Student Self‐Advocacy 

What Is Self-Advocacy

Three steps to self advocacy• Self‐advocacy can be defined in several ways:

o Learning to speak up on your behalf and ask for what you need.

o Learning to take charge and be more independent.

Can Learn Society, 2014

1

2

3 Communicate your needs appropriately

Know what supports you need to be successful

Know your self as a learner

What Does Self-Advocacy Look Like?

• Students are aware of their rights and know how to present themselves responsibly. 

• Students are more likely to go to a teacher for accommodations and feel more responsible for their education.

• Students are able to find and use resources available to them.

McArthy, 2007; Jones, 2006

When Should We Start Teaching Self-Advocacy?

• The process of developing self advocacy skills should begin early and develop as the student moves through high school.  

• Teachers can assist students with learning disabilities in taking risks.

• Principals are influential educational leaders and their leadership is closely linked to student performance and development of self‐advocacy skills.

Awareness of personal 

preferences, interests, strengths, 

and limitations

Self‐evaluation skills

Problem‐solving skills

Ability to differentiate 

between wants and needs Ability to consider multiple 

options and to anticipate consequences for decisions

Ability to make choices based on preferences, interests, wants, and 

needs

Ability to initiate and take action when needed

Ability to evaluate decisions based on the outcomes of previous decisions and to revise future decisions 

accordingly

Ability to set and work toward goals

Persistence

Self‐confidence

Pride

A striving for independence while 

recognizing interdependence with 

others

Ability to self‐regulate behaviour

Independent performance and adjustment skills

Creativity

Ability to use communication skills such 

as negotiation, compromise, and 

persuasion to reach goals

Ability to assume responsibility for 

actions and decisions

Self-Advocacy Characteristics

Self-Advocacy Card: A Resource to Help Build Self-Advocacy Skills

Self Advocacy Card• Personalizes a student’s strengths and needs.• Outlines the accommodations and supports that a student may require in the classroom.

• Enables students to better understand and identify the“tools for success” that they need.

• Empowers students to become comfortable asking for the supports that they need.

What Actions Do Students Take Once They Understand Themselves Through Their Action Card?

LDAWE B.E.S.T. — Steps for Self‐Advocacy

Decide whether you need help

Remain calm and use a pleasant or neutral voice

Requesthelp

Describe your issue

LST Pilot — Participating Schools

• Coronation

• Talbot Trail

• Queen Elizabeth

• Kingsville Public School

• Maxwell

• Colchester North

• Dr. David Suzuki

• Herman Secondary School

• Sandwich Secondary School 

• LaSalle Public School 

Pilot Resource - SOAR

What was the feedback ?

• Take some time to look through the resource “Some Assembly Required”

Some Assembly Required:A Guidebook for Learners

Soar Resource

Benefits

• Good conversation starter for discussions with students• Allows students to open up and share their concerns, fears, and anxiety about high school

• Clear and easy to understand with relatable examples• Sections can be selected to discuss self‐advocacy• Contains a skills and weakness checklist• Other sources like “YouTube” and “personality tests” can be used to augment the program

• Beneficial for use with all students

Challenges

• Upfront challenges• time‐consuming at first • difficult to complete fully

• Not enough time to take students out of their classes to complete• Some homeroom teachers are not supportive of students missing time away from curriculum

• A PDF version would be useful

Examples

Graphic Organizer

CARD

Popplet

Pamphlet

Card

Bookmark

Griffbook

Self-Advocacy Skills and the IEP

McCarthy, 2007

• It is important for students with learning disabilities to not only be the receiver but also the “author” of their accommodations.  

• Students should become increasingly involved in their IEP, as they move through elementary and secondary school.

Observing a student’s ability to meaningfully contribute to the IEP provides a way to measure the effectiveness of self‐advocacy instruction.

Summary