Middle School Success Starts with Self-Advocacy: How to Help Your Child Speak Up
May 18, 2025Middle school is a time when students are expected to be more independent—but independence doesn’t mean doing it alone. It means knowing how to ask for help, express needs clearly, and use supports effectively.
These are self-advocacy skills, and they’re just as important as academic ones.
Students with IEPs or 504 Plans often rely on adults to speak for them in elementary school. In middle school, they begin to take the lead. The sooner they learn to recognize and communicate what works for them, the more confident they’ll feel in navigating new environments.
What Self-Advocacy Looks Like in Middle School
Recognizing Needs:
Can your child identify when something is too hard or not working?
Using Supports:
Do they know what their accommodations are, and how to request them?
Asking for Help:
Are they comfortable speaking up when they need clarification or a break?
How to Build Self-Advocacy Skills at Home
- Practice role-playing common classroom situations
- Create a simple “About Me” or “My Learning Style” one-pager
- Review IEP goals together and talk about what’s helping
- Encourage small, low-stakes moments to self-advocate (like asking a question in a store)
Want to help your child start middle school with a stronger voice?
Download the Middle School Transitions Toolkit and support their growth, one small step at a time.
Self-advocacy is a skill every student can learn. Middle school is the right place to start practicing.
