10 Ways You Can Advocate For Your Child With A Learning DisabilityWritten by Sandy Gauvin
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6. Don’t be afraid to communicate with professionals. Be prepared when you go to team meetings, and don’t be afraid to calmly and assertively state your views. Take notes into meeting with you so you won’t forget questions you want to ask or points you want to make. Remember, professionals need insight from you as much as you need insight from them. The more communication you have, more powerful educational team to help your child. 7. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The field of special education is as complex as your child’s needs. Asking questions doesn’t mean that you are stupid. It just means that you are interested in your child’s education and well- being and want to be an informed parent. You will most likely hear professionals asking lots of questions as well!!! 8. Keep lines of communication open with your child. Talk with him about his life both in and outside school. Allow him to express his frustrations, his successes, his disappointments, his hopes, his likes and his dislikes. The better you know your child and what is going on with him, better you can help other people to work with him. 9. Know your child’s strengths and weaknesses and share them with professionals. Children with learning disabilities, although they have weaker areas, have many strong areas, too. By highlighting these areas, it makes it easier for professionals to use them as tools to strengthen weaker skills. It helps them see child in a more positive light, and it helps them relate to child. And it helps your child’s self-esteem to know that teachers sees good things in him. 10. Help your child learn to advocate for himself as early as possible. As time goes on, and your child has heard you advocate for him, he will be able to understand how to advocate for himself. If he’s heard you say positive things, not only does it increase his self-esteem but it gives him confidence to speak up for what he needs. Teach him how to communicate how he learns best, what he needs to help him get most from his classes, and how he feels when confronted with certain issues, such as testing and peer pressure. Give him power to make his life a success. You can help your child be able to be a successful, happy, responsible student, well on his way to being same kind of adult. Advocate for him. For more plain talk about learning disabilities, please visit us at www.ldperspectives.com.
Sandy Gauvin is a retired educator who has seen learning disabilities from many perspectives - as the parent of a daughter with learning disabilities, as the teacher of children with learning disabilities, and as an advocate for others who have diagnosed and unrecognized learning disabilities. Sandy shares her wisdom and her resources at www.LDPerspectives.com
| | So, My Child Has Been Recommended for Testing - What Do I Do Now?Written by Sandy Gauvin
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Realize that when you talk about these things with teacher, it does not mean that you are complaining about your child, or that you think he is "bad". What you’re really doing is discussing facts of what is actually going on, or not going on, with his learning. You‘re trying to help him. You’re acting in his best interest. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about anything you don't understand. The teachers will not think you are stupid or inadequate. The area of Learning Disabilities can be very confusing and overwhelming to anyone, and it is best that you understand what is going on right from beginning. That way you can make an intelligent decision regarding your child's future. It is important to find out what will happen once you give permission to have your child tested. The special education teacher will be able to explain referral and testing process to you. Use her as a resource to answer any questions you might have and explain anything you don’t understand. That way you can be informed and help your child through process as well. Know your child’s rights from beginning. When process begins, you will be sent a copy of your child’s rights. If you don’t understand them, or if you suspect that a right is being compromised, don’t hesitate to speak to special education teacher, principal, or special education director. These are things you can do to help your child and yourself through referral process. They are all part of being informed so you can advocate for your child, and so you can make sure he receives best services possible in order for him to have a successful, happy, productive future. Remember, it’s in your hands! For more plain talk about learning disabilities, please visit us at www.ldperspectives.com.
Sandy Gauvin is a retired educator who has seen learning disabilities from many perspectives - as the parent of a daughter with learning disabilities, as the teacher of children with learning disabilities, and as an advocate for others who have diagnosed and unrecognized learning disabilities. Sandy shares her wisdom and her resources at www.LDPerspectives.com
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