Encourage Self-advocacy

Overview

Encouraging all learners to ask questions and seek help when needed creates a safe space for risk-taking, peer learning, and skill development. Fostering an environment for self-advocacy helps learners take ownership of their own learning needs.

Use It In Your Learning Environment

Watch how these students become self-advocates for their learning as they share their strengths and challenges. By having a voice in their learning, these students develop greater awareness of what works best for them and how to advocate for supports they need.

Apply It In Your Learning Environment

Educators can intentionally reinforce the benefits to all learners by validating and appreciating when peers ask questions to clear up misconceptions or ask for tools they need.
Encourage help-seeking behaviors.
Build a question-seeking and question-asking environment by continuously prompting learners to ask questions.
Instead of asking "Who has a question?", say "What questions do you have?".
Insert the question "In what ways would you like more help?" when checking for understanding (i.e. quizzes, tests, exit tickets), can foster Metacognition and their ability to understand their own needs.
Create signals and processes for learners to reach out if they are not visible on the first screen of virtual learning platforms.
Continually monitor the chat and different pages of virtual learning environments to ensure learners with hands raised are recognized and invited into the conversation.
Provide ways for learners to advocate for their needs and interests in both verbal and non-verbal ways.

Apply It To Product Development

Create a "help" button for learners to reach out for support and ensure there is a notification to someone on the other end to provide the help needed.

Use It in the Classroom

Provide growth mindset feedback that specifies ways for learners to advocate for themselves.

Design It into Your Product

Equip notifications and reminders to educators when learners reach out for help.

View References

Resources

Below are additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.

Examples

Building Self-advocates

Video on helping students become strong self-advocates

Examples

I'm Determined

Free resources to empower students' self-determination

Examples

Importance of Self-advocacy

Article from Understood.org on the benefits of self-advocacy and how to build it

Examples

Let Students get 'Stuck' and 'Unstuck'

Article with prompts students can refer to when they need help from a peer or teacher