Park Forest Middle School
Self-Advocacy and
Self-Determination
Do You “Know Yourself”?
What are your strengths? What
do you do well?
How do you learn?
What do you need to be able to
learn?
What is Self-Advocacy?
Speaking up for yourself
Taking responsibility for what you want
Starts by knowing yourself, how you
learn and how you do things
Knowing what you need and being
able to ask for it
Who Are Self-Advocates
People that learn or do things
differently
People that can be role models
Volunteers
Help others speak up for
themselves
What Stops You From Being
Your Own Advocate?
Feeling quiet and too shy to speak
Feeling frustrated and mad
Feeling like I don’t know what to do
Feeling afraid of saying the wrong thing
Not knowing how someone else might
react
Wanting to be nice to everybody
Not wanting to cause a problem
Not wanting to draw attention to myself
Thinking that no one will understand me
What Stops You From Being
Your Own Advocate?
Figure out what stops you from
being your own advocate
Come up with ways to overcome
it
Can Self-Advocacy Make A
Difference?
Examples of changes made by selfadvocates:
Living at home
Transportation
School classes
How To Be A
Self-Advocate
You don’t need a title
Respect others
Have a voice and speak up
Be positive
How To Be A
Self-Advocate
Listen to the ideas of others
Be truthful
Ask for help when you need help
Reach for your dream
Stand up for your legal rights
Why You Should Be A
Self-Advocate
It helps you to protect your rights.
You can prepare for your future.
You can help others to be
self-advocates too.
Is “Attitude” Important in
Self-Advocacy?
Yes
Positive attitudes and beliefs are
as important as skills.
You are worth advocating for.
Self-advocacy means taking
responsibility for what you want.
Changing Attitudes
Many people have the WRONG
ideas about people that learn or
do things differently.
We are here to change some of
those ideas.
We will share some of the
WRONG ideas people have and
show you the RIGHT ideas.
Changing Attitudes
 WRONG WAY:
1. Just because you
learn or do
things differently
people don’t like
you & judge you.
 RIGHT WAY:
1. Introduce
yourself. Ask if
you can be their
friend and try to
be friends
2. Because I have
different
abilities, I can’t
help.
2. People with
different abilities
can be
courteous. They
can help. They
can be useful.
Changing Attitudes
 WRONG WAY:
3. People with
 RIGHT WAY:
3. They can. They
can be talented in
different abilities
sports. They can
can’t participate in
have good
sports.
sportsmanship.
4. People that learn
or do things
differently pick on 4. Not true. They
can be helpful
others. They are
with others.
mean.
Changing Attitudes
• WRONG WAY:
• 5. People that learn
or do things differently
can’t stand up for
themselves.
• RIGHT WAY:
• People with different
abilities can speak for
themselves. They can
be honest, raise their
voice and stand up for
themselves.
• 6. People with
different abilities are
not that smart or
strong.
• 6. People that learn
or do things differently
can be smart. They can
have willpower and can
still work hard.
What Are
Accommodations?
Things that help you learn or
accomplish what you are trying
to do
Examples of accommodations:
 Sitting in the front of the class
Extra time on tests
Larger print
Pictures
Having instructions written
instead of spoken
Having instructions spoken
instead of written
Wheelchair or walker
What is Self-Determination?
Having control over those parts of
life that are important to YOU
Why Is Self-Determination
Important?
To you
You can choose who your friends
are.
You have the right to be heard. You
have feelings.
Why is Self-Determination
Important?
To people around you
 You and your family can choose how
you live your life.
Friends and family can help you make
choices and be a good self-advocate.
What Does It Mean To Have
Self-Determination?
You should be treated like
anybody else. You should not be
treated differently because you
learn or do things differently.
As you make more choices and
take greater control of your life
you take on more responsibilities.
What Does It Mean To Have
Self-Determination?
Everyone gets help from others.
You need to give help to others.
Why Is Contributing A Part Of
Self-Determination?
Why should we contribute?
Contributing or volunteering makes us
feel like a part of something.
Contributing helps us figure out who
we are and what is important to us.
Why Is Contributing A Part
Of
Self-Determination?
Everyone can contribute to their
community.
You can contribute your time and skills
as well as what you think and feel.
How Can You Contribute?
Doing chores around your house
Helping others
Mowing grass
Babysitting
Carrying in groceries
Listen to a friend’s problem
 Getting involved in school activities
 Helping others with their homework
How Can You Show
Self-Determination?
Make choices for yourself
How Can You Show
Self-Determination?
Direct your own IEP
How Can You Show
Self-Determination?
Ask for what you need that would
make things easier for you
Learn to talk about things you do
well and things you like to do
Why Is It Important To Try
(even if it doesn’t work)?
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try
again”
Sometimes we learn by fixing the
mistakes we made.