7.3 (7S4C, 7S7C): Ability to be sensitive and respectful in communications regarding all children and families – regardless of differences in cultural heritage, lifestyle, values, and home environment.
7.4 (7K2B): Awareness of the roles of students, parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school and community personnel in planning an individualized program, when relevant.

Facilitator Supplement

Worksheets in this Unit

All worksheets are Adobe pdf files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view and print the worksheets.

Lesson 3

• Communication & Teamwork Worksheet

Lesson 4

• Team Members Worksheet

Lesson 7

• Who's Who Worksheet

Facilitated Activity

Activities included in this section are only those activities that will be led by the facilitator. Other activities can be found in the lessons.

Communicating with Culturally Diverse Parents

Have your learning group read the following article: Communicating with Culturally Diverse Parents of Exceptional Children.ED333619

Facilitate a discussion on what they can do as paraprofessionals, to interact positively with culturally diverse parents. Offer suggestions, tip sheets, or brainstorming opportunities to encourage discussion about their role.

Community Agencies

Have individuals in your group identify at least three local community service agencies that support community integration of individuals with disabilities. Suggest that they use the Internet, the phone book, or ask people that they work with to help identify these agencies.

Ask them to call and/or interview agencies to find out what part they play in supporting individuals with disabilities in their community. Students should bring this information to class to share with others. They should ask for pamphlets or brochures for class members.

Invite one or more agency representatives to class to discuss their agency's role in supporting individuals with disabilities. This activity is strongly recommended as a way of giving students firsthand experience with agency representatives. Including several representatives, a panel discussion may be appropriate.

Discussion Ideas

1. Have the paraprofessionals in your group read the article on Teacher-Family Partnerships. Facilitate a discussion on what their role is in facilitating these positive relationships with families.
2. Community Agencies Discuss local community agencies and organizations and their purposes. Explain to students the roles and importance of these types of organizations in supplying support, funds and resources to school, vocational, and residential programs.
3. Discussion topics
   • Think of a problem you're having at work (or one that you've had recently). How will you go about solving it using one of the techniques discussed in this chapter?
   • You don't feel your supervisor is really listening to you regarding one of your students. How do you go about improving your ability to communicate and his or her ability to listen?
   • How would you access a community agency representative on behalf of one of your students?
   • Does your current workplace collaborate with community- based agencies and organizations? In what ways?
4. Lead a discussion on the topic presented in Lesson 5 Reinforcement with your learning group. Use these questions as a starting point to encourage paraprofessionals to evaluate their own performance as a team member.
5. Use the questions in Lesson 7 Reinforcement to facilitate a discussion about the school environments that the paraprofessionals work in.

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