Need help with IEP goals for Organization and Self Advocacy

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

Please help.

My DS has executive function deficits and NLD and is currently completing 9th grade. Originally on an IEP for written language, his biggest challenges now are organization and self advocacy. Specifically, he 1) does not consistently record assignments, 2) doesn’t pick up inferred teacher expectations, 3) doesn’t ask for help when he needs it, 4) has difficulty with novel experiences (including asking a teacher for help for the first time).

I know that these are common problems for NLD and ADD teens.

What IEP goals and teaching strategies have you found that have been helpful in developing these skills?

We have an IEP meeting on Wed Apr 21, and I’d like to be able to bring something new to the table. Thanks in advance. Leah

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 04/17/2004 - 10:18 PM

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It is difficult to write goals for “internal motivation” which is basically what you want. These would be difficult to measure and also to tie into the standards. How can one measure when they pick up something that is inferred; especially with his deficits?? I would think that things would have to be very concrete for him and spelled out and one can’t expect that he would pick up something inferred.

He has to want to advocate for himself and in the teenage years that is almost an impossible pursuit….I have the same problem with my ADD freshman daughter who has a hearing loss, she will suffer in silence before she asks for help. SLP’s can role play social stories to help prepare them for novel situations however, there is only so much we can do as these issues can and may be lifelong problems.

Here is a basic formula for writing G’s and O’s…

By 4/2005 DS will record his assignments in his agenda/dayplanner/ with X% accuracy as recorded by data collection sheets or notebook checks with the teacher/parents.

Submitted by KTJ on Tue, 04/20/2004 - 11:45 AM

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Here is a Universal Design for Learning strategy for the first issue that will support all students so that your son does not “stand out”:
Many schools have websites where teachers record all homework on a daily basis. Some schools use programs such as EdLine or Schoolnotes.com so that there is a web based location for posting homework, worksheets, etc. This way, the student doesn’t live in fear that they were unable to record homework correctly while they were trying to attend to the teacher, filter out distractions, find their agendas, ensure that they recorded the information in the correct place, pack everything up to get to their next class on time and all the other events that occur within a classroom.
This type of strategy occurs at all colleges where class readings and the syllabus are recorded on the school website. So this helps prepare students for college.
Keep in mind that ALL students on an IEP are to be considered for assistive technology to help them meet their IEP goals. So if the team believes that this will be necessary for your son to successfully meet his goal, they should consider this and train staff and implement it. Again, all students benefit when this system is put in place. It doesn’t have to cost anything either to implement it. I know in Massachusetts, they have Virtual Education Space, which is offered through the Department of Education where these kind of postings can occur.
Good luck - it’s often a struggle for the teachers to see that this is part of their responsibility to remove the obstacles to learning for their students and not their students problem.

Submitted by Sue on Tue, 04/20/2004 - 4:30 PM

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I find it really helpful to figure out how to support the current lack of organization, and then to plot a path towards independence. This can help placate the “BUT HE NEEDS TO LEARN TO BE INDEPENDENT” tirade you’re bound to get from at least some parties — hey, it’s valid. He does need to learn. In order to learn, we need to teach. One time-honored way of “teaching” responsiblity is by having the child learn from what doesn’t work to do what works — but, unfortunately, that method *doesn’t* work for kids with EF issues. They just learn how to fail.
The other thing that’s important is getting the kid ownership of the organizing “system.” Somehow it gets wired into memory differently if you helped think the thing up, or at least helped decorate the sign-in sheet.
Thirdly, this is something the kiddo needs to learn — but as a complex skill, not a single “Thing To LEarn” (like not touching a hot stove). Therefore, you’re not looking for the silver bullet; you’re looking for something that can be practiced until it’s done well. If that calendar gets used two times the first week, shoot for three the next. Hey, my daily calendar *is* up on the wall today. We’ll see if tomorrow’s gets there… and you record progress and celebrate it — and learn from it (what parts of this worked best, what can we ditch?)
Avoid “wish-list” IEP goals (Johnny will remember tod o his homework 80% of the time) that tend to be on the IEP for 10 years running… still a far-off dream… include the steps implemented to *get* to those goals.

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