Chapter Summary:
In chapter 3, you will learn how to understand families of children with disabilities. You will also examine how to develop and maintain family-professional partnerships. This chapter will also describe how teachers can work with culturally and linguistically diverse families. You will read about the home-school communication methods that can be used to effectively communicate with families.
Learning Outcomes:
• Identify three factors that contribute to the increased emphasis on parent and family involvement.
• Describe challenges, characteristics, and roles of families of children with disabilities.
• Describe the five principles of effective communication between educators and parents, and explain attitudes and behaviors that can create barriers.
• Examine cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and linguistic practices that can impede parent involvement and identify ways school personnel can help families understand school culture, policies, and practices.
• List 10 guidelines for communicating with parents of children with disabilities and contrast several common modes of home–school communication.
• Discuss strategies for engaging parents of children with disabilities in the education and support for one another.
Reflection Questions:
1. What responsibility do parents have for their child’s success in school?
2. Why is it important for teachers to develop self-awareness before they can become culturally responsive?
Chapter Activity:
1. Complete the Module: Collaborating with Families: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/fam/challenge/.
Answer the following questions:
What do teachers need to understand about working with families who have children with disabilities?
What are some ways to go about building positive relationships with families?