1. Working and Communicating with Families of Students with Disabilities: Developing a Base of Trust
Amy Horn
Texas Woman's University
EDSP
Help For Teachers Developing Relationships with Students’ Families

2. Families are Essential for IEP
“A critical aspect of effective collaborative educational programming is the involvement of family members or the forming of partnerships with families and working collaboratively with them. Given that families know their child the best, they have the information needed to guide the team in the development of an effective and individualized educational program” (Horn & Kang, 2011, p. 242).

3. The PICs Which Lead to Success
Positive Wording
Interest in the Student
Communicating Openly

4. Positive Wording (Strengths Based)
Parents most often know the problems, point out the good.
Talking positively will foster trust and cooperation
People like hearing positive wording
Positive wording helps people relax and feel positive themselves

5. Why Not Negative Wording?
According to Gregg et al. (2011, p. 54), negative wording can:
Be detrimental to family trust
Effect how the teacher perceives the student
Cause resentment toward the teacher

6. Interest in the Student
Angell et al. (2009) state that mothers are more trusting of a teacher who shows “genuine, voluntary, child-focused” behaviors (p. 166).
Ask about the student
Give praise when it has been earned, to both the student and family
Including the entire Family through a Family made Portfolio may be very beneficial.
This shows interest in the student
And allows the family input into your knowledge of the student

7. Interest in the Student
Knowing about a student’s disability is more than our job (Ray et al., 2009, p. 20).
Knowing in depth information about a student’s disability garners trust, and makes us better teachers.
Knowing how a disability manifests in a particular student shows interest and care for the student, as well as helping in day to day classroom interactions.

8. Communicate Openly Remember, use communication for:
Angell et al. (2011) state that “frequent, honest, and immediate” communication is vital to a trusting relationship with parents (p. 167).
Phone calls
Texts
Letters
Remember, use communication for:
Emergencies
Praise
Questions for the Family

9. Communicate Openly
Keep in mind the vocabulary of the family (Rosenbaum, 2011, p. 134).
Interpreters my be needed
Minimize Jargon and Acronyms (You never know how much they’ll know!)

10. That’s a Lot of PICs!

11. PIC Your Student! Positive Wording
Interest in the Student (and family)
Communicate Openly

12. References
Angell, M. E., Stoner, J. B., & Shelden, D. L. (2009). Trust in education professionals: Perspectives of mothers of children with disabilities. Remedial & Special Education, 30(3),
Gregg, K., Rugg, M., & Souto-Manning, M. (2011). Fostering family-centered practices through a family-created portfolio. School Community Journal, 21(1),
Horn, E., & Kang, J. (2012). Supporting young children with multiple disabilities: What do we know and what do we still need to learn?. Topics In Early Childhood Special Education, 31(4),
Ray, J. A., Pewitt-Kinder, J., & George, S. (2009). Partnering with families of children with special needs. Young Children, 64(5),
Rosenbaum, P. (2011). Communicating with families: A challenge we can and must address!!. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics, 31(2), doi: /