Communication between family and school is crucial, especially when it comes to children with special needs. Why? Because when the efforts of both environments are aligned, the learning and development of children are enhanced. Here I share 10 practical and accessible strategies to facilitate this collaboration, allowing communication between both environments to flow and translate into real support for the child.

Strategies from Home to Facilitate Communication with the School

1. Daily "adventure" journal: Keeping a notebook where parents write down what the child's day was like at home can be a great help. They can record mood changes, achievements, and any challenges that have arisen. When the child arrives at school, teachers can have a more complete picture of their mood and behavior.

2. Visual messages to express emotions: Some children find it difficult to communicate how they feel, but a system of visual cards where they can express whether they are happy, tired or worried makes it easier. These messages also help teachers to anticipate and adapt activities according to the child's needs.

3. Short video calls between parents and teachers: Scheduling short weekly video calls helps keep the school team and parents updated without the need for long meetings. A few minutes are enough to review how the child's progress is going and adjust strategies.

4. "Special time" to prepare for the school day: Spending a few minutes before bedtime talking about what will happen the next day reduces the child's anxiety and prepares him emotionally. In addition, it is the ideal time for parents to check that the child has the necessary materials, such as his communication notebook or pictogram device.

Strategies from the School to Improve Communication

5. Digital "traveler" notebook: A shared document where teachers and parents can write short notes about the child's day makes communication immediate and constant. This way, parents receive instant information about achievements, challenges or any new developments.

6. The “picture moment”: With proper consent, teachers can send parents photos of the day’s activities. This not only keeps parents informed, but also provides a topic of conversation at home about classroom activities.

7. Frequent, short meetings instead of long, formal ones: Instead of half-yearly meetings, schools can hold shorter, more frequent meetings to review progress. This allows for real-time adjustments, which is especially beneficial for children with special needs.

8. Joint school-home activities: Teachers can suggest activities for children to do at home, aligned with classroom learning. These activities reinforce learning and promote parental involvement.

Strategies to Connect Both Environments

9. Personalized tracking app: There are now apps that allow parents and teachers to record daily observations about the child. This provides an overview of progress without the need for lengthy emails or meetings.

10. Using the VICON Method as a bridge between home and school: The VICON Method , based on music therapy, becomes an essential tool to unite both environments. It allows parents, teachers and therapists to share a stimulation program with activities and videos that can be used both at home and at school.

By integrating the VICON Method , both school and home have access to the same resources, offering continuity in the intervention that facilitates the child's learning and reduces anxiety. Its interactive videos allow a multi-sensory approach, adapted to individual needs and facilitating joint monitoring of progress in different areas.

Fostering communication between home and school is not only possible, but essential for the comprehensive development of children. If you are looking for a tool that facilitates this exchange and enhances the development of your students, we invite you to try the VICON Method! With its focus on music therapy and multisensory stimulation, it can be the perfect bridge between home and school, strengthening learning in an inclusive, collaborative and fun way.