more varied learning style.
Some will call it as they see it, they will have you in stitches, whilst others are much more serious and focused.
As a species we are all so different, yet so similar in so many aspects, that the label is really nothing more than an initial building block. As we get to know them as an individual that’s when we can truly start to help and determine what we can do to make learning and education easier for them.
What is key with anyone, any child, is to have patience. Be respectful.
Don’t get hung up on a label, focus on them, who they are and what they need.
This is like skimming a stone over the surface of a lake. If you are interested in learning more, you will find our book ‘Square Pegs- supporting every child’s education’ on amazon.
Additionally, we are in the process of putting together accredited training for each of our franchisees so that they have a firm understanding on how they and their employees can support the families that they work with.
For more information about the Clara James Tutoring Franchise, CLICK HERE
Happy New Year - Jan 2024
Happy new year!
I hope you’ve had a brilliant break over Christmas.
I know some people have been on holiday, others have been enjoying family time at home. Either way, I hope it was fantastic.
Someone sent me a Christmas present just before the bog day, but I have no idea who it was from, so I can’t say thank you. I feel really guilty as it seems like bad manners, but it was just in a box from M&S with no message attached.
This year, I have committed to send out the notification when the monthly membership bundle goes live, but I am also going to send out an (initially) fortnightly newsletter with suggestions for revision / secondary school Math / English, then in the alternate week a newsletter with suggestions for the primary subjects.
If either of them isn’t relevant, please either let me know and I will ensure you just get the primary or secondary newsletter if you want it, or just click unsubscribe (but then you also won’t receive the email about when the bundle goes live).
My goal is to keep you more in the loop as to what is happening. For example, we occasionally put free courses on Udemy – we’ve just done one on angles – here’s the link if wanted. It was created to promote the topic book we have also created; we’ve also got revision planners for students that might be suitable for some GCSE parents.
At Christmas we also had some free times-tables colouring sheets which you may not have been aware of, so like I say, it may not be of interest to you, but if it is, at least you’ll be aware of it. I have 3 revision planners and 3 angles topic books to give away if you’re interested. Let me know and I’ll happily pop one in the post for you (or give it to you if I’m likely to see you…).
If you do have one, if you could give it feedback on Amazon (I’ll send you the link) that would be hugely appreciated.
Happy new year for now and warm wishes,
Dawn
Times Tables - Jan 24
Hi,
Last week I sent out an email saying I was going to try and commit to sending out an email at the beginning of each week on ideas to support primary school children, then later in the week about supporting secondary school children.
As a result, I was asked if I could also send out some ideas to support the 11+.
(Again, if this doesn’t concern you let me know and I’ll try to ensure that you don’t receive them).
I’ll send the 11+ emails on an alternate Wednesday as I normally have Alfie, my grandson on a Tuesday and the odds of getting much done with a lively 2-year-old for company…
There will be some cross over between primary school and secondary school subjects, but at any stage there is something you specifically want me to help with, please do shout.
So, back on subject, sorry…
Times tables have always been one of the key subjects that I work on with, specifically primary aged children, but also secondary school children, and often the parents say they’re awful at them as well…
I don’t suggest learning them in chronological order.
If you do, you’ll hit some of the much harder ones before you get to some of the easier ones.
Instead, what I suggest (and you’ve probably heard me say this before) is that you start with the 10’s, 11’s, 2’s and 5’s as they do in school.
Then deviate across to the 9’s as there are so many tricks to help you to learn them.
Then the 6’s or 7’s. Crazy I know! But they are quite simple if you split them so that 6x8 becomes: 5x8 + 1x8 = 50+8 Or 7x8 becomes 5x8 + 2x8 = 40 +16 = 56.
From there you can pretty much work in any order.
The 12’s is also straight forward as we can split it into 10x + 2x which would give us the same answer as 12x.
There are more suggestions on the times tables over in the Clara James Approach, or I have a sequence of emails which sends out once a month with suggestions on how to learn each of the times tables with some resources. If it would help, the link is here: Support your child with their times tables - The fun way! (sendfox.com)
I hope that’s helpful and not just waffle.
Like I say if there is anything specific you would like us to focus on, please do give me a shout.
Have a great week and warm wishes,
Dawn
Hand Writing Support
Hi,
I hope you had a good weekend.
Something I am often asked about is supporting hand-writing skills.
At a young age this may relate to the hand muscles in the hands not yet being fully developed and I have a few suggestions that may help.
As the child gets older, you may want to find the support of an occupational therapist to provide some suggestions.
1. Start big: I guess it’s a bit like parking a car. When you are first asked to park a car, you wouldn’t want to park in a narrow gap, you’d hopefully save that until you were more confident, more skilled. Handwriting practice is the same, using a big piece of paper is far better than trying to squeeze your imperfect shapes between two narrow lines. Even better, (if the weather is more forgiving) start by using water to paint on the side of the house, a patio or footpath). Use large movements and as these improve start to shrink it down to what is expected inside a school exercise book.
2. Jenga: I love this game and we’ve adapted it by writing numbers of the bricks so that we can practice number bonds or the times tables, we’ve also got grammatical terms on others so that we can also practice those. But the skill and care needed to remove the brick from the tower without it all tumbling is a great way to practice the fine motor skills which will in turn support handwriting.
3. Colouring is another suggestion: keeping the colouring inside the lines is another skill that requires practice and patience. Again, the strokes used in colouring can further aid the shapes created when writing letters.
4. Sewing again requires the use of the fine motor skills needed for neat handwriting. You may just do a normal running stitch on a square of fabric, or you may decide to make something or use a more elaborate stitch. Either way I hope this helps.
5. Playdough and clay are other great early interventions to building up the muscles in the hands. The stronger and more developed the muscles are the more precise we can be with our writing.
To be honest, anything that needs to be precise will help. Many crafts and building activities help.
For some people, messy handwriting is always an issue.
There are a couple of members of my family whose handwriting I always struggle to read, yet they are so intelligent. It doesn't seem to add up. But my daughter says, if she doesn’t write quickly, she can’t remember everything her brain is throwing at her. Her brain works at such a speed.
I used to tutor a girl a couple of years back. I hadn’t realized her mum was an invigilator for the A’ levels at the school my youngest went to.
Not long after Hay sat her history the mum asked me if my daughter was doing her exams now.
Yes.
Does she do History?
Yes. Is she called Angel?
Yes.
She said, I thought it must be your daughter.
I have never seen anyone writing so quickly. I expected sparks to come off that page!
There are many reasons why people have scruffy handwriting, sometimes it needs to be investigated and like I say, if you are worried about it, it might be worth while trying to get in touch with an occupational therapist.
Sometimes, practicing using the suggestions above will help. Sometimes, like with Hay, it’s just one of those things that make them, them.
I hope this has helped a bit.
Have a great week and warm wishes,
Dawn