Triveni Goswami Vernal
(Registered Special Educator A64010)

Goal setting is an essential component of creating a structured approach to teaching a concept or while working on a chosen behaviour. Goals keep one grounded to the path that one has to adopt, to achieve something in the future. Without a goal in mind, the teaching would be aimless and without a proper framework. 

In an IEP, Goals are based on the following:
a) The current level of performance, in a given skill.
b) The individual’s strengths and weaknesses (in all areas, not just academic).
c) Identify the pre-requisite skills that are essential for the given skill.

In an IEP, the stated Goals can be either Short-Term or Long-Term depending on the skill /behaviour or concept that is being targeted, as well as the current level of the individual’s performance.

Short-Term Goals are usually smaller goals that are more achievable, and play an important role in achieving the Long-Term Goal. For example, for a child, who may already be doing a 2-piece jigsaw puzzle, the short-term goal may be to teach the child to do a 4-piece jigsaw puzzle, without any prompt, over a span of three months. 

Long-Term Goals, on the other hand, are goals that can be achieved over a longer period of time. For example, teaching How to Read, may take a much longer time. Also, the individual’s present level of performance related to that particular skill (reading), will also influence the time taken to achieve that goal. For example, Reading involves–

a) Identification of the letters of alphabet,
b) Forming an association between the symbol (letter) and the sound (phonics)
c) Assigning meaning to what is being read (comprehension)
d) Visual and Auditory Processing play an essential role in creating the association between symbol (letter) and sound (phonics).

Reading is also closely associated with Writing/Typing the letters of the alphabet.
Each of these components can have multiple, smaller goals. And all of them together, can lead to the acquisition of the skill of reading.

Sharing a few blogs I have written on Reading and how to go about it. It gives a fair idea of how many components need to be worked upon, to work on the skill of Reading—

https://specialsaathi.com/2023/08/31/multisensory-approaches-to-teach-reading/
https://specialsaathi.com/2023/03/23/how-i-taught-my-son-to-read/
https://specialsaathi.com/2023/03/30/role-of-visualization-in-reading-comprehension/
https://specialsaathi.com/2024/03/07/aphantasia-visualization-and-reading-comprehension/
https://specialsaathi.com/2024/10/10/sight-reading-as-a-strategy-to-teach-reading-to-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum/
https://specialsaathi.com/2024/10/17/phonics-as-a-strategy-to-teach-reading-skills-to-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum/comment-page-1/

Goals, whether short-term or long-term, usually need to have the following characteristics-Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic or Relevant and Time-bound (SMART).

Specific: The goals should be well-defined.

Measurable: The progress for each goal, should be objectively tracked.

Achievable: The goals should be reasonable and attainable for the individual.

Realistic/Relevant: The goals should be relevant/functionally meaningful to the individual’s life.

Time-bound: The goals should be set with a particular time frame in mind.

Thus, we see how Goals are an outcome of a well-thought-out approach, with the focus on helping the individuals acquire various skills/behaviours, that are meaningful to their lives.
In my subsequent blogs, I will share certain strategies of teaching skills, such as Task Analysis, Backward and Forward Chaining etc.



REFERENCES:
https://www.adinaaba.com/post/examples-of-smart-goals-for-students-with-autism
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/setting-an-iep-baseline-plop-plaafp-and-plp
https://www.dlcv.org/special-ed/iep/plop-2/what-makes-a-good-plop
https://prntexas.org/contents-of-the-iep/present-levels-in-the-iep/

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Author Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal

Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal is a Registered Special Educator (CRR: A64010), a Psychologist and an Expressive Arts Therapy Practitioner in training (UNESCO-CID). She is an Avaz Certified Educator and Certified in Dyslexia Teacher Training. She is also an art educator for children with additional needs.

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Artwork-“Night landscape”Artist-Kabir Vernal
Tempera paint sticks and acrylic marker pens