A Teacher's Guide to Communicating with Parents ─ Practical Strategies for Developing Successful Relationships

"Communicating with Parents: A Guide to Effective Practice "is an essential guidebook for the K-12 education professional. This book takes an in-depth look at communicating with families of students in elementary and secondary schools and is founded on the most current research and practice. Divided into five main sections, this guide presents evidence-based content and strategies related to: Developing Caring Relationships in Schools, Communicating with Families for Student Success, Communicating with Families throughout the School Year, Communicating with Families in Meetings, and Addressing Difficult Topics with Families. Additionally, a broad-based school population is covered with pertinent information for working with families of: general education students, students with disabilities, culturally/linguistically diverse students, students from low socioeconomic status, and students with unique gifts and talents. The evidence-based material is enhanced and illustrated with examples, graphics, and professional reproducible materials, and on every page, educators will be given the most research-based content, sound examples, practical applications, and ready-to-use resources. An indispensible guide for all K-12 general education teachers, special educators, related services personnel, and administrators for both pre-service and in-service training.

Tina Taylor Dyches earned her Ed.D. in specialized educational development and educational administration from Illinois State University. She is currently an Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator in special education at Brigham Young University. She co-authored Guide to Writing Quality Individualized Educational Programs (Pearson, 2007) and Using Children’s Literature to Teach about Disabilities (Libraries Unlimited, 2008).

Nari Carter is currently enrolled in an Educational Research Ph.D. program at Brigham Young University. Her areas of specialization are teacher development and training. Nari co-authoredWhat Every Teacher Should Know About: Adaptations and Accommodations for Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities (Pearson, 2009). She is a contributing author of the forthcoming text, Working with Families of Children with Special Needs: Family and Professional Partnerships and Roles (Pearson, 2011).

Mary Anne Prater earned her Ph.D. in special education at Utah State University. She is currently a Professor and Department Chair at Brigham Young University. She has also taught at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She authored Teaching Strategies for Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities (Pearson, 2007) and co-authored Using Children’s Literature to Teach about Disabilities (Libraries Unlimited, 2008) and Working with Families of Children with Special Needs: Family and Professional Partnerships and Roles (Pearson, 2011).