Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
The examples you’ve written are clear, seem attainable in one years time, and are accurate for the situations.
Qualitative: With adult support, during structured activities (small group, circle), Fran will attend to (may look like observing, active listening, or participation) most of group the activity.
Fran typically chooses to play on her own, and doesn’t engage with other children or group activities. This gentle support can entice her to engage or participate in what others around her are doing.Quantitative:
During structured activities, Joy will answer basic questions (what, who, where, yes/no) about stories, events, or procedures in 3 of 5 opportunities provided. Joy doesn’t typically respond to questions, but will ignore, grab, or walk away.Melinda, I appreciate that you’re able to recognize that sometimes teachers can often haul their own “baggage” into the classroom, and that others may not be willing to work through the behaviors that are happening. I love that communication is part of your process; sometimes just one conversation (sometimes multiple) can change the way a person views what’s happening with a child.
I am fortunate to work within a district that seems to be mindful of DDDM when working with pre-school students (two years eleven months to five years) when they have evaluated students prior to placing (or not placing) students in district classrooms.
In my school, we have a team that is continuously conversing with each other, asking questions, mentioning noticed behaviors, listening to each other, and having reflection time on our students. I have found the biggest struggle on my team can be helping a parent (caregiver/family member) understand that no matter how many “experts” are at the table, they are still the expert on their child; their input is valuable, insightful, and integral to meeting the child’s needs. We need everyone’s view point to help find many (hopefully most) of pieces the of puzzle.
Potential needs:
Transitioning from home appears to trigger refusal/aggressive behaviors, panic attacks and asthma attacks. Spencer and his team (family, teachers, caregivers, bus drivers) could try a visual schedule to help him with transitions. Social stories about different parts of his day may help. When Spencer is calm, pre-teach calming techniques and teach his team how to support/coach when he is experiencing/exhibiting these behaviors.Observed wants:
Spencer wants to stay home, be homeschooled, and play Minecraft as a method of instruction.
Sorting wants vs. needs:
The team could use more input on what Spencer’s day looks like, how much of it routine, and what the variables are. Specifically, what is his routine before and during school? What happens if he stays home? Has he been tested for highly gifted? What are his sensory needs? What does learning via Minecraft look like, is it effective, is it something that can be integrated into his learning? What is Spencer’s perception of school, his teachers, peers, and routine there? What works when Spencer is doing what is expected/asked of him? (learning, attending school, socializing in person)?I would ask mom more about is happening before and after his panic attacks and aggressive behavior episodes to build a more complete picture. It sounds like mom wants Spencer to attend public school (and not homeschool), and supports for Spencer to attend public school is needed.
Hello Olena, I think your idea of investigating a 504 was a real eye opener for me. I wonder if that would work with an IEP to address his needs that he may have due to his exceptionality – experiencing autism. I’d be interested to learn how the team would address the idea of both. Thank you for your insight.
Goal: Alana will ask and answer questions in order to request, seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood as measured by instructional objectives.
Objective: Alana will provide her name and age across settings and people in 75% of opportunities over 3 data days.
Baseline: Alana does not yet answer questions about her personal information. At UAA Summer Clinic, she accurately answered her first name in 20% of opportunities.
MEASURABILITY
Goal 1, 1
Objective 1, 1FUNCTIONALITY Goal 1, 1
Objective 1, 1GENERALITY
Goal 1, 1, 1
Objective 1, 1, 1INSTRUCTIONAL CONTEXT
Goal 1, 1
Objective 1, 1I agree with making a goal both functional and academic for the sake of the child, their teacher, and I would add, their family. I think a well explained goal will to all who are on the team can help it carry over into other places and situations outside of the classroom, speech room, etc. If a family understands how they can work on the same skills at home, and a classroom teacher understands why/how a specific goal from an OT or PT provider can be worked on in the classroom, it can bring clarity and multidimensional meaning to the skills being worked on.
On the surface, there can be a distinction between functional and academic goals. If one answers why a goal is important for a child to work on and how this will assist them to become more independent, functioning member of the classroom who can then take the skills and hopefully move them into more cooperative opportunities.
I think a well explained goal can be both. Learning to stack blocks by itself seems a little isolated, but, explaining that is can assist with maintaining attention, coordination, strengthening fine motor skills and the focus to keep trying. This skill can transfer to cooperative play with a friend in the block area. When building structures with blocks (independent, parallel, or cooperative), this can translate into math skills, this block is the same size as two of those blocks, this block fits inside the other block, sorting by placing the block back where it goes on the shelf.
Filter 1 – Need stems from the child’s disability, not from a common outcome or common expectations
After trying to picture this child in my classroom, I would say this sounds like it was written for child with a developmental delay, it passes filter one.Filter 2 – Need is having an adverse impact on the child’s access, participation, and progress
This meets filter two. The skills described are needed to navigate the environment, relationships, and situations in a preschool classroom.Filter 3 – Need requires specially designed instruction, not just exposure, practice, or maturation
Meets filter three based on the assumption of being in a developmental classroom with multiple layers of support built in and the child continues to need specific prompting and support to navigate their day.Filter 4 – Need can be addressed and accomplished within a year of “typical” development
Filter four is met, this can be seen as a reasonable expectation for one years growth in some preschool students with developmental delays.1) Dayton prefers to play in isolation and becomes upset (e.g., cries and hits others) when another child comes too close. As a result, his peer interactions at playtime are limited.
Good & bad: This statement contains an assumption, that Dayton prefers to play in isolation. Removing “prefers to play” and exchanging with the word “plays” moves it from an opinion or judgement to an observable and measurable fact.2) As measured on the EOWPVT-R, Carmen’s (48 months) expressive vocabulary is at 19 months and as measured by the ROWPVT-R her receptive vocabulary is at 26 months.
Good & bad: I would define the acronyms and decipher the information in easy to understand definitions and examples.3) Elise is essentially non-verbal and uses many ways to communicate including: gestures, facial expression, eye gaze, vocalizations, word approximations, head nods for yes, head shakes for no, and use of a Dynavox 3100 augmentative communication device which she accesses with a head switch.
Good: I would give anecdotal examples on what vocalizations and word approximations look/sound like for further understanding.4) Damien’s attention problems result in failure to follow the teacher’s directions, talking out of turn and responding inappropriately during group activities.
Good & bad: This sounds like an emotional, unprofessional, opinionated judgement with negative connotations. The good is that it mentions behaviors that are measurable. Replacing it with “Damien’s joint attention during group activities can be difficult to access due to disruptive behaviors such as not following directions, interrupting, and inappropriate responses.” would be an accurate statement that gives the information without sounding judgemental.5) Zung understands and remembers what he hears about a subject. Learning by reading or looking at pictures is difficult for him and doesn’t work as well.
Good and bad: This statement contains a few assumptions. Changing it to a more factual statement of “When information is presented to Zung by him reading, looking at pictures, or verbally, verbal instructions appears to be the most effective.6) Mark doesn’t know his colors. He can count to 3 but doesn’t always remember the number 2. He can stack 3 blocks.
Good and bad: I would add anecdotal evidence of what he does how his color knowledge was measured, what his counting sounds/looks like (rote and or 1:1) and why block stacking is important.Hello Daniel,
I agree with the “red and green” feeling for many of the statements, and reading the entire section could shed a little more light on information the IEP writer was trying to share. Based on the snapshots that we were given, I believe your observational, fact based modifications to what was originally written as statements that sounded negative would be easier for a parent to read. The ability to foster a feeling of non-judgement and team work during what can typically be a stressful meeting for a parent is ideal and tends to work out better for the child.
