Download - Collaborating with Parents and Families in a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Society

© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

William L. Heward

Exceptional ChildrenAn Introduction to Special Education

Tenth Edition

Chapter 3

Collaborating with Parents and Families in a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Society

HewardExceptional Children, 10e © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Focus Questions

What can a teacher learn from the family of a child with disabilities?

In what ways is a child’s disability likely to affect the family system and roles of parents?

How can a teacher who is not the parent of a child with a disability communicate effectively and meaningfully with parents of exceptional children?

How can a teacher communicate effectively and meaningfully with families from diverse cultures?

What forms of home–school communication are likely to be most effective?

How much parent and family involvement is enough?

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Support for Family Involvement•Parents and families are natural and necessary allies to educators

•Families know certain aspects of their children better than anyone

•Parents can provide extra skill practice and teach their children new skills in the home and community

•Parents have the greatest vested interest in seeing their children learn as they are the constant in the child’s life

•Parents must live with the outcomes of decisions made by IEP teams all day, every day

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Three Factors Responsible for Increased Emphasis on Family Involvement

Parents want to be involved in their child’s education○Parents were an important catalyst of PL 94-142

Educational effectiveness is enhanced when parents and families are involved

○Repeated research and practice demonstrates the benefits

The law requires collaboration○ In both IDEA and NCLB, parent involvement is a key component to students’ academic success

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Benefits of Family Involvement

Increased likelihood of targeting meaningful IEP goals

Greater consistency and support in the child’s two most important environments

Increased opportunities for learning and development

Greater access to expanded resources and services

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Understanding Families of Children with Disabilities

Adjustment process includes feelings of:

•Shock, denial, and disbelief

•Anger, guilt, depression, shame, lowered self-esteem, rejection of the child, and overprotectiveness

•Acceptance, adaptation, and appreciation

Educators should refrain from expecting parents to exhibit any kind of typical reaction

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The Resilience Model

The Resilience Model is based on the following:• Parents and family members are the best source of knowledge about their child, their own strengths and needs.

• Parents’ resilience may not be immediately appreciable but should be identified and supported.

• Parents are engaged in a continuous adjustment process that can be facilitated by sensitive caring professionals.

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The Five Stage Resilience Model

Stage One• Identification of Disability

Stage Two• Self-education

Stage Three• Reflection about Self and Family

Stage Four• Advocacy and Empowerment

Stage Five• Appreciation and Enlightenment

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The Many Roles of the Exceptional Parent

Caregiver - Additional needs of an exceptional child

can cause stress

Provider - Additional needs often create a financial

burden

Teacher - Exceptional children often need more

teaching to acquire skills

Counselor - Must often help their child cope with the

disability

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The Many Roles of the Exceptional Parent (cont.)

Behavior Support Specialist - Some have to become skilled

behavior managers

Parent of Siblings Without Disabilities - Meet the needs of

their other children too

Marriage Partner - Having a child with disabilities can put stress

on a marriage

Information Specialist - Must ensure that others appropriately

support their child’s dignity and acceptance

Advocate - Advocate for effective educational services and

opportunities

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Principles of Effective Communication

Accept parents’ statements○ Respect parents’ point of view

Listen actively○ Respond to parents with interest and animation

Question effectively○ Speak plainly and use open-ended questions

Encourage○ Describe and show parents their child’s improving performance

Stay focused○ Focus on the child’s educational program and progress

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Professional Roadblocks to Communication

• Treating parents as vulnerable clients instead of equal partners

• Keeping professional distance

• Treating parents as if they need counseling

• Blaming parents for their child’s disability

• Disrespecting parents as less intelligent

• Treating parents as adversaries

• Labeling parents

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Conflict ResolutionDialoging is an approach to conflict resolution in which both parties try to see each other’s point of view. The RERUN approach include

• Reflect○ Acknowledge the other person’s thinking or feelings

• Explain○ Explain your perspective concisely

• Reason○ Explain the reason you believe or feel as you do

• Understand○ Try to understand the situation from both points of view

• Negotiate○ Brainstorm to find a mutually satisfying solution

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Portrait of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families

Many are English-language learners

Many live in low-income and poverty

Although some have not finished school or cannot read, they are “life educated” and know their child

Undocumented immigrants, are naturally fearful of interaction with anyone representing authority

Many tend to be family-oriented

Some may have different experiences with and views about disability including causes and treatment

Many had negative educational experiences that persist through adulthood

The general and special education systems may be intimidating to the family

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Culturally Responsive Services for Families

Have native-speaking staff members make initial contacts

Provide trained, culturally sensitive interpreters during parent-teacher conferences and IEP/IFSP meetings

When a language interpreter is not available, use a cultural interpreter whenever possible for conferences and family interviews

Conduct meetings in family-friendly settings

Identify and defer to key decision makers in the family

Recognize that families from diverse cultures may view time differently from the way some professionals do, and schedule meetings accordingly

Provide transportation and child care to make it easier for families to attend school-based activities

Work toward cultural reciprocity3-16


Home-School Communication Methods

Parent-teacher conferences• Preparing for the conference

○ Establish objectives○ Review records of the student’s recent grades○ Select examples of the student’s work○ Prepare a graph or chart showing cumulative progress○ Prepare an agenda for the meeting

• Conducting the conference○ Build rapport○ Obtain information○ Provide information○ Summarize and follow up

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Home-School Communication Methods

Written communication• Happy Grams and Special Accomplishment Letters

• Two-Way Home-School Reporting forms

• Dialogue notebooks

• Home-School Contracts

• Class Newsletters and Websites

Telephone communication• Phone Calls

• Voice Mail

• Email and Text Messaging

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Other Forms of Parent Involvement

Parents as Tutors• Systematically teach self-help and daily living skills to their

children

Parent Education and Support Groups• Provide education for parenting

Parent-to-Parent Groups• Provide help to parents of children with special needs

become reliable allies for one another

Parents as Research Partners• Assist researchers in knowing if their ideas and findings

have validity

3-19

Download - Collaborating with Parents and Families in a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Society

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