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Chapter 3: Today’s Families and Their Partnerships with Professionals
Multiple Choice
1. Which definition of family is advocated by the authors of this chapter?
A. A group of people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who reside together and
carry out family responsibilities
B. People who are related or not related, but who love and care for each other
C. A group of people who share similar beliefs, customs, and values
D. Two or more people who regard themselves as a family and carry out the functions
that families typically perform
2. The statistical comparison of populations is:
A. Enumeration
B. Demographics
C. Census
D. Probability
3. As compared to families of children without disabilities, those with disabilities have each of
the following characteristics EXCEPT:
A. They are much more likely to be unable to pay rent
B. They are more likely to postpone necessary medical care
C. They are much more likely to skip meals due to lack of money
D. They are much more likely to come from two parent households
4. Family quality of life includes the extent of each of the following EXCEPT:
A. The families’ needs are met
B. The family has professional partnerships with educators and others
C. Family members enjoy their life together
D. Family members have a chance to do things that are important to them
5. Families experience better emotional well-being when they have friends or others who
provide support, the support they need to relieve stress, outside help available to take care of
the special needs of all family members, and:
A. Good relationships with schools
B. Time to pursue their own interests
C. Good income level
D. Good communication skills
6. Parenting is a domain of family quality of life that includes each of the following EXCEPT:
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A. Talking openly with each other
B. Helping child learn to be independent
C. Helping child with schoolwork
D. Making time to care for the needs of each child
7. Which domain focuses on factors such as family members spending time together, talking
with each other, and solving problems together?
A. Emotional well-being
B. Parenting
C. Family interaction
D. Physical/material well-being
8. Which domain addresses having resources for the family such as transportation, a way to take
care of expenses, and even dental care?
A. Exceptionality-related support
B. Parenting
C. Family interaction
D. Physical/material well-being
9. Achieving goals at school or work, making progress at home, and making friends are aspects
of which domain?
A. Disability-related support
B. Parenting
C. Family interaction
D. Physical/material well-being
10. Relationships in which families and professionals collaborate, capitalizing on each other‘s
judgments and expertise in order to increase the benefits of education for students, families,
and professionals are called which of the following?
A. Parent-Teacher Association
B. Family-professional partnerships
C. School-family partnerships
D. Family intervention services
11. How many states (of 47 responding) have state or local requirements related to the
involvement of parents in educational decision making for children who are gifted?
A. 26
B. 47
C. 12
D. 38
12. Each of the following is a positive benefit of school-family partnerships EXCEPT:
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A. Schools with such partnerships have a higher level of trust
B. Increased academic achievement
C. Improved student physical health
D. Reduction in achievement gap between white and nonwhite students
13. Being friendly, listening, being clear and honest, and providing and coordinating information
are practices of:
A. Effective communication
B. Good quality of life
C. Good school relationships
D. Disability-related support
14. The three practices associated with professional competence within family-professional
partnerships are providing a quality education, continuing to learn, and:
A. Being sensitive to emotional needs
B. Fostering empowerment
C. Setting high expectations
D. Forming alliances
15. Sharing power, fostering empowerment, and providing options are elements of:
A. Commitment
B. Advocacy
C. Equality
D. Respect
16. Advocacy involves each of the following EXCEPT:
A. Seeking win-win solutions
B. Preventing problems
C. Keeping your conscience primed
D. Affirming strengths
17. Being reliable, using sound judgment and maintaining confidentiality are elements of:
A. Respect
B. Advocacy
C. Commitment
D. Trust
18. What involves more than just registering, reflecting, or even understanding words that are
said?
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A. Critical listening
B. Empathetic listening
C. Analytical listening
D. Sympathetic listening
19. Individualizing communication requires teachers to do each of the following EXCEPT:
A. Take the family’s language facility with English into consideration
B. Make themselves available at all times
C. Determine when a family has access to a telephone
D. Determine if a family has access to email
20. Each of the following is a network that guides families to helpful resources except which
one?
A. Parent training and information centers
B. Community parent resource centers
C. Parent-to-family programs
D. Family-to-family health information centers
21. Which network that guides families to helpful resources has been the most thoroughly
researched in terms of its particular outcomes for families?
