IEP Goals and Objectives

IEP Goals and Objectives - Define what your child will achieve:

Unit Objectives for IEP Goals and Objectives.

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

- Accurately answer the question, "What areas of disability should IEP goals be written to address?"

- List at least 5 out of 7 primary areas of disability which IEP goals typically address.

- Construct an objective, measurable goal in each of the seven primary disability categories.

- List four steps to writing an objective, measurable goal or objective and elaborate on characteristics of each step.

Goals and measurable objectives are critical for determining if a child is actually making progress in their program. They are the primary means of determining if a child's needs are being appropriately met. (Continued below..)

Many IEPs contain goals that are useless for measuring progress with standards such as "80% mastery", but 80% of what is not defined. It is critical to write goals that are both observable and measurable. One of the best means for making a goal measurable is by basing mastery upon a specific standardized test measurement or detailed data collection.

Detailed data collection is preferred because it can measure achievement across all learning environments, at home and at school, and can insure learning has taken place. While a child may have mastered a skill in the limited environment of a small group, single classroom setting, the skill is not "Mastered" until it is carried out in a variety of settings under varied circumstances.

Using a standardized test can insure a child meets competency levels in line with his ability, but can easily be affected by the child's disposition, teacher "support", or can be selected to measure a specific subset of skills that does not reflect overall ability of the desired nature. For example, all "Reading Comprehension" tests are not created equal.

So, Are you ready to learn what kinds of goals should be written and how to write them? Let's move on...

Previous Next

Goals & Objectives Unit Goals

Goals & Objectives
Unit Goals