To say that there are common IEP goals I use often in Early Childhood seems a bit taboo because well, IEP goals are to be individualized, hence the name. However, if we think about what is needed to function in school there are some goals that most young children do not yet have developmentally when they come to us. When a child find referral or Infants and Toddler transitioning prior to 3 kiddo comes my way, there are several goals I often use because they are what kids need for a strong foundation.
Social Foundations
In my opinion, this is one of the most important areas of focus. If a child does not know how to function socially/emotionally, navigate a space, have work stamina, follow a routine, acquire social behaviors, play/work with peers, etc, acquiring more foundational, academic based standards are just not going to happen smoothly. So, when you look at a developmental assessment or you conduct one yourself and you see low scores in transitioning, following a routine, peer play etc, here are some goals that stretch far and really tackle more than just one skill. They include following directions (aka a schedule), play initiation, and transitioning. If your student master these goals think about all the things they will be able to do: follow class directions, navigate a space, sit or remain in a designated area (ie: circle time, work with teacher table), communicate with peers, play skills improve and so much more! *not all goals are shown with objectives*
Social Foundations IEP Goal Samples:
By June 2020, in a familiar setting (e.g. centers, playground), during free play time with preferred peers, after a teacher, assistant or friend demonstrates 2 play initiation action (e.g. verbal) and prompts the child to repeat it, Gina will repeat the demonstrated action 2 times within a 30-minute play session, for 4 out 5 play opportunities.
By 12/3/2020, in a familiar setting (e.g. classroom centers, playground), during free play time with preferred peers, after a teacher demonstration , Gina will make 1 verbal or nonverbal invitation to play with a peer within a 30-minute play session, for 4 out of 5 play opportunities.
(Play initiation: ie: (1) Student approaches a preferred peer and asks or gestures, “Want play?”. (2) Teacher picks up block, hands to child, then says, “Now go give the block to Chris”)
By 6/6/2019, when the class transitions into a whole-class or small group activity (e.g. read aloud, snack, circle time), Gina will use sensory supports, either during sensory breaks or integrated into the activity, to physically join her peers and follow prescribed rules (e.g. Sit down within acceptable area, keep hands and feet to oneself, maintain reasonable voice volume) without maladaptive behaviors (e.g. Crying, foot stamping, yelling) for at least 30 minutes during 4 out of 5 whole-class activities.
By 12/3/2020, Gina will follow the class routine/schedule and teacher directions using a visual schedule and other visuals with a maximum of 2 teacher verbal prompts in 4 out of 5 schedule opportunities. (Ie: Gina will be able to transition from breakfast, circle time, work with teacher and centers with a max of 2 verbal prompt reminders).
Cognitive
I personally use the DAYC-2 when I test children. I also like to think about the learning progressions in the Early Learning Assessment and the Assessment of Basic Language and Learner Skills. Regardless of what you use, there are basic learner skills that are needed before children can obtain higher, more academic based skills such as letter and number acquisition. Skills such as visual discrimination: being able to match an object to a picture, pictures to pictures, non-identical pictures to pictures and so on. We also need to think about being able to label nouns by touching and matching before possibly verbalizing sound approximations or whole words. Did I forget to mention that most of my kiddos are coming in with little, to no functional language (YET!)? How are they supposed to tell you what character they see in a book if they haven’t mastered those important basic learner skills yet?
Cognitive IEP Goal Samples:
By 12/3/2020, Gina will see a picture of a noun and say the correct label in 4 out of 5 trials.
For example:
Teacher shows a card with a picture of a noun (ie: apple), Gina says apple.
Objective 1
Gina will see an array of three noun pictures (ie: apple, ball, chair), hear the targeted noun (ie: ball), and match targeted noun object to picture.
Example:
Teacher sets out a picture of an apple, ball, and chair.
Teacher says “ball” (targeted noun)
Gina matches the targeted noun object to the picture…
Objective 2
Gina will see an array of three noun pictures (ie: apple, ball, chair), hear the targeted noun (ie: ball), and match the targeted noun picture to picture.
Example:
Teacher sets out a picture of an apple, ball, and chair.
Teacher says “ball” (targeted noun)
Gina matches the noun picture to picture
Objective 3
Gina will see an array of three noun pictures (ie: apple, ball, chair), hear the targeted noun (ie: ball), and touch targeted noun picture.
Example:
Teacher sets out a picture of an apple, ball, and chair.
Teacher says “ball” (targeted noun)
Gina touches the targeted noun picture
Objective 4
Gina will see a picture of a targeted noun and say the noun or sound approximation.
Example:
Teacher sets out a picture of an apple.
