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.