“The Power of Family Engagement: How Involved Parents Can Foster a Child’s Self-Advocacy Skills” [Video Replay & Podcast #381]

Access the video replay, listen to the podcast episode (#381), download the slide presentation, and learn how to get a certificate of attendance for this ADHD Experts webinar originally broadcast on December 2, 2021.

ADHD Expert: Michael Nakkula, Ph.D. Verified Updated on June 2, 2022
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Episode Description

Decades of research tell us that a parent’s close bond and engagement with their child leads to academic success. For children with learning differences, this engagement is also paramount to their social and emotional wellbeing — in large part because it unlocks self-advocacy skills.

Research at the National Center for Learning Disabilities strongly suggests that “lack of self-advocacy and self-regulation skills may explain why students with learning disabilities who attend any type of post-secondary school are less likely to graduate than are students without disabilities.” Developing a student’s voice during the elementary and high school years builds critical thinking, encourages the child to ask for help when navigating hurdles, and allows them to share their struggles and joys to better understand their possibilities. Harnessing family engagement opens a window for parents to guide and support their child’s strengths and to feel connected as a family.

Here, Michael Nakkula, Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, will share the impact of empowering student advocacy and harnessing parent engagement on social-emotional development, academic achievement, and overall mental health for students with learning differences.

In this webinar you will learn:

  • How consistent parent/family engagement plays a critical role in students’ academic, social, and emotional learning
  • How to develop and build student voice, which has the power to identify a child’s struggles, joys, and possibilities — and to change the trajectory of his or her future
  • How engaging with your child outside of the classroom leads to increased chances of attending college, developing a career, and life preparedness
  • Practical ways parents can enhance a student’s voice and increase family engagement

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Stitcher; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on Self Advocacy For Students, Family, and ADHD

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on December 2, 2021, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Michael Nakkula, Ph.D., is a Professor of Practice and Chair of the Division of Human Development and Quantitative Methods at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. He teaches courses on adolescent development and the intersection of counseling, mentoring, and education within urban public schools. Among his publications, Professor Nakkula is the lead author of Understanding Youth: Adolescent Development for Educators (#CommissionsEarned)(2006, Harvard Education Press) and Building Healthy Communities for Positive Youth Development (#CommissionsEarned) (2010, Springer Academic Press). Professor Nakkula’s three-volume edited collection on possibility development for young people around the world addresses the ways in which youth perspectives on their future are both supported by and at times undermined by the opportunity structures that surround them (Adolescent Psychology in Today’s World: Global Perspectives on Risk, Relationships, and Development (#CommissionsEarned), Praeger Press, 2018).

Listener Testimonials

“I was very impressed by Michael’s combination of life experience and current neuroscience research.  I could see my students and my own son in the descriptions of what it looks like when students have not yet developed their sense of agency and student voice.  I definitely plan to go back and closely review the slides.”

“Great webinar. Knowing that the presenter can connect personally made it even more interesting.”

“The concepts and techniques discussed during today’s program are extremely useful. Thank you!”

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this week’s ADDitude webinar is….

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