IEP Writing: Step Two - S.M.A.R.T Goals

I had collected all the information, data and assessment for each student… and it came time to write the actual IEPs.  I had heard time and time again that my goals had to be S.M.A.R.T… but what exactly does this mean?  Through reading books and blogs, talking to my mentor and attending an IEP workshop… I present you with one nice little blog post summarizing S.M.A.R.T goals!  

 

Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions

•               Who:      Who is involved?

•               What:     What do I want to accomplish?

•               Where:    Identify a location.

•               When:     Establish a time frame.

•               Which:    Identify requirements and constraints.

•               Why:      Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

Measurable criteria:

•               percentage correct

•               frequency (number correct in a specified time period – ie. 25 per minute)

•               prompts – use adult prompts as a measurable criteria

•               for all criteria: how many days must this criteria be reached to be considered mastered? Consecutive of nonconsecutive days/sessions?

EXAMPLE:  A general goal would be, “Write his name.”  But a specific goal would say, “Be able to write his name legibly, using both upper and lower case letters and staying within the lines.  Based on 3 tracked opportunities per day with 80% accuracy over 5 consecutive days.”

Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set.# correct out of certain # of trials or opportunities

Attainable –  Make sure the goals are attainable for that specific student. For example, for a nonverbal student with autism the ultimate goal may be the ability to verbally communicate. However, this goal may not be attainable within a year. Instead a more attainable IEP goal would be: The student will learn to use PECS to communicate his wants and needs.

Realistic- I find attainable and realistic very similar.  In almost every piece of literature I read, realistic referred to determining if the child can meet the goal itself.

I view the realistic portion of a S.M.A.R.T goal very differently.  I wanted to make sure that each goal, though based on the Ontario Curriculum, is realistic and beneficial to the student's life.

For example, in the Data Management strand for grade 1, student's are expected to demonstrate an ability to organize objects into categories by sorting and classifying objects using one attribute.

I modified this expectation:  (Student) will be able to sort a variety of household items by sorting them into their correct category.  (e.g. forks with forks, socks with socks etc). 

Sorting laundry (lights and darks) or cutlery (forks, spoons and knives) is an essential life skill that still falls under the umbrella of data management.

Time-Bound – IEP goals need to have a time frame. Having a set amount of time will give your goals structure and keep everyone on track to helping the student meet their goal.

I will post some example goals shortly!

Keep calm and teach on!

- S