For Local Blog in MinneapolisLetter Writing Tips When Advocating For Your Special Needs Child
January 12th, 2012
In last week’s blog post, your friends at Bur Bur and Friends multicultural children books pointed out why letter writing is a good way to advocate for your child with special needs within the school environment. (By the way, Bur Bur has been going to school as well – our multicultural education materials are being utilized within schools to promote cultural diversity in education.)We had promised to give you some helpful pointers in writing effective and supportive letters (or emails) when advocating for your child at school, so here they are …
* When formulating a letter or email, remind yourself that you and the professionals involved share a common goal – to provide a positive learning environment for your child. Keep the tone of your letter pleasant and businesslike. Give the facts and try your best to not let anger, frustration or blame slip in. You want to make a good impression through your letter so that the person reading it will relate to you, understand your request and say, "yes." Remember that the decision maker might not know you, your child or your child's needs.
* When you need to write a letter to your child’s school to communicate a problem or a request, it’s a really good idea to mention what is working for your child as well. It helps to resolve a negative situation if you know what works well for a student. Plus, mentioning some positive aspects of your child’s education will keep the tone of your letter positive and help to develop a good partnership with school staff – which is very important.
* Aim to clearly identify concerns, state your child’s needs and constructively propose possible solutions or request suggestions and alternative options.
* When writing a letter, ask yourself the following questions and state the answers in your letter: Why am I writing? What are my specific concerns? What are my questions? What would I like the person to do about this situation? What sort of response do I want: a letter, a meeting, a phone call or something else?
* It ‘s always a good idea when writing about something important, to set the letter aside for a while – maybe overnight and think over what you’ve written and reread it. Read your letter as if you’re the person receiving it. Is your request clear? Have you included important facts? Does your letter ramble? Is it constructive?
* Ask someone familiar with your child’s needs to read your letter. Can the reader tell what you’re asking for? Would the reader say "yes" if they received this letter? Ask them for constructive suggestions.
* Use spell check and always keep a copy for your records.
* If the issues in your letter or email need a quick response, call the recipient and let them know that you’ve written and sent a letter and need a timely response.
* If you don’t hear back from the school after a reasonable amount of time, call them to make sure they received your letter or email and ask when you can expect a response.
The creators of Bur Bur’s teacher choice award and parent choice award winning popular childrens book series support you in being heard and advocating well for your child’s needs.
