Introduction
High school students have diverse learning, social-emotional, and sensory needs. Ensuring that these needs are met can greatly impact their success in school. Accommodations are tools and strategies that help students overcome barriers and perform at their best. By teaching students to advocate for their learning accommodations, educators empower them to take control of their education and ensure their needs are met.
No-Prep Activity
Here’s a simple, no-prep activity to help students practice advocating for their learning accommodations:
- Divide students into pairs.
- Ask each student to think of a learning accommodation they may need in their school environment.
- Students then take turns practicing how they would advocate for their accommodation to their partner, who will act as the teacher.
- Encourage students to use respectful language, tone of voice, and consider the appropriate time and place to make their request.
- After both students have practiced, they can discuss what went well and what they can improve upon when advocating for their needs.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it important for students to advocate for their learning accommodations?
- What are some challenges that students might face when advocating for their needs?
- How can educators support students in advocating for their learning accommodations?
- What is the difference between a need and a want, and why is it important to distinguish between the two when advocating for accommodations?
- How can advocating for one’s needs contribute to overall success in school and beyond?
Related Skills
Beyond advocating for learning accommodations, there are other essential skills that students can develop to enhance their social-emotional growth. These include:
- Effective communication: Developing the ability to express thoughts and feelings clearly and respectfully.
- Active listening: Fostering an understanding of others’ perspectives by attentively listening and empathizing.
- Self-awareness: Recognizing one’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
- Problem-solving: Cultivating the ability to find solutions to challenges and obstacles.
- Decision-making: Learning to make informed choices based on personal values and available information.
Next Steps
Helping students advocate for their learning accommodations is a crucial step in fostering their academic and social-emotional growth. To further support your students, explore free sample materials on social-emotional learning and related skills by signing up at Everyday Speech. These resources can help you create a supportive and inclusive environment where students can thrive.
