MAY EXPRESS

Asking the Right Questions

“The one who asks questions doesn’t lose his way.”
~ African Proverb

Making choices and decisions in our lives requires asking questions so we have the information we need to move forward. The questions we ask affect the answers we receive. It is worth spending time figuring out the questions. This is certainly true as we navigate special education and other service systems for our children with special needs. “Informed Consent” is a phrase we hear often before important decisions are made. How do we become informed? By asking good questions—of the people we are working with, of the resources we are reading, of ourselves and our children.

Matrix recently sponsored a Regional Conference for Parent Centers from each state in the West. There, Ronnie Detrich of The Wing Institute, discussed a parent’s role in getting evidenced-based practices for their children. Key to getting services backed by evidence that they work is asking questions. He proposed 7 Questions for Parents to Ask about Treatments. These same questions can be adapted for situations such as deciding on placements:

1. What is the evidence base for this intervention?
a. What is known about the effects for children like my child?
b. What is known about the effects in settings like my child’s?

2. What are other options?

3. Why is this intervention being recommended? (The answer should be for your particular child in their particular setting.)

4. What are the risks? (The answer should show that risks have been considered and what steps are being taken to minimize possible risks.)

5. Do those responsible for implementing this intervention have the necessary staff development and skills to implement this with adequate levels of treatment integrity?

6. Are the resources available to implement this with adequate levels of treatment integrity (keeping true to how it is meant to be implemented)?

7. How will the effectiveness of this intervention be evaluated? (The answer should include how often you will be kept informed, what will be measured and how.)

Schools are now required to use research-based or evidence-based instruction. This applies to reading programs, behavior intervention programs, or other areas where students receive instruction or interventions. Ask questions to find out the evidence for the intervention your school is proposing for your child. By asking questions about evidenced-based interventions, parents become advocates for the use of these methods. Schools and parents need to work together to inform each other.

Some helpful websites are:
The Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice
Focus on Effectiveness: Research-based Strategies
What Works Clearinghouse
WrightsLaw

Other Resources:
Our Matrix HELP sheet: How Do I Evaluate Treatments and Interventions can help you ask the right questions when evaluating information you find on the internet.

As you review assessments of your child, think of questions to ask. Our Matrix worksheet has some questions for you to consider.

There are also questions to ask yourself when you are preparing for an IEP meeting. Our IEP Packet has planning worksheets to help organize your thoughts as you develop questions. Through this process you will narrow down your areas of concern and be ready to ask pertinent questions. For example, if your child struggles in a particular area you can ask:
What assessments can help the IEP team understand this area?
What strategies could help my child improve?
Why will those strategies will be particularly helpful?
What changes in the classroom (accommodations) could be helpful?
How will those strategies be implemented in my child’s school day?

When you ask questions, do this genuinely rather than asking a question that you figure someone will answer incorrectly. The tone or way you ask a question is important in building trust. For example, by saying, “Susie seems really lost at recess and tells me she doesn’t have friends at school. What has been tried and what else could be done to help her?” you will probably accomplish more than,“So what are you doing to help my daughter at recess?!?”

There are also questionnaires that your child can use by him or her self or with someone. This can be helpful if a child is having difficulty completing homework or class work, or they seem to be distracted or upset in the class. As an example, see a simple set of questions called Thinking About My Inappropriate Behavior. Questionnaires can also help students as they approach transition out of high school into post-high school activities. Self-assessments, such as the one found here, can help them determine their interests, preferences and goals, such as the one found here . Also see Appendix E in the Transition to Adult Living Guide. Just as questions help parents build advocacy skills, they also help students gain these skills, which in turn will build their independence and self-confidence.

Read this story by a parent on asking questions to get needed services. Asking questions is an important skill we use and develop throughout our lives. By polishing and practicing this skill we can have greater confidence that interventions and treatments are effective, that others are participating constructively with us in solving problems and that we, along with our children, are becoming more self-aware and better self-advocates.