Gina says “apple” or “ah”
By 6/2020 after listening to a short story in a small group, Gina will respond to 5 questions by selecting a picture card that shows the correct information related to characters and major events of the story, scoring 5 out of 5, during 4 of 5 trials, as measured by teacher-charted records.
*This is a higher wh- question type skill goal!
By 12/20/2020, given 4 different shapes (circle, square, triangle, and rectangle), Gina will expand her ability to match, identify, and sort the shape to its matching shape manipulative, scoring 4 out of 4 correctly sorted, for 4 out of 5 trials.
Objective 1
Gina will match shape objects (circle, triangle, rectangle, square) to identical corresponding pictures of the shape.
Objective 2
Gina will match identical pictures of shapes (circle, triangle, square, rectangle).
Objective 3
Gina will sort two different types of shapes into two categories provided with a teacher model (ie: triangles and squares).
Objective 4
Gina will sort 4 categories of shapes using objects: triangles, circles, squares, and rectangles.
When working on goals, you target what is written however, you want to continuously expand. For example, even with my math shape goal, while it’s a matching and sorting goal, I would have the child also work on expressively or receptively identifying the shape. We would highlight it during circle time and as we walk around the classroom and play in centers. My “see, touch, say” noun program works on labeling, expressive language, and basic learner visual discrimination skills.
It is so important to remember that these goals do not need to be targeted always sitting at a work with teacher table. Join your kids in the math center and lay on the carpet modeling shape matching and turn it into a game. Count the kids in circle time. Have a student come up and touch the apple in your mystery ABC letter box. Gravitate towards the dollhouse that Gina always seems to play with and take another peer with you to help aide in peer play initiations and exchanges. Model core language everywhere and on the playground as the kids ask for “more” push and “go go go down the slide”. There are so many opportunities to work on goals without it being a structured lesson. While there is time for that, use the set up of your classroom to your advantage! Happy Goal Setting!
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Hi Gina! Can you share more details on your “See, touch, say” noun program you refer to in this post? Thank you!
Hi Amy!
I actually will be creating a short video on this very question this week so stay tuned! This is one of my favorite goals and programs b/c it tackles so many skills! For now, I learned this method through podcast episode 15 with Brigid McCormick and Sasha if you want to hear a little more detail in meantime 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Gina 🙂
Gina, can you tell me what are or some examples of a kindergarten life skills sped class?
Hi Jennifer!
In Pre-K and Kindergarten your life skills are going to be those super important social emotional skills which include play skills, following directions/routines, and language building. While we look at where children are “grade wise” we want to make sure we are scaffolding back and meeting them where they are developmentally. So maybe they are in Kindergarten, but their social emotional and play skills are on a 20 month or 24 month old level. We have to go back to that area, research what is appropriate at that level and build from there ! I have some posts on this very topic. That was a great question, hope this helps!
https://theautismhelper.com/targeting-developmental-milestones-at-home-or-school/
https://theautismhelper.com/planning-developmentally-appropriate-early-childhood-activities/
Thank you for being so helpful especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am in a brain fog trying to juggle so much at this time.
Aww – hang in there! It’s definitely tough.
Thank you for reading 🙂
Hi! Where can I find the “RULES” visuals shown in the picture? They’re great!
These are from Melissa Finch! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-CLASSROOM-RULES-POSTERS-2737313
Great! I teach CDC in school in an elementary setting. Do you have a website that I could go to for nonverbal students?
Hi! I don’t- but if you’d like to email [email protected], she is a speech pathologist and can help suggest some wording!
I have a question. I am a Head Start teacher unfamiliar with what to do with an autistic child. I want to help him in every way I can. I understand the language part, but how do I write goals for a nonverbal child regarding literacy and math?
Hi Deanna thank you for your question! Your first step would be to collect baseline data where the child is in literacy and math. I personally love using the Assessment of Basic Language & Learner Skills. You can find everything you need to know about it from what skills it looks at to materials directly related to the administering of the ABLLS and as well as materials to support areas of need. Even if you do not use the ABLLS and choose something different like the VB-MAPP or informal observation, it’s also so important to note the social routines of the child. Not all children are attending to tasks, interested in toy play yet or know how to join a teacher or peer group for learning. Those are all important skills to work on! Also, what I love about the ABLLS are the behaviors and tasks that come BEFORE literacy and math skill acquisition. Can your learner match objects to objects yet? Pictures to pictures? If not, that is a fantastic place to start. There are so many articles on The Autism Helper if you search “Assessment of Basic Language & Learner Skills” or “Basic learner skills”. I hope that’s helpful!