There are an endless number of life skills IEP goals out there, it’s just a matter of finding what your student and their family want to focus on. It’s all about getting to know your student, and their future goals and collaborating with parents/caregivers on what areas they find important. Some families have an idea of the goals they want to work on, whereas others might really depend on the teacher for suggestions (after all, you are the expert!) It’s easy to draw a blank sometimes though, so I’m here to help you visualize some ideas to start at. If you see a goal you kinda like, just know that there are so many different ways to write one goal to fit the needs of every student, depending on what you want to work on specifically.
IEP Goal Basics
- In order to make a great and appropriate goal, make sure to get a measurable baseline first.
- From there you will be able to plug in the number of prompts
- Type of prompts (verbal, gestural…etc. and remember the prompting hierarchy)
- % of accuracy
- Number of trials/opportunities
- Time frame (e.g. over 2 consecutive weeks) to measure consistency
- and how it will be measured (data collection, observation, work samples…etc).
Keep In Mind
Each school district (or even parents), like IEP goals written a certain way or with specific terminology. Always make sure to communicate with your administration and parents on what their preferences are before heading into an IEP meeting. The goal ideas provided below are simply ideas and should always be reviewed with the IEP team.
The goal framework provided below is a generic template. It’s up to you to customize the goal to fit the student (according to their baseline).
As I mentioned earlier – Each of these ideas can be written differently to cater to many different levels (not just by the number of prompts, % accuracy, or trials given. With that being said, they can easily be simplified or complicated by adding task analysis components, the setting in which they are performed…etc. Here’s an example of the different levels if you want your student to work on the dollar-up method. Also, I know this is redundant to mention, but sometimes it happens, make sure your student is able to complete the basics (such as counting, identifying money values, addition…etc) before moving on to a more complicated goal like this.
LEVEL 1 – By {date}, given {#} {type} prompts, {student name} will {USE THE DOLLAR UP METHOD UP TO $5 DURING A STRUCTURED LESSON}, in {#/#} trials over {#} consecutive weeks, as measured by {how}.
LEVEL 2 – By {date}, given {#} {type} prompts, {student name} will {USE THE DOLLAR UP METHOD UP TO $5 WHILE MAKING A TRANSACTION IN THE COMMUNITY}, in {#/#} trials over {#} consecutive weeks, as measured by {how}.
LEVEL 3 – By {date}, given {#} {type} prompts, {student name} will {WAIT IN LINE, USE THE DOLLAR UP METHOD UP TO $5 WHILE MAKING A TRANSACTION IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WAIT FOR CHANGE}, in {#/#} trials over {#} consecutive weeks, as measured by {how}.
Goal Template
By {date}, given {#} {type} prompts, {student name} will {GOAL}, in {#/#} trials over {#} consecutive weeks, as measured by {how}.
Not all goals have to have each of these components, it just depends on the goal, what you are measuring, and where the student’s baseline is at!
Check out this visual ITP & parent survey to get you started:
Cooking Goal Ideas
- Identify {#} cooking utensils.
- Identify uses of utensils (spoons can be used to eat soup).
- Identify small and/or large kitchen appliances and their uses.
- Mix or blend items in a bowl.
- Input time on a microwave.
- Check out: Microwave Times {Visuals} FREEBIE
- Pouring items (like cereal), into a bowl.
- Pouring liquids (like milk), into a cup.
- Place ingredients on bread to make a sandwich.
- Spread ingredients (like peanut butter) on bread.
- Cut a food item in half (such as a sandwich)
- Select the appropriate setting on the toaster to make toast.
- Display cooking cleanliness (washing hands before handling food, not licking a spoon, not double dipping, not picking up food off of the floor…etc.)
- Make sure food preparation surfaces and tools are clean.
- Identify and retrieve appropriate cooking tools according to the recipe.
- Identify and retrieve appropriate foods/ingredients according to the recipe.
- Identify correct measuring (cups & spoons) utensils for the recipe.
- Check out: Measuring Cups Flashcards Task Bin Activity
- Check out: Measuring Cups Digital Interactive Task Card Activity
- Check out: Measuring Cups Task Cards
- Fill the measuring cup to the top for correct measurement.
- Follow a {#} step recipe.
- Make a meal that requires measuring.
- Make a meal that requires mixing.
- Make a meal that requires baking.
- Make a meal that requires microwaving.
- Make a meal that requires boiling.
- Identify & understand manual instructions for cooking (mixing, stirring, pouring, chopping…etc.)
- Turn the stove or oven knob to the correct temperature.
- Appropriately set & use a timer when cooking.
- Answer comprehension questions after reading a recipe.
- Follow cooking safety rules.
- Identify how to heat certain foods appropriately (microwave vs. boil vs. bake…etc)
- Identify perishable and non-perishable foods.
- Identify food items by food groups.
- Portion a meal by food groups.
- When looking at a recipe, determine what items are in stock (in refrigerator/freezer/pantry), and make a shopping list of items you do not have.
- Make a hot drink using a Keurig/pod coffee maker (task analysis).
- Make a pot of coffee (task analysis).
- Determine where to store foods (refrigerator/freezer/pantry).
- Make your own (easy/low prep) lunch at school (eg. sandwich).
- Safety procedures after cooking.
Cleaning & Organization Goal Ideas
- After eating, identify if an item goes in the sink or trash.
- Check out: Does It Go In The Sink Or Trash? Task Cards
- Place backpack and lunch in appropriate space (at school).
- Keep desk clean and free of clutter (chair pushed in, trash thrown away…etc.)
- Clean up after themselves after an activity or meal.
- Put away items (such as books) in the appropriate spot.
- Identify cleaning supplies by name.
- Place a paper towel (after drying hands), into the trash can.
- Empty the trash and replace the bag.
- Wash {#} plates (task analysis)
- Wash cups & bowls (task analysis)
- Use appropriate tools for washing dishes (soft side of sponge on a frying pan)
- Use appropriate cleaning liquids (bleach on white clothes)
- Hang clothing appropriately.
- Fold clothing appropriately.
- Identify what to hang or fold.
- Load washer or dryer.
- Turn on the washer or dryer.
- Determine settings (load size, soil level, temperature…etc) when loading the washer or dryer.
- Sort clothes by color.
- Sort clothes by lights and darks.
- Put dirty clothing in a basket or hamper.
- Hang up the jacket when not in use.
- Identify areas that need to be cleaned.
- Identify appropriate times to use certain tools like a vacuum.
- Identify where to use certain tools like a vacuum (on carpet) or broom…etc.
- Sweep with appropriate motion/position.
- Wipe tables/counters.
- Wipe board/wall.
- Wipe and squeegee windows.
- Load dishwasher.
- Hand/towel dry dishes.
- Put dishes away in the appropriate place.
- Use appropriate cleaning products safely.
- Sorting and folding socks together.
- Sort recycling (paper, plastic, glass, aluminum).
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