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Involving Parents of Students With Special Needs
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Involving Parents of Students With Special Needs
25 Ready-to-Use Strategies



March 2008 | 192 pages | Corwin

"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.


 
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

"This book makes a great contribution to the field of not only special education, but also general education. Teachers across specialties will 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 you with real-world situations—something that most college courses cannot prepare you for. Easy and user-friendly, this book provides you with strategies and tools to aid in communicating with parents."

Laura Peterson, Special Education Teacher
Center School, Stow, MA

GREAT book. Hands-on Activities are useful and applicable.

Dr Terri Hessler
Education Dept, Ohio State University - Newark
October 17, 2012
Key features
  • More than 20 easy-to-use teaching strategies for immediately involving parents of students with special needs
  • A Special Feature page listing all the involvement strategies discussed in the book
  • Techniques applicable to any grade level and any setting
  • Includes a Parent Involvement Portfolio so teachers can document their work
  • The Strategy Review Checklist reviews how to most effectively work with parents
  • Strategies require only minimal teacher preparation time

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preface

Chapter 1: Introduction


For instructors

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Rent or Buy eBook
ISBN: 9781452214139

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ISBN: 9781412951203
$41.95

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ISBN: 9781412951197
$78.95