self-advocacy, LD self understanding

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

I am going to teach self advocacy to learning disabled and emotionally impaired high school students next year. I’m looking for advice on what books to use which would help me help LD students understand their disability. After fully undertanding their disability and the accomodations needed to be successfull, it is my hope students could be taught to coordinate their own IEPT and transition meetings. If you have any thoughts on the concept and materials/books which could be used, please contact me. John Bachelor

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/02/2001 - 12:01 AM

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If you go to LD Store, you will find an excellent book for your age group. Press the arrow next to search, and go to books for kids.
The Survival Guide for Teenagers with LD by Cummings and Fisher
Free Spirit Publishing, 1991.
ISBN 0-915793-51-2
Phone orders: 1-800-735-7323

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/02/2001 - 11:38 AM

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Sandy, I’ve ordered the Survival Guide Book. Someone told me it was a bit out of date, having been published in 1991. Does it also deal with self advocacy? John

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/02/2001 - 4:28 PM

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How about getting some current articles, ie: CHADD has a magazine? Also, some outside guest speakers may help (ie:psychologist, neurologist). I assume that there are parents who will not want their child exposed to some information, and there are some staff that would oppose it too. I think it is a wonderful idea, as it helps students realize that they are not alone in their disability and that school personnel do understand. It hopefully will empower your students, give them the skills and confidence to advocate for what they need in school.

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/02/2001 - 6:17 PM

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If you go to the site below, you can read an excerpt from the book to see if it meets your self=advocacy teaching needs.

http://www.ldonline.org/kidzone/speak_up/rights.html

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/02/2001 - 10:34 PM

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I am excited to hear that you are planning a self-advocay unit for your students. I have been doing so for the past three years for my 9th grade students (SLD, E/BD, MMMI). I use Become Your Own Expert! Self Advocacy Curriculum for Individuals with Learning Disabilities (by Winnelle D. Carpenter, M. A.) as the basis of my unit, but have added many activites and lessons stemming from material in this resource. I have also found useful info. at the following web site: www.ldinfo.com

I ordered the following self-advocacy manual and have enjoyed using it!!
LD Self-Advocacy Manual - “Uncovering the Mysteries of your Learning Disability - Discovery, Self-Awareness, Self-Advocacy”…. a great resource for parents, teachers, students, etc. Read it on-line, download it free, or order it in printed form!

I look forward to hearing if your students enjoy this unit as much as mine do!! It has been the highlight of my LD Resource curriculum. I would also enjoy sharing any ideas if you like.

Good Luck

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 07/03/2001 - 12:11 AM

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Sarah, I am familiar with the curriculum by Winelle Carpenter but not the LD Self-Advocacy Manual - “Uncovering the Mysteries of your Learning
Disability - Discovery, Self-Awareness, Self-Advocacy.” Where can I find it?

From your address, it appears you are from Minnesota and probably met Winelle at a workshop? I am from Michigan and I think just a few special educators are doing anything with self-advocacy.
John

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 07/10/2001 - 3:36 AM

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I just read this thread, with great interest. I have been teaching self-advocacy skills and self-awareness to my high school students for years. I’m always looking for good materials. I would love more information about Winnelle Carpenter’s curriculum. I’m not familiar with it…I’ve used a hodge-podge of stuff for years, sorting through and “refining” every year. I’d also be interested in the Self-Advocacy manual. I will be teaching several sections of study skills this year and I like to start out with self-awareness/self-advocacy. I am very passionate about these issues, esp. since I used to have juniors come into my classroom with absolutely no idea why they were there..it was appalling. I have the ‘Survival Guide for Teenagers with LD” and have used it but it does seem geared for junior high school age more than high school and it is a bit dated…some of the information is no longer relevant and some is inaccurate. You just have to go through and make corrections. It’s worth buying, though. Most of my stuff has come from this website and from conferences I have attended…workshops on transition to college, primarily.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 07/14/2001 - 7:16 PM

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Hi,
I work at Santa Barbara City College as a learning disabilities specialist, and it is great to read about the efforts of high school teachers and specialists to educate students about their learning profiles, accommodations, and other related skills. So often students come to college after having been in Resource for years with seemingly no idea as to why they received the service.

Here is a link to the SBCC DSPS website on learning disabilities: http://www.west.net/~ger/index.html. If you scroll down, you’ll find Self-Advocacy under #7, or you can go directly to it:
http://www.west.net/~ger/dsps44.html

We made up our own curriculum based upon Janet Shapiro’s doctoral thesis and it is not published, but at least some of the questions are listed here that professionals and individuals and disabilities agreed upon as important to address.

Best of fortune in your important work.

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