When it comes to the classroom, there are many types of students that make up the room. Is there a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to learning? The answer is no.

There are many different learning styles that need to be accounted for in order to meet the needs of all students. Here at Brainstorm Tutoring, we have a program that specializes in teaching students with specific learning needs known as Specialized Academic Coaching (SAC).

This program allows students to learn at their own pace while feeling confident about the school year. We have an amazing team of academic coaches that allows students to be their true selves in a supportive learning environment.

When looking for a tutor for your student, you want someone who will help encourage and engage them in the topic being taught. You may want the tutor to be an expert in the topic to ensure your student will be successful in the future. When it comes to finding a tutor for a student with special needs, there’s more than the knowledge of the topic itself, they need the ability to connect with the student on multiple levels in order for them to feel their needs are being met.

Here are three important skills to look for in your future tutor:

When a student has specific needs that may affect their learning, the tutor needs to understand that every session may look different. Some students may need to adjust their thinking through brain breaks, chunking the material, or changing the learning environment.

Make sure your tutor is aware of how your student may adjust their thinking and find a tutor that will accommodate the needs of your student.

The way the sessions are layed out can impact the student. For some students with special needs, they may need a slower pace to fully digest and understand the content being taught.

The tutor should be able to take the content and pull out the most important skills that the student will need and chunk the lesson accordingly. By breaking down the lesson into smaller chunks, the student can learn the most important skills without feeling overloaded with new information.

It never hurts to have a tutor that is well-organized! Some students may benefit from knowing the session schedule ahead of time in order for them to best prepare themselves. Preparing a schedule can look different for all students.

The tutor can introduce a physical copy of what the session has in store or it can be a verbal schedule to let the student know what is expected of them during the session. This can benefit the student by introducing the content ahead of time, but more importantly introduce what is expected from them and possibly establish an end goal.

Schedules and goals are a great way to keep students on track as well as encouraging them to do their best!

Those are just some skills to look for in your future tutor when working with a student with special needs!