NOAH AOC

My son is a rising 5th grader.  I've been trying to find some sample IEP goals and have not had much luck.  I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share some sample goals.  His current IEP goals are not written well.  They mostly have to do with self-advocacy.  It's really interesting to me that they could even try to measure this goal!!

My son's teachers also wanted to include self-advocacy goals in his IEP--in 3 year PRESCHOOL!  I told them they were NUTS!

My son is only in preschool so I can't help much.  I used to teach 5th grade, but that was many moons ago....................

 Jo

Linda-

I'm a special education teacher and goals definitely need to be measurable!  Do you have any goals for him? Make sure those are in his IEP.  Also, academics goals should be written so that curriculum-based measurement can  be used to monitor them.  Also, research based materials should be used.  Remember, just because a goal includes percentages does not mean it is measurable.  I just went to a training on goal writing.  I'll look at my materials to see if there is one that can be applied to "self-advocacy"-although I encourage all students to be their own advocate.

Hope this helps

Amy 

You don't realize how important those 'self-advocating' goals are until your kids are much older. Believe me. I'm the one with the little one who wouldnt eat, use the restroom, talk, nothing at preschool - he basically was in the same position when we picked him up as he was when we left him in the morning (so you know how shy he was). Now he is going to be a sophmore in high school - on Student Council next year.- is totally 'Self-Advocating".

Just to share a laugh -although it's not funny. One of my son's goals - "Cross the street successfully 4 out of 5 times"

Could we change that to 5 out of 5 please????????

I wish I could remember what was on my kid's IEPs in 5th grade - let me see if I can find one. Ours were mostly O&M related - as academically they were both doing well.

 I agree with Janice.  You would hope that crossing the street would be done with 100% accuracy!! LOL Anyway, I think that it probably depends on which state you live in as to how the goals are written.  No matter what the goal is for it should be measureable.  Here are a few examples I just got at a training (I live in Illinois):

In 36 weeks Sam will be able to read 72 words read correctly with fewer than three errors when given a selected passage from a 5th grade 1 minute reading probe for three consecutive trials.

Sam will engage in appropriate conversation with peers using appropriate voice tone with no redirection from staff at a rate of 1.0 per minute.

 I'm sure these don't apply to your son but it may give you an idea.  Just remember, the teachers are there to help you and your son.  Don't be intimidated to ask for what you want.  I hope everything goes well! Good luck.

Amy 

Thank you for your suggestions and comments!!  They are much appreciated.

I think REASOMABLE is the key word.  Granted, many goals are hard to measure in a quantitative way, but that shouldn't necessarily exlude them--things like self-advocacy, staying on task, responding appropriately, etc.

My funny IEP story--for my middle daughter who had emotional/mental health issues, not albinism, was that she would be on task and respond appropriately to adults and others 100% of the time!!  Excuse me, but for a sixth grader?  Is there a 6th grader anywhere in the world that is on task and responds appropriately 100% of the time?  That would make someone perfect.  Fortunately, the principal of the school, who was a former special ed. teacher hinmself and a very, knowledgeable and kind person, agreed completely with me on the unreasonableness of that and convinced them (he always attended the IEP meetings) to modify it, I think they went with 80%.  We had a good laugh over that one!  Again, this is a goal that is difficult to measure mathematically, but the goal itself and the issue addressed were appropriate and reasonable.

 As an adult with albinism, one of the suggestions I have for inclusion in the IEP is adequate keyboard instruction.  I know that almost all schools include keyboarding at various points throughout a students school career, but for those of us with low vision, it is a much more necessary skill at a much younger age.  Being as old as I am, it was called typing, but I was taught in fourth grade, and not just the cursory treatment most schools give keyboarding in the younger grades now.  Particularly if your child has poor handwriting.  (OK, so I make typos, it is just because I am too lazy to correct things before I post!)  Another is Introduction to various low vision aids, if it hasn't already been done--different magnifiers, monoculars and even screen enlargement software(the last is pricey but free trials are available from the manufacturer--ZoomText offers a 60 day trial).  At first try, many peole will say these things aren't helpful for them.  I believe it is because the right power hasn't been found, or that in some instances people need to be taught how to use them correctly.  Ultimately, though, it is more of an awareness of knowing what is available when you need it, and some never need it.  A teacher can't just hand a kid a random magnifying glass and say "Use this, because it is specified in your IEP"  It could be the worst magnifier in the world for that child and they may not be aware there are other options.

OK, I ramble.  Good luck!

Joni

Great suggestion Jonella! I forgot about keyboarding. Both of my boys were taught keyboarding by their TVI at a very early age. They even used some really fun software that was like a game. We got to bring it home once over the summer and I remember playing on it. I bet my son was in the 3rd grade maybe.

Good one!

Janice