The school closures across the world caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has made it even more challenging for special needs students and their parents. Here are some helpful tips.

1. I’M A WIFE, MOM &
CONSULTANT IN
LEADERSHIP,
EDUCATIONAL
PSYCHOLOGY, &
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Tirsah Holder James, M.A. Ed.D (cand)
(www.THolderJames.com)

2. HELPING PARENTS AND SPECIAL
NEEDS STUDENTS
BUILD
RESILIENCE

3. • “AROUND THE GLOBE, THE LIVES OF AT LEAST 1.5 BILLION
STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED
BY THE SCHOOL CLOSURES CAUSED BY THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK”
(UNESCO, 2020).

4. MAKING IT HAPPEN
• TEACHERS ARE MAKING EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS TO FACILITATE
REMOTE LEARNING.
• PARENTS HAVE STEPPED UP AND ALMOST OVERNIGHT, HAVE BECOME
INSTRUCTORS.
• MANY HOURS ARE BEING INVESTED TO FIND WAYS TO ENCOURAGE
DEVELOPMENT

5. TRANSITION IS CHALLENGING
FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
• THIS TRANSITION MAY BE PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING
• THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES VARY
• THERE IS NO BLANKET METHOD THAT CAN BE APPLIED
• INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION, ACCOMMODATIONS & SERVICE NEEDS

6. IT’S DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE
• STUDENTS ARE THRIVING: SOME STUDENTS WITH AUTISM, WHO USUALLY HAVE A
VERY DIFFICULT TIME LOOKING DIRECTLY AT PEOPLE’S FACES AND TALKING, ARE FINDING
IT MUCH EASIER TO DO SO THROUGH THE COMPUTER SCREEN (HILL, 2020).
• IT’S A STRUGGLE FOR SOME: THE TOOLS THAT OTHER CHILDREN ARE USING TO
MAKE REMOTE EDUCATION POSSIBLE—ONLINE PLATFORMS SUCH AS ZOOM AND
MICROSOFT TEAMS, SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS AND PRINTED WORK PACKETS—JUST AREN’T
ACCESSIBLE (HILL, 2020).

7. NEUROLOGICAL AND LEARNING DIFFERENCES
• MANY SPECIAL-NEEDS STUDENTS FIND CHANGE AND INCONSISTENCY
PARTICULARLY STRESSFUL.
• IT’S HARDER FOR THEM TO BE FLEXIBLE, OR TO GO WITH THE FLOW (HILL, 2020).

8. DON’T LOSE HOPE
THIS TIME OF REMOTE LEARNING COULD BE
A GOOD EXPERIENCE
FOR SPECIAL-NEEDS STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS.

9. HELPFUL TIPS
• BE A UNIT. FOSTER A SENSE OF UNITY WITHIN THE HOME ENVIRONMENT. FAMILY
MEMBERS NEED TO APPRECIATE EACH OTHER AND FIND WAYS TO COMMUNICATE AND
WORK TOGETHER.
• HAVE FUN TOGETHER. DOING ACTIVITIES TOGETHER, SUCH AS PLAYING GAMES,
EXERCISING, SINGING AND DANCING AND SPENDING TIME IN NATURE ARE FUN AND CAN
HELP TO EASE TENSION.
• STAY CONNECTED. YOU AND YOUR CHILD MAY BE MISSING FAMILY AND FRIENDS
THAT YOU USUALLY SPEND TIME WITH. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS VIA
ELECTRONIC MEDIA THAT ALLOWS VOICE AND VIDEO CHATTING.

10. HELPFUL TIPS • ASSESS. ASSESS YOUR CHILD’S SITUATION AND
MAKE CHANGES THAT ACCOMMODATE THEIR
NEEDS.
• COLLABORATE. DISCUSS WITH YOUR CHILD’S
TEACHER(S) ABOUT RESOURCES AND ADJUSTMENTS
NEEDED FOR REMOTE LEARNING.
• BE SUPPORTIVE. LEARN ABOUT WAYS TO
PROVIDE ENCOURAGEMENT, REINFORCE POSITIVE
BEHAVIORS, AND MODEL TASKS, TO SUPPORT THEIR
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
• GET HELP. ACCESS HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE
THROUGH GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS AND PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE
OFFERING SUPPORT SUCH AS COUNSELING, MEALS,
LEARNING TOOLS AND RESOURCES, AND OTHER
TYPES OF SERVICES.

11. HELPFUL TIPS
• REASSURE YOUR CHILD. YOUR CHILD MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY SCHOOLS ARE
CLOSED. EXPLAIN THAT IT IS IN ORDER TO HELP KEEP EVERYONE HEALTHY. PROVIDE YOUR
CHILD WITH FREQUENT ENCOURAGEMENT AND REMINDERS AS NEEDED. REASURE YOUR
CHILD THAT HE OR SHE IS SAFE AT HOME AND REMIND THEM THAT IT IS STILL IMPORTANT
TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK (CHILDREN’S SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL).
• CREATE A DAILY ROUTINE. CHANGES IN ROUTINE MAY BE CONFUSING FOR YOUR
CHILD AND LEAD TO FEELINGS THEY CAN’T DESCRIBE OR UNDERSTAND SUCH AS FEAR
AND FRUSTRATION. BEHAVIOR CHANGES SOMETIMES MAY OCCUR. PROVIDING A
COMFORTABLE AND PREDICTABLE ENVIRONMENT MAY HELP YOUR CHILD FEEL SAFE AND
IN CONTROL (CHILDREN’S SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL)
• PROMOTE STRUCTURE IN YOUR CHILD’S DAY. THIS CAN BE DONE BY ESTABLISHING
CONSISTENT SCHEDULES FOR DAILY ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS WAKING UP, MEALS, CHORES,
SCHOOLWORK, PLAY TIME, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BEDTIME, AND OTHER ROUTINES
(CHILDREN’S SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL)

12. • SELF-CARE IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
• THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES FOR
EVERYONE. BY MAINTAINING HEALTHY
PRACTICES, GETTING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT,
TAKING TIME-OUT TO DO SOMETHING FOR
YOURSELF, BY BEING PATIENT AND FLEXIBLE,
YOU WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO COPE AND
ENSURE YOUR CHILD REMAINS SAFE AND
ACADEMICALLY ENGAGED.

13. FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR
CHILDREN…
Assess
Communicate
Learn

14. THANKS FOR VIEWING
WWW.THOLDERJAMES.COM
“HELPING PEOPLE OF ALL CIRCUMSTANCES BUILD RESILIENCE AND ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL.”