Teacher Script: Your Voice, Your Power!

Introduction: What Does 'Advocate' Mean? (5 minutes)

(Display Self-Advocacy Slide Deck - Slide 1: "Your Voice, Your Power!")

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important that helps you in school, at home, and with your friends. It's about 'Your Voice, Your Power!'"

(Display Self-Advocacy Slide Deck - Slide 2: "What does it mean to ADVOCATE?")

"Look at this big word: ADVOCATE. Has anyone heard this word before? What do you think it means? Take a minute to think quietly, and then share your ideas with a partner next to you. What does it mean to advocate?"

(Allow 1 minute for partner discussion. Circulate and listen. Then bring the class back together.)

"Okay, who would like to share what they discussed? What does it mean to advocate?"

(Listen to student responses. Guide them to the core idea.)

"Great ideas! To advocate means to speak up for someone, or to support something you believe in. Think about a lawyer who advocates for their client in court. Or maybe you've advocated for a friend who was being treated unfairly."

Why is Self-Advocacy Important? (8 minutes)

(Display Self-Advocacy Slide Deck - Slide 3: "So, what is SELF-ADVOCACY?")

"Now, if advocate means to speak up for someone else, what do you think SELF-ADVOCACY means? What does that word 'self' tell us?"

(Allow students to respond.)

"Exactly! Self-advocacy is speaking up for YOURSELF and your own needs. It's using your voice to make sure you get what you need to be successful and happy."

(Display Self-Advocacy Slide Deck - Slide 4: "Why is Self-Advocacy Important?")

"Why do you think this is important? When might you need to speak up for yourself? Let's think about different places:"

• "In School:"
  "Can you think of a time in school when you might need to use your voice? Maybe you don't understand an assignment? Or you need to sit closer to the board? Or you need more time to finish something? It's okay to tell your teacher, 'I need help with this part,' or 'Could you repeat that, please?'"
  (Pause for a few student examples if time allows. Rephrase for clarity if needed, especially for the student with hearing impairment.)

• "At Home:"
  "What about at home? Maybe you need to tell your parents how you're feeling, or ask for help with a chore, or explain why you're upset about something. Speaking clearly helps everyone understand each other."
  (Pause for a few student examples if time allows.)

• "With Friends:"
  "And with friends? Maybe you need to say 'no' to playing a game you don't enjoy, or suggest a different activity, or tell a friend that something they did hurt your feelings. Using your voice respectfully helps you have better friendships."
  (Pause for a few student examples if time allows.)

"Remember, everyone has different needs. Some people learn best by seeing, some by hearing, some by doing. Some people need a quiet space to focus, others might need instructions repeated. It's not about being 'different' in a bad way; it's about knowing what helps YOU do your best!"

(Display Self-Advocacy Slide Deck - Slide 5: "Your Voice is Powerful!")

"Self-advocacy means knowing yourself, knowing what you need, and then feeling brave enough to ask for it. It's a superpower! Speaking up for your needs is a strength. It helps you learn, grow, and feel good about yourself!"

My Advocacy Plan Activity (7 minutes)

"Now, we're going to create our own 'Advocacy Plan'. This will help you think about when and how you can use your powerful voice, and get ready to practice!"

(Distribute the My Advocacy Plan Activity worksheet.)

"Look at your worksheet. It asks you to think about different situations where you might need to advocate for yourself. For example, if you don't understand a math problem, what could you say? You could say, 'Excuse me, Ms./Mr. [Teacher's Name], I'm confused about question 3. Could you explain it differently?'"

"I want you to fill out your plan. Think about school, home, and with friends. What do you need? What can you say or do? If you need help thinking of ideas or writing, please raise your hand, and I will come around to assist you. Remember, there are no wrong answers here. This is your plan to help you!"

(Allow students to work on the activity. Circulate the room, offering support and encouragement. Provide sentence starters or rephrase prompts for students who need extra help, especially for the student with a 2nd-grade reading level. For the student with hearing impairment, ensure you are facing them when speaking, and consider writing down key phrases on the board.)

