Self-advocacy is a topic that comes up a lot here at Roadways, but remains something difficult to put into practice. With so much shame and struggle involved when it comes to dyslexia and other learning disabilities, it can be really hard for students to speak up for themselves and ask for the resources they need to succeed. Speaking up involves singling yourself out and admitting that you learn differently compared to other kids and, when you’re in elementary school and high school, fitting in is often paramount, the first thought on a student’s mind.

            So, then how can we encourage our kids to self-advocate? It’s never going to be easy, but just like with many other challenges in life, it starts by taking small steps at home.

1)    Help your child understand their differences.

a.     The more a child understands their disabilities and differences, the more they can feel confident when it comes to talking about it with others. Sometimes, the instinct is to cover up differences and pretend like they don’t exist, but in learning to self-advocate, it’s important for a child to know who they are and what they need.

2)    Encourage your child to ask questions.

a.     This goes hand-in-hand with a child understanding how they differ from their peers. Encourage them to ask questions in order to better gain an understanding of the tasks that are being asked of them, or concepts they don’t understand. Speaking from experience as a teacher of dyslexic students, they are often quite shy when it comes to admitting what they don’t know. However, it’s important that they’re willing to share and ask after information they don’t understand so that they can be helped and their needs can be properly addressed.

3)    Encourage independence.

a.     Does your child know the name of their disability? Do they know how they best learn and can they describe it to a teacher or other adult? Independence starts with understanding, but continues with your child asking for what they need, whether that be technology, answers, or even a willing ear.

Self-advocacy is never easy, but it’s an important first step in helping your dyslexic child become independent and successful in their day-to-day life. Differences are beautiful things that make our world a more vibrant place to live; each of us has special talents and gifts that we can share with others. Often the pressure of the day-to-day can lead to covering up these gifts and differences, trying to fit in and not go against the mold. However, when we embrace ourselves fully, every part of ourselves, we can emerge out of the darkness with a new appreciation for who we are and what we have to offer.