Questions for Reflection and/or Discussion plus Activity

Do you find being assertive challenging? Why or why not?

Describe some of your barriers to self-advocacy.

Think of a time when you did not advocate for yourself – what were the barriers? What were the consequences? Why didn’t you assert your needs?

Reflect on a situation where you have used advocacy skills to achieve a result for yourself or others.
How did using advocacy skills alter the outcome of the situation?
How do you feel about needing to advocate for yourself or others?

You’ve disclosed your hearing status and/or disability in a letter to your practicum supervisor in hopes of arranging some accommodations. On the first day of practicum, your supervisor asks you for more information on your disability that you are not comfortable sharing.
In what way could advocacy and effective communication skills help you work through this situation?

In addition to being Deaf, you have a learning disability and receive academic accommodations including extra time to write exams and early access to the lecture slides prior to class. You have notified your instructor about these accommodations well in advance. It is now three weeks into the course and your professor has yet to give you early access to the lecture slides. In what way could advocacy and effective communication skills help you work through this situation?