Role-Play Practice: Using Your Voice (7 minutes)

"Excellent work on your advocacy plans! Now, we're going to put our plans into action with some role-playing. This is a chance to practice using your voice in a safe and fun way."

"I want you to pair up with the person next to you. If you're in a group of three, that's fine too! One person will be the 'speaker' (the student advocating), and the other will be the 'listener' (a teacher, parent, or friend)."

"Here are some ideas for situations you can practice. You can use ideas from your 'Advocacy Plan' worksheet, or pick one of these:"

• "Scenario 1 (School): The teacher gives instructions, and you didn't quite catch them. What could you say? (e.g., 'Excuse me, Ms./Mr. [Teacher's Name], could you please repeat the last part? I want to make sure I understand.')"
• "Scenario 2 (School): You need more time to finish an assignment. What could you say? (e.g., 'May I please have a few more minutes to complete this? I'm almost done.')"
• "Scenario 3 (Home/Friends): You feel frustrated or upset, and you need to express that to someone respectfully. (e.g., 'I feel a little frustrated because... could we talk about it?')"
• "Scenario 4 (For our student with hearing needs): You need the teacher to face you when speaking, or for instructions to be written on the board. (e.g., 'Ms./Mr. [Teacher's Name], could you please face me when you speak? It helps me understand better,' or 'Could you write the main points on the board, please?')"

"Spend about 3 minutes practicing one scenario as the 'speaker', and then switch roles so the other person gets a chance to practice. Remember to speak clearly and confidently, and the 'listener' should respond kindly and helpfully."

(Circulate throughout the room, providing positive feedback and guiding students. Pay close attention to the student with hearing impairment and the student with a 2nd-grade reading level, offering specific prompts or modeling appropriate phrases. Emphasize that it's normal to need different things and brave to ask for them.)

Share Out & Wrap-Up (3 minutes)

"Alright, everyone, let's come back together. How did it feel to practice using your voice? Was it easy or a little tricky?"

(Allow 1-2 quick shares about the role-play experience.)

"Remember what we learned today: Your voice is truly powerful! Speaking up for your needs, whether it's asking for help, explaining how you feel, or asking for an accommodation, is a wonderful strength. It helps you, it helps others understand you, and it shows how capable and confident you are!"

(Display Self-Advocacy Slide Deck - Slide 5: "Your Voice is Powerful!")

"Don't forget this important message! Before you go, please complete this quick 'Cool Down' activity."

(Distribute the Speaking Up Cool Down exit ticket.)

"It's just two questions to help you think about what we learned today. Once you're done, you can hand it to me as an exit ticket."

(Collect cool downs as students finish.)

My Advocacy Plan: Use Your Voice!

Name: ____________________________

What is Self-Advocacy?

Self-advocacy means speaking up for YOURSELF and what YOU NEED! It helps you learn and be your best. This plan will help you get ready to practice using your voice!

My Needs & My Voice

Everyone has different needs. What are some things that help you learn or feel good? Think about what you need to do your best in school, at home, or with friends.

My Plan to Speak Up!

Let's think about times when you might need to use your voice. For each situation, write or draw what you could say or do. This will help you practice for our role-play activity!

1. At School

Situation: You don't understand the homework assignment.

What I can say or do:

Situation: You need a quiet place to focus on your work.

What I can say or do:

Situation: You feel upset or frustrated in class.

What I can say or do:

2. At Home

Situation: You need help with a chore or task at home.

What I can say or do:

Situation: You want to explain how you feel about something to a family member.

What I can say or do:

3. With Friends

Situation: A friend wants to do something you don't feel comfortable with.

What I can say or do:

Situation: You want to suggest a different game or activity to your friends.

What I can say or do:

Remember: Your voice is powerful! It's brave to speak up for yourself!

Speaking Up Cool Down: My Voice

Name: ____________________________

1. What is one new thing you learned about using your voice (self-advocacy) today?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. When is one time you will try to speak up for yourself this week?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thank you for using your voice today!