A. Parent training and information centers
B. Community parent resource centers
C. Parent-to-parent programs
D. Family-to-family health information centers
22. Parent training and information centers (PTIs) help families do each of the following
EXCEPT:
A. Understand the nature of disabilities
B. Communicate with educators
C. Serve as a resource for quality health care
D. Know their rights and responsibilities
23. PTIs serve families of children with disabilities in what age range?
A. Birth to age 3
B. Birth to age 21
C. Birth to age 6
D. Birth to age 26
24. Each of the following is generally true of IEP conferences EXCEPT:
A. Professionals tend to dominate discussions
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B. Multiple family members usually attend
C. Professionals tend to dominate decision making
D. Parents often feel confused, intimidated, and disrespected
25. When parents and educators have a concern, it is helpful to have a person from outside the
school who can objectively structure the meeting. This person is a(n):
A. Facilitator
B. Broker
C. Mediator
D. Intermediary
26. Each is a way to effectively collaborate with parents in participating in the development of an
appropriate IEP except:
A. Prepare in advance by appointing a service coordinator
B. Connect and start meetings with informal conversations
C. Prepare the document in advance so all the parent needs to do is sign it
D. Give parents written copies of all evaluation results, ahead of time if possible
27. Children with emotional or behavioral disorders who have circles of friends:
A. Maintain those friendships throughout their school years
B. Are more socially accepted than those who do not
C. Are unable to make friends on their own
D. Have more friendships as adults than children who did not have circles of friends
28. Which of the following statements about parents’ participation in homework is TRUE?
A. Many students with disabilities do not rely on their parents for help.
B. Students with disabilities are five times as likely as their nondisabled peers to get
frequent homework assistance.
C. Students without disabilities receive more homework assistance than those with
disabilities.
D. There may be less stress between the parent-child relationships for parents who help
their children with homework.
29. A surrogate parent, as stated in IDEA, acts as a(n):
A. Primary caretaker
B. Foster parent
C. Lawyer
D. Educational advocate
30. What is a primary way to promote a positive IEP meeting?
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A. Inform parents of their legal requirement to attend the meeting so they will be less
likely to no-show.
B. Do not disclose information about the meeting in advance to the parents.
C. Ask parents about their preferences prior to the meeting.
D. Make sure there is a lawyer at each IEP meeting.
Praxis style questions
1. Ahmed and his family moved to the United States from the Middle East. Ahmed and his
parents speak English very well but during conferences Ms. Smith, Ahmed’s teacher, is
uncomfortable with the parents’ behavior. Ahmed’s mother does not speak in the meetings,
and the parents do not make eye contact. How can Ms. Smith make the meetings more
comfortable for all involved?
A. Learn about Ahmed’s culture and plan meeting participation to meet the parents’
needs.
B. Talk to Ahmed’s mother alone to get information.
C. Have the school principal conduct the conferences.
D. Confront Ahmed’s parents about their unusual behaviors.
2. Sally’s parents both work to support their family. They do not attend Sally’s conferences, IEP
meetings, or other school functions because they say they cannot spare the time. The teachers
feel it is very important for Sally’s parents to be more involved in her education. What can
the teachers tell Sally’s parents to help them understand that their participation is needed?
A. Tell the parents that Sally cannot continue in special education unless they attend the
IEP meeting.
B. Tell the parents that Sally cannot continue in the school unless they become involved.
C. Explain that Sally’s school success and family quality of life will improve if they can
participate.
D. Ask Sally’s older sibling to attend meetings and school functions.
3. Ms. Mann, a sixth-grade teacher, arranges a parent-teacher conference with Mr. and Mrs.
Dixon to discuss a problem she is having with their son Bobby, who has learning disabilities.
Most authorities would recommend that Ms. Mann:
A. Emphasize positive things about Bobby, along with the negative.
B. End the conference by summarizing Bobby’s deficit areas.
C. Start with business first rather than informal social conversation.
D. Use professional language so that the Yubas will view her as a professional.
Short Answer
1. What is family quality of life?
2. What is the purpose of PTIs, CPRCs, P2P, and F2F HICs?
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3. Describe the Circle of Friends.
4. List 5 tips for improving homework completion.
5. How can you as a teacher achieve a high level in the professional competence domain of
partnerships?
Essay
1. Why is it important to have an educational understanding of the meaning of “family?”
2. What are the domains of family quality of life and what is your role as an educator in relation
to this concept?
3. How does empathetic listening relate to the seven principles of partnerships with families?
4. Describe how you can enhance family participation in IEP conferences.
5. Why is it important for teachers to become partners with parents in advocating for the rights
and services of children with disabilities?
Chapter 3: Today’s Families and Their Partnerships with Professionals
Multiple Choice
Praxis
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Short Answer
Essay
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