This article gave a very practical approach to develop effective transition plans for high school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The 5 steps listed were to identify transition goals, link postsecondary goals with IEP goals, troubleshoot and adjust transition and IEP goals, provide opportunities to teach skills, and evaluate progress (Szidon et. al, 2015).
This article was especially helpful to me because I have never written an IEP goal before. It helped to know which areas of the student's development and plan need to be considered. Under the first step (Identify Transition Goals), Szidon et. al, stated that transition goals should consider the student's needs in the areas of: postsecondary education, employment, and independent living (Szidon 2015). While I realize the focus was high school students with autism spectrum disorder, I also realize the 3 areas given would apply to other groups of students and help me to wrap my mind around what areas need to be considered.
This article also listed the pitfalls for goal writing. The pitfalls listed are passive participation, too specific to curriculum, and episodic events (Szidon 2015). Passive participation was described as the need to distinguish between the goal and the supports needed to reach the goal. "Too specific to curriculum" was explained by using the example of a student who is on a points system for good behavior. Her IEP said that she needed to get 7 points a day to earn her reward.
The speech of this goal doesn't sound like it prepares her for future employment. Szidon et. al., stated a correction to this goal could be that she uses a self-monitoring checklist which helps her to problem solve and it's also an appropriate support to maintain workplace employment (Szidon 2015). Episodic events refers to goals that can be measured over time (not just one time occurences that would be unnnecessary to include in an IEP.
I found that this article was strong in that it gave many real life examples. I think that it gives new educators or people with questions on a multidisciplinary team, a starting point and place to start planning from. There are also resources given for national networks based on transition planning assessments (for social and adaptive skills) that help the multidisciplinary team in their decision making process.
Szidon, K., Ruppar, A., & Smith, L. (2015). Five steps for developing effective transition
plans for high school students with autism spectrum disorder. TEACHING
Exceptional Children, 47(3), 147-152.
The article I chose came from the same magazine! This review makes me want to find the article and read it. I really want to learn more about vocational training and preparing students for life as soon as they leave our class. I want nothing more than for my students to find their LRE in life, and I hope to give them the best tools possible to do so. I also appreciate how you recognized that not all of the IEP goals given seemed completely applicable to the students needs. Great review!
ReplyDeleteYeah, you should definitely look it up. It's super practical. I can send you the link.
ReplyDeleteI like how it mentions finding work. I think we focus a lot on students with autism and making accommodations and helping them succeed in the classroom. As an elementary school teacher, I try my best to make accommodations for students to allow them to succeed, but I do not really imagine what will become of that student in 10 years. I think it is important to prepare older students with autism for the work place. I really like how some high schools have a program in place, where these students go and work and gain experience. I think it is great.
ReplyDeleteGoal writing is definitely something unfamiliar to me considering that that I'm a general ed classroom teacher, so it was very beneficial for me to pick up this information. I do however remember sitting in on an IEP meeting during student teaching that addressed postsecondary goals for a student and I also found it interesting that they actually include employment possibilties.
ReplyDeleteI am a HUGE fan of the journal Teaching Exceptional Children. It is very practical. Most of the articles are written by teachers or practitioners in the field. I am so glad you reflected and thought about goal-writing. That module will be coming up for us soon so you get to practice writing goals!
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