As a new school year approaches, many parents of children with disabilities find themselves asking: Is my child ready? There’s a lot to consider when preparing for a smooth, independent transition back to school. At the Westchester Independent Living Center, our team works year-round to support families in building confidence, skills, and independence for students with disabilities. In this Q&A, WILC experts weigh in with practical advice and key considerations to help parents feel prepared and empowered ahead of the first day of school.
From Denise Green, Parent Training and Information Center Coordinator
What does “independence” look like for a student with a disability—(and how can that differ from student to student?)
Independence for a student with a disability can look different from what it does for their same-aged peers. For some students with a disability, it can mean assistance and care 24/7. They could be nonverbal and need to learn an alternative means of communication. Some may have significant behaviors requiring interventions. Others may be behind their peers and need a smaller classroom to learn the material, while others need gentle reminders to refocus on the lesson, while others need the lesson retaught or broken down into smaller chunks.
For some students, independence can be navigating the classroom or school building with or without support. For others, it could be using tools taught in counseling to navigate social interactions with peers and teachers or learning to take turns. Some may need modeling, while others may need social stories
Teaching independence means building upon strengths that the student already has. When increasing a student’s independence, lessons should focus on:
- Building their confidence and self-esteem so they know that they can do it,
- Becoming increasingly more self-sufficient,
- And increasing their self-advocacy skills
Independence allows a student to meaningfully participate in school, at home, and in the community to the fullest extent possible. It allows them to grow and helps prepare them for their future dreams. Independence will look different for each student with a disability as it does for all students, but the end goal is the same to allow the student to become as independent as possible.
What are some early indicators that a student may need extra support, or is ready to take more ownership over their day-to-day school routine?
There are many indicators that your child or teen may be struggling in school and needs support. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Child/teen goes to the nurse’s office frequently, complaining of a headache or stomachache.
- Homework is a battle.
- Homework takes longer than it should for the grade the child is in. As a general rule, homework should not take more than 10 minutes per grade, so a fourth grader should not have more than 40 minutes of homework.
- Child/Teen can not complete homework without parental assistance. Students of all ages should be able to complete homework on their own.
- Child/Teen shows a strong dislike of school or says they hate school.
- Child/Teen says they are stupid. Everyone else can do blank, but I can’t.
- Child/Teen starts taking longer to get ready for school, coming into school late.
- Child/Teen start showing anxiety on Sundays.
- Frequently gets stomachache or headache on Sunday night or Monday morning.
- Child/Teen refuses to go to school.
- Child is more than a ½ year behind in reading. You need to know your child’s reading level and what reading level they should be at.
- Your parental instincts are telling you something is wrong. Believe your instincts.
From Robin Llaque, Educational Advocate & parent
How can parents help their child become more confident in communicating with teachers or school staff when they need help?
- Fostering open communication at home by creating a safe place to allow your child to share their thoughts and feelings without judgment.
- Regular check-in’s: schedule daily time to discuss their day at school including any challenges they may be experiencing.
- Pay close attention when your child is talking, ask clarifying questions, and reflect back on details to show you understand.
- Validate your child’s feelings, even if you don’t understand them, allow them to feel heard.
- Model effective communication and possibly even perform some practice scenarios with your child to provide experience that they can then carry over with teachers, staff or peers.
- Prepare scripts, simple phrases or questions they can use in specific situations for ex: “ can you explain this again, please?
- Focus on the positive, practice scenarios with a positive tone, emphasizing that asking for help is a sign of strength and advocacy.
- Encourage your child to initiate communication especially as they transition into middle school and high school and beyond by encouraging them to email their teachers or counselors directly.
What’s one piece of advice you give every parent preparing a student with a disability for a more independent school year?
The best thing parents can do is to work with their child on fostering self-advocacy skills so that they can feel empowered but to also teach them that if for any reason they aren’t feeling heard despite their self- advocacy, it is always okay to come to you as their parent.
From Fiona Rattray, Parent Training & Information Center Specialist & Parent
What role does assistive technology play in promoting school independence, and what tools should parents be aware of?
Assistive technology can refer to any kind of tool that supports a child’s learning. This can range from something as simple as a pencil grip, to learning apps, to more complex technology such as speech-to-text software or communication devices.
The beauty of assistive technology is that it can often be tailored to your child’s individual needs. It doesn’t necessarily require constant adult support, and it can empower children to learn more independently.
Important factors to consider when exploring new assistive technology:
- Assessment:Ensure your child is assessed by someone trained in, and familiar with, a wide range of assistive technology tools.
- Training:Your child may need guidance or training in order to use the technology effectively.
- Comfort level:Gauge your child’s comfort when using the tool. For example, consider sensory sensitivities or any concerns around stigma.
- Monitoring:The use of technology should be monitored regularly to ensure it continues to meet your child’s needs.
Here are three commonly used types of assistive technology
- Communication Supports (AAC – Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
This can include speech-generating devices, communication boards, or apps like Proloquo2Go.
These tools give children with speech or language difficulties a voice. They help them join in class discussions, talk with friends, and take part in learning.
- Learning and Literacy Supports
Things like text-to-speech or speech-to-text software, audiobooks, graphic organizers, and learning apps.
These supports make reading, writing, and processing information easier. They help children access schoolwork at their level and show what they know without being held back by reading or writing challenges.
- Access and Participation Supports
This might be adaptive seating, pencil grips, alternative keyboards, switch systems, or screen readers.
These tools remove barriers. They make it possible for children to take part in classroom activities, complete their work, and learn alongside their classmates.
As we head into a new school year, what should parents keep in mind when updating IEPs or 504 plans?
The question that always comes up is: have your child’s needs been properly identified?
There is only so much schools can do, IEPs are built on the needs identified through evaluations, classroom observations, parent input, progress reports, and report cards. But if you think about the size of an average classroom, there is only so much a teacher can realistically uncover about your child’s unique learning needs.
Learning is complex. That’s why, as a parent, it’s important to stay alert for factors that may be affecting your child’s learning — whether they are strengths or challenges.
You can do this by checking in weekly with your child and reviewing their schoolwork. If you notice red flags, that’s the time to begin documenting what you see. For example:
- Keep copies of written work that show difficulties with spelling, grammar, or written expression.
- Note if your child is coming home every day completely overwhelmed — perhaps shutting themselves away or having meltdowns.
- As a parent, your documentation of these patterns is a powerful tool in making sure your child’s needs are recognized and addressed.
- If concerns are coming up every day, you can take things a step further by keeping a daily log. This helps you track patterns and gives you concrete examples to share.
- This is also the time to reach out to your child’s teacher and express your concerns. It’s normal for children to need some time to settle back into school after summer vacation. But if you’ve been noticing issues since day one, and it’s now October, it may be time to request a program review.
