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
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).
Have a question for our expert? There will be an opportunity to post questions for the presenter during the live webinar.
Not available December 2? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.
