Full Description
"This book makes a great contribution to education. Teachers across specialties would find these strategies helpful for facilitating communication with parents and caregivers."
—Erin Jones, Special Education Teacher
Tea Area Elementary School, SD
"Involving parents on a positive level is essential to educating all students, especially students with special needs. This book helps readers with real-world situations—something that most college courses cannot prepare you for. Easy and user-friendly, this book provides strategies and tools to aid in communicating with parents."
—Laura Peterson, Special Education Teacher
Center School, Stow, MA
Bridge the communication gap with parents of children with special needs!
Research has shown that establishing strong communication links with parents and promoting family involvement can have positive and tangible effects on a student's success in school.
In this teacher-friendly resource, Jill C. Dardig provides 25 ready-to-use techniques for involving parents in the education of their children. Both general and special education teachers in Grades PreK-12 can use these strategies to reach the parents of students with a wide range of learning needs, including cognitive, emotional/behavioral, social, sensory, and physical disabilities, as well as the parents of typically developing students. Involving Parents of Students With Special Needs anticipates the challenges to parent involvement and provides step-by-step directions, sample materials, and tips for
Using letters, telephone, email, newsletters, and progress reports to communicate with parents
Conducting successful parent conferences and in-person meetings
Connecting parents with needed resources
Helping parents teach their children at home
Dealing with home/school conflict situations
Preparing a parent involvement action plan
This practical guide helps teachers and parents work together to give students with special needs the necessary support to succeed in school.
Contents
Special Feature Figures
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
1. Introduction
Parent Involvement Is Important and Up to You!
Your Personal Philosophy of Parent Involvement
2. Getting Started
Strategy 1: Personalized Letterhead
Strategy 2: Parent Contact Log
Strategy 3: Introductory Letter
Strategy 4: Parent Volunteer Invitation
3. Designing Your Classroom to Educate Parents
Strategy 5: The Visible Curriculum
4. Group Written Communication and Interaction
Strategy 6: Suggestion Box Letter
Strategy 7: Class Newsletter
5. Personalized Written Communication and Interaction
Strategy 8: Weekly Progress Report
Strategy 9: Parent Appreciation Letter
Strategy 10: Print Resource Letter
Strategy 11: Internet Resource Letter
Strategy 12: E-mail Communication
6. Telephone Communication
Strategy 13: Phone Call to an Organization
Strategy 14: Phone Calls to Parents
Strategy 15: Voicemail
7. In-Person Meetings
Strategy 16: Parent Group Meetings
Strategy 17: Pre-Conference Parent Survey
Strategy 18: Tips for Successful Conferences
8. Helping Parents Teach Their Children at Home
Strategy 19: IEP/IFSP Practice Letter
Strategy 20: Home Activity Calendar
Strategy 21: Home Response Cards
Strategy 22: Make-It-Take-It Workshop
Strategy 23: Summer Activities Letter
9. Challenges to Parent Involvement
Strategy 24: Conflict Situations
Obstacles to Parent Involvement
10. Staying Organized and Planning for Next Year
Strategy 25: Parent Involvement Portfolio
Parent Involvement Action Plan
References
Index
