"Support Needs": Ditch the Labels...

As parents and teachers, we all want the absolute best for our kids. All of them!  We celebrate their unique ways of thinking and learning, but sometimes, the language we use to describe their challenges or differences can actually get in the way of truly helping them.

You’ve probably heard it – or even used it yourself (no judgment here, we’ve all been there!) – terms like "high-functioning" or "low-functioning" to describe a child with autism or a learning difference. These labels might seem helpful on the surface, a quick way to “categorize”. But let's be honest: our kids are so much more complex than a simple "high" or "low."

And we don’t need to be categorizing kids!

The Shift to "Support Needs"

This is why the shift to talking about "support needs" is such a game-changer. Instead of broad, often inaccurate labels, we focus on the specific areas where a child needs help. It's like having a detailed map instead of just a general direction.  I think this approach is so much more honest and helpful.

When we talk about "support needs," we get specific. For example:

• "My child has high support needs for emotional regulation, especially during unexpected changes, but low support needs for understanding complex concepts."

• "She has moderate support needs for executive functioning skills like organization, but high support needs for expressive communication."

  
  

See the difference? This language tells us exactly what we need to focus on, helping us tailor our teaching, our parenting, and our support systems to truly fit our child. It's about meeting them right where they are, acknowledging their challenges without defining their entire being by them.

So let’s get practical and see how the idea of “support needs” can help kids that struggle with reading.

Readers with “High Support Needs”

Leo is 7 and struggles with reading even as a beginning reader. He’s a first grader who loves stories but finds reading incredibly frustrating. His teacher and parents have identified that he has high support needs in 2 areas of reading:

• Decoding: He struggles to sound out even simple words and often guesses.

• Fluency: When he does read, it's slow, choppy, and takes a lot of effort.

Learning Supports for Leo:

• Explicit Phonics Instruction: Instead of just "reading more," Leo needs daily, structured lessons focusing on letter sounds, blending, and segmenting words. Think multisensory approaches (using sand trays, magnetic letters, tactile cards).

• Decodable Readers: Providing books where most words follow the phonics rules he's learned, so he can experience success and build confidence.

• Repeated Readings: Reading the same short passages multiple times to build speed and accuracy (fluency).

• Read-Alouds and Audiobooks: Continuing to expose Leo to rich language and stories through listening, so his love for books grows even while he builds his reading skills.

  
  

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Not sure where to start when asking for more support for your kid?  

DJ at Inclusiveology is here to help! With a solution-centered approach, she offers guidance and support to parents of neurodivergent kids and those with disabilities. Schedule a free initial consultation, and let's work together to make sure your kid is getting everything they need to be their most successful, awesome self! And... be included in ways that work BEST!

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Here’s another example of possible supports for a middle school student.

Maya is in the 7th grade and enjoys history and science, but reading textbooks and novels is a massive undertaking for her. Despite years of effort and tutoring, she has high support needs for decoding, fluency, and comprehension. Let’s face it, in middle school, lack of comprehension and foundational reading skills is going to affect all of her academics!  Here’s what might work for Maya:

Learning Supports for Maya:

• Intensive, Targeted Intervention: While older, Maya still benefits from direct, systematic instruction in phonics and word attack strategies, often in a small group or one-on-one setting. It's never too late!

• Assistive Technology (an awesome classroom resource!):

  • Text-to-Speech (TTS) software: Programs that read digital text aloud (on tablets, computers, etc.) so Maya can access grade-level content without being bogged down by decoding.

  • Speech-to-Text (STT) software: Helps her with written assignments if writing is also a challenge.

  • Audiobooks: Crucial for accessing novels and other assigned readings for comprehension.

• Vocabulary Building in Context: Explicitly teaching academic vocabulary and strategies for figuring out unknown words from context clues.

• Reading Strategies for Comprehension: Teaching active reading strategies like predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing, often with visual aids or graphic organizers.

• Chunking and Highlighting: Teaching her to break down long texts into smaller, manageable chunks and to highlight key information to improve focus and recall.

• Alternative Assignments: Allowing Maya to demonstrate understanding through presentations, discussions, or visual projects instead of solely relying on written essays that require extensive reading.

• Time and Pacing: Providing extended time for reading assignments and tests, recognizing the increased effort required.

  
  

A More Respectful Way of Work

By shifting our language from "high/low functioning" to "support needs," we move towards a more respectful and more effective way of understanding and nurturing kids. It helps us see them as a whole little person with strengths and areas that need a bit more support.

Not sure where to start when asking for more support for your kid?  

DJ at Inclusiveology is here to help! With a solution-centered approach, she offers guidance and support to parents of neurodivergent kids and those with disabilities. Schedule a free initial consultation, and let's work together to make sure your kid is getting everything they need to be their most successful, awesome self! And... be included in ways that work BEST!