Let Us Transform the Portfolio Into a Strength-Based Self-Advocacy Tool

Abstract

Special education teachers use portfolios as alternative assessment and progress-monitoring tools. However, a multimodal, strengths-based portfolio has much more potential as a self-advocacy tool for students with varying abilities to showcase their strengths and interests, much like the portfolios adults use in the workplace. This paper conceptualizes the portfolio as a self-advocacy tool and presents suggested guidelines, an optional portfolio template, and student examples to illustrate the power of multimodal, strength-based portfolios. Through collaborative planning and reflection, special education teachers could work alongside general education teachers and families as they help students create portfolios and learn to use them as self-advocacy tools at their next IEP meeting and beyond.

Keywords

self-advocacy e-portfolio strength-based portfolio gifted and talented students twice-exceptional students

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Battle

D. A.

Dickens-Wright

L. L.

Murphy

S. C.

(1998). How to empower adolescents: Guidelines for effective self-advocacy. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 30, 28–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005999803000305

Carpenter

C. D.

Ray

M. S.

Bloom

L. A.

(1995). Portfolio assessment: Opportunities and challenges. Intervention in School and Clinic, 31(1), 34–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/105345129503100106

CAST. (2022). The UDL guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Clancy

Gardner

(2017). Using digital portfolios to develop non-traditional domains in special education settings. International Journal of ePortfolio, 7(1), 93–100. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1142753.pdf

Council for Exceptional Children. (2020). HLP 4: Use multiple sources of information to develop a comprehensive understanding of a student’s strengths and needs. https://highleveragepractices.org/hlp-leadership-guides/hlp-4-guide

Elder

B. C.

Rood

C. E.

Damiani

M. L.

(2018). Writing strength-based IEPs for students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 14(1), 116–155. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1182587.pdf

Esteban-Guitart

Moll

L. C.

(2014). Funds of identity: A new concept based on the funds of knowledge approach. Culture & Psychology, 20(1), 31–48. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X13515934

Glor-Scheib

Telthorster

(2006). Activate your student IEP team member using technology: How electronic portfolios can bring the student voice to life! TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 2(3), Article 1. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ967097.pdf

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1400 et seq. (2004).

10.

The IRIS Center. (2017). Secondary transition: Student-centered planning. https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/tran-scp/

11.

Ladson-Billings

(2021). I’m here for the hard re-set: Post pandemic pedagogy to preserve our culture. Equity & Excellence in Education, 54(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2020.1863883

12.

National Center for Education Statistics. (2018). National Teacher and Principal Survey: Average class size in public schools, by class type and state: 2017–18. https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps/tables/ntps1718_fltable06_t1s.asp

13.

Reis

S. M.

Madaus

J.W.

Gelbar

N. W.

Miller

L. J.

(2022). Strength-based strategies for twice exceptional high school students with autism spectrum disorder. TEACHING Exceptional Children. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599221108899.

14.

Sewell

Park

(2021). A three-factor model of educational practice considerations for teaching neurodiverse learners from a strengths-based perspective. Support for Learning, 36(4), 678–694. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9604.12387

15.

State of New Jersey Board of Education. (2020). 2020 New Jersey student learning standards. https://www.nj.gov/education/cccs/2020/

16.

Thompson

J. R.

Meadan

Fansler

K. W.

Alber

S. B.

Balogh

P. A.

(2007). Family assessment portfolios: A new way to jumpstart family/school collaboration. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 39(6), 19–25.

17.

Van Laarhoven-Myers

T. E.

Van Laarhoven

T. R.

Smith

T. J.

Johnson

Olson

(2016). Promoting self-determination and transition planning using technology: student and parent perspectives. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 39(2), 99–110. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143414552518