How to Teach Self-Advocacy Skills to
Special Education Students
Being a teenager is already challenging; they’re dealing with school work, social pressure, new hormones—all these while also trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be. And for Special Education students, these challenges are even more complex as they prepare to transition into adulthood.
But one thing that can make a big difference for them is learning self-advocacy skills. These skills not only help teenagers feel more independent but also empower them to ask for what they need, especially in an environment where they might not always be fully understood or supported.
As their teacher, you play an important role in this process. Teaching self-advocacy involves helping your students recognize their strengths, understand their needs, and learn how to seek support.
In this blog post, you’ll discover strategies and activities to help you guide your students toward becoming effective self-advocates!
What Is Self-Advocacy?
Self-advocacy is the ability to recognize and speak up about one’s own needs, strengths, and rights.
When students with disabilities are younger, their parents and teachers take care of things and often make decisions for them. But as they move through High School, they should gradually learn to take on more responsibility for themselves.
Whether it’s making decisions about their school work or planning for life after graduation, developing self-advocacy skills help the students become more independent and prepared for adult life.
Self-advocacy skills include:
- Knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses
- Understanding the supports and accommodations available
- Knowing their rights
- Developing the ability to request information and assistance when needed
These skills can help high school students make decisions on their own and speak about their needs.
Each student’s path to self-advocacy is unique. But no matter the level of ability, every student benefits from learning to advocate for themselves in whatever ways they can.
The Power of Self-Advocacy
Self-advocacy isn’t just an educational skill that’s needed to finish school. And it’s also not just about gaining independence or autonomy. It’s about helping a person with disability become confident, self-determined individuals who can make their own choices about their lives.
That’s the power of self-advocacy. When students are aware of themselves, know what they need, and how to ask for it, they can pave their way to a fulfilled, independent life. When they advocate for themselves, they also help challenge stereotypes and misunderstandings about disabilities.
Strategies for Teaching Self-Advocacy Skills
Now, let’s dive into some practical ways to teach self-advocacy in your classroom. Each of these strategies can be used independently or combined to create a complete approach to building self-advocacy skills.
1. Learn about Self-Advocacy
When teaching self-advocacy skills, start by introducing the concept of self-advocacy. Teach it in a way that’s both engaging and educational.
How can you teach self-advocacy?
- Show an animated video on self-advocacy. Visual learning can make complex ideas easier to understand, especially when the video material uses simple terms.
Teach a self-advocacy lesson with follow-up activities. Using a structured lesson plan, like this Self-Advocacy Bundle of Lesson and Activities, can help you guide your students through the concept of self-advocacy.
This lesson includes a ready-made presentation and differentiated activities that cover the basic of self-advocacy.
This approach helps your students see self-advocacy as an achievable skill and gives them examples they can relate to.
2. Build Self-Awareness
Self-advocacy begins with understanding oneself and what matters to them. Help your students discover their strengths, interests, and goals so they have a foundation for effective self-advocacy.
Activities to try:
- Interest surveys about favorite subjects, hobbies, and activities
- Goal setting worksheets for personal goals
- All About Me Activity
- Vision boards
- Personal strengths and challenges chart
3. Encourage Self-Acceptance
As your students develop a better understanding of themselves, they’re also more of their strengths and the areas where they may need support. Encourage them to accept that it’s okay to ask for help when needed!
Activities to try:
- Journaling exercises where students list their strengths and challenges
- Group discussions where students share their thoughts on self-worth and seeking help
4. Practice Expressing Needs and Preferences
Part of advocating for one’s self is expressing their needs and preferences. That’s why communication plays a big role.
Build communication skills by giving your students the words and confidence to express what they need and when they need help, whether through face-to-face conversations, emails, or other methods.
Activities to try:
- Task cards or role-play with different “What would you do” scenarios
- Writing down phrases that can be used, like “I need a reminder,” or “Could I get help with this assignment?” and practicing them
Offering choices, whether in activities, schedules, or classroom seating
5. Teach Students about Their Rights and Responsibilities
Knowing their rights and responsibilities is essential for your students to advocate for themselves. Teach them about educational rights, such as accommodations and supports available under the law. When they have this knowledge, they’ll know what they can ask for and why.
Activities to try:
- Inviting guest speakers from advocacy organizations to talk about the rights of students with disabilities
- Creating posters about their rights and responsibilities
6. Build Resilience and Perseverance
Self-advocacy isn’t always easy, and everyone will face challenges along the way. That’s why it’s also important to teach your students resilience.
Resilience and perseverance will help your students to keep going, even when things get hard. They will also view each setback as a chance to learn and grow.
Activities to try:
- Posting the students’ achievements on a bulletin board or “Great Job” wall
- Reflection activity after a difficult situation
- Group discussions focused on the idea that mistakes and setbacks are a part of learning
- Role-playing perseverance
- Mindfulness activities and exercises
7. Help Students Take Part in Their IEP Meetings
What better way to encourage self-advocacy than helping your students have a voice? Get your students involved in their own IEP (Individualized Education Program) meetings to help them feel in charge of their learning and goals.
Participating in IEP meetings shows them that their opinions matter and helps build their confidence in speaking up for themselves.
So, how can you do this? First, teach your students about their IEPs. Before the meeting, review their goals and discuss what they want to share. Help them prepare a few points about their progress or future goals.
This practice not only makes sure that you’re developing a student-centered IEP, it also lets your students see that their input matters even in formal settings.
8. Set Up Real-Life Practice Situations
Most of the time, role-play is not enough. A way to build self-advocacy skills is through real-world experiences where your students can apply what they’ve learned.
This doesn’t have to be a big event or activity. You can try simple things that will help your students practice making choices, like choosing their seat or planning a part of their school day. This helps them feel more comfortable making bigger decisions about their lives.
Activities to try:
- A classroom debate on favorite hobbies
- Involving students in decision-making tasks, like planning a community trip or weekly grocery shopping
Teaching self-advocacy skills to students with disabilities is about helping them understand themselves, speak up for what they need, and develop the confidence to make their own decisions.
By guiding your students through self-awareness, communication, and real-life practice, you’re giving them tools they can use in all areas of life.
Remember, each of your student’s learning progress is unique, and even small steps can lead to big changes in their confidence and independence.
