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What are common problems related to homework?
Most problems with homework occur in:
- getting homework home
- getting homework completed
- turning homework in on time (Myles and
Adreon, 2001)
Getting homework home
Students with ASD have significant difficulty with several
executive functions including planning, organization and attention.
(See Lecture 2.) Weaknesses in planning and organization interfere with
students’ ability to think of and collect materials, and the record
the written assignment. Very often when they get home something is missing.
Often there are difficulties with handwriting or the visual-motor
task of copying assignments from the board. The complexity of combining
written directions with a verbal explanation of details, or remembering
verbal directions presents additional challenges. As a result the assignment
and/or directions are incorrect or incomplete.
Getting homework completed
A student’s energy level, attention and degree of
anxiety or stress after keeping it together all day play an important
part in getting homework done. Some students need to ride their wave
of energy and complete homework immediately while others need down time
before starting to work. Parents are able to make this determination
based on their knowledge of the child’s behavior pattern.
Once a student begins to work, the issue might be incomplete
or missing directions or materials, student confusion or difficulty
doing the work, or parents’ lack of knowledge of the content or
process. ASD students are often inflexible in their ability to problem
solve or change perspectives. If a skill or concept is taught in school
using a particular instructional strategy and parents approach the task
differently the student will most likely refuse the help or become angry.
Turning homework in on time
Getting homework handed in on time poses an additional
challenge. Completing homework represents the end of a very long and
demanding day for students with ASD. At this point calling upon the
students’ limited ability to plan and organize themselves and materials
one more time may be too difficult. Having parents place completed homework
immediately into a backpack is helpful. Once in school a strategy for
getting the work from the bag to the teacher is necessary.
While getting work home, completed and returned is problematic
it is not impossible. With an appropriate homework plan and cooperation
between home and school a set routine and procedures can be developed.
Suggestions for addressing these issues are discussed in Lecture Five.
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