There are 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 when it comes to independent living.  It’s all about getting to know your student, their future goals, and collaborating with parents/caregivers on what areas they find important.  Some families have an idea of the types of 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.

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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).

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Important things to 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). 
• Like 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 working 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.
  •  LEVEL1 – 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}.
  • LEVEL2  – 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}.
  • LEVEL3 – 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}.

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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!**

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Eating & Dining Goal Ideas

1. Mouth a utensil appropriately.
2. Accept introduction of a new food/flavor from a coated spoon.
3. Scoop or stab an appropriate amount of food with utensil.
4. Using a utensil rather than hands.
5. Retrieve appropriate utensil from a variety of settings (home, restaurant, wrapped in napkin…etc.)
6. Drink/sip appropriately from open a non-lidded cup.
7. Drinking from a straw.
8. Drink from a drinking fountain.
9. Wait for food to cool down (blow on food).
10. Get an appropriate portion/quantity of food (such as during pot luck or at buffet)
11. Open a variety of packaged food (twist lid, soda can lid, milk carton, zip loc bag…etc.)
12. Retrieve a napkin before sitting down to eat.
13. After done eating, throw utensils and trash in the correct place (sink or trash).
14. Wipe mouth/face/hands with napkin.
15. Appropriate table manners (no burping, chew with mouth closed, no playing with food, no licking fingers/plate…etc.).
16. Take small bites (not stuffing mouth).
17. Finish chewing before taking another bite.
18. Eat meal before dessert.
19. Use knife to cut food into smaller pieces (e.g. steak, sandwich)
20. Arrange place setting at table.
21. Eat over plate.
22. Sit while eating.
23. No slurping (unless culturally appropriate).
24. Package leftover food.
25. Hygiene prior to eating (washing hands, cleaning eating surface).
26. Use serving utensils at family style dinner table, pass items as requested.

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Safety Goal Ideas

1. Identifying edible and inedible items.
2. Identify what not to touch (hot items like a stove or iron).
3. Participate in emergency/disaster drills.
4. Appropriate behavior during emergency/disaster drills.
5. Demonstrate general use of telephone (pick up, hand up, dial, talk).
6. Dialing home phone number.
7. Dial 911 in emergency only.
8. Dialing cell phone number (or emergency contact’s phone number).
9. Identify basic actions for emergency situations like a fire, earthquake, lock down…etc. (eg. If there is a fire, exit building).
   • Check out: What To Do In An EMERGENCY Task Clip Cards
10. Identifying community helpers and their job functions (eg. Paramedic help sick/injured people during emergencies).
11. Identify community helpers and the scenarios they would respond to (e.g. Firefighters respond to a house on fire).
12. Identifying exit routes (on a map).
13. Identify where first aid kit and  fire extinguisher is.
14. Identifying how to use each item in a first aid kit.
15. Identify {#} safety/community signs
16. Identifying where to store foods (refrigerator, freezer, pantry).
    • Check out: Food Storage Freezer Refrigerator or Pantry Digital Interactive Activity
    • Check out: Food Storage Freezer Refrigerator or Pantry Task Cards
17. Identify when to throw away old/expired food.
18. Read warning labels on bottles and identify what makes the item unsafe (eg. Drinking with medication)
19. Safety procedures before leaving home (eg. Blowing out candles, locking doors, closing windows…etc.)
20. Safety procedures after cooking.
    • Check out: “After you finish cooking…” Kitchen Safety Task Analysis Visual FREEBIE
21. Identify items in a household that may be hazardous or dangerous (eg. Knifes are sharp)
22. When and when  not to answer the door if you are home alone. (use door viewer)
23. How to properly clean up hazardous or dangerous materials (eg. broken glass)
24. What to tell and emergency operator if called (eg. State emergency and surroundings)

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Grooming Goal Ideas

1. Body part awareness (pointing to or naming parts on body)
2. Brush teeth after each meal
3. Rinse mouth appropriately (doesn’t drink) with mouth wash or water.
4. Identify the supplies needed to properly brush their teeth.
5. Identify supplies needed for different grooming tasks (eg. brushing teeth, brushing hair, washing body…etc)
6. Appropriately put toothpaste onto a toothbrush.
7. Floss teeth (manually or with floss pick).
8. Identify if specific items are grooming items or household cleaning items.
   • Check out: Which Cleaning Supply Do I Use Life Skills Task Clip Cards
9. Touch a toothbrush to their front teeth for {#} seconds.
10. Wash and dry hands (task analysis turning on sink, soap, scrub…etc.)
11. Locate washing area (sink, tub)
12. Turn on/off water in sink or tub
13. Adjust temperature of sink or tub
14. Look at self in the mirror and identify what is dirty on face.
15. Use a towel or paper towel to wipe face
16. Identify which tools to use to clean specific body parts (toothbrush is for teeth)
17. Check cleanliness or complete task analysis before going to off campus job.
18. Brush/comb hair in front of mirror.
19. Use hair gel/spray for hair style
20. Curl, straiten, or blow dry hair
21. Use a tissue to wipe/blow nose.
22. Apply deodorant.

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Toileting Goal Ideas

1. Follow established toileting routine. (task analysis)
2. Independently ask to use the restroom (or responding yes/no when asked if needing to go)
3. Pulling pants down/up
4. For males-appropriately pulling pants down or zipper when using urinal.
5. Appropriately put cover on toilet seats (when applicable).
6. Flush toilet (with foot).
7. Using toilet paper appropriately.
8. Closing and locking stall door.
9. Locate appropriate restroom.

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Dressing Goal Ideas

1. Identify front, back, and inside of clothing.
2. Tie shoes
3. Velcro shoes
4. Slip on shoes
5. Buttoning various clothing items (jeans, shirt)
6. Zipping various clothing items (pants, jacket)
7. Put on or take off a jacket appropriately
8. Fully dress self
9. Pick out own outfit
10. Identify appropriate outfits for different weather scenarios
11. Identifying current weather and finding appropriate outfit accordingly.
12. Identifying appropriate outfit for different occasions.
13. Put socks on.
14. Tie a tie.
15. Hook and adjust a bra.
16. Identify personal clothing and shoe size.
    • Check out: My Clothing Sizes Cut & Paste Worksheet
17. Put belt through pant loops.
18. Buckle belt.
19. Identify if a clothing item is too big or small (when trying on).
20. Pick out and wear coordinating accessories (bracelet, earrings, necklace…etc.)
21. Change into appropriate clothing when requested or time to do so (going to work).
22. Package a suitcase appropriately.

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MISC Independent Living Skills

1. Identify furniture or items that go in each different type of room
2. Identify different types of bills
3. Identify different parts of bills and their meanings
4. Identify different parts of a check and how to write a check when given a bill
5. Address an envelope/send a letter
6. Caring for a pet (feeding & cleaning up after)
7. Organizing personal space (sorting office/bedroom supplies in similar categories)
8. Identify people/businesses to call when something breaks (eg. Water leak = Plumber)
9. Dialing a phone
10. Answering a phone call, redirecting to the person who the phone call is for (appropriate responses)
11. Navigating a computer/Internet browser
12. Using the computer to comparison shop
13. Using the computer to pay for a bill
14. Internet safety (identify scams, bullying, appropriate what information to share…etc)

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Download the ideas listed above for free here

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Thanks for reading!