How to Set IEP Goals for Autistic Children
Autistic children are those who are suffering from autism. They are children with special needs and should be given special care and attention by their parents, caregivers, and teachers. IEP stands for Individualized Education Program. It is a legal document that chalks out the development plan for autistic children in school. Now the question is how to set up IEP goals for children with autism? It should be remembered that this is a specialized task and experts should be consulted before setting IEP goals.
As a parent, caregiver, or teacher, you can contribute significantly towards the setting up of IEP goals for an autistic child. The first step in this direction would be to read up as much as possible about autism and how autistic children can be absorbed into the mainstream with the help of a proper development plan in progress. You can buy or borrow books on this subject or read material that is available on the Internet. There are IEP goal banks on the Web that offer sample IEP goals created by professionals. You can search for IEP goals on these Web sites according to the special need of the child concerned. These Web sites keep adding new IEP goals that you can customize to create your own.
When you are creating an Individualized Education Program for an autistic child you need to keep in mind the development target the child needs to achieve over a period of time. You can set up annual IEP goals for an autistic child. You can also divide these goals into smaller chunks of time for effective evaluation. The target of any IEP goal for an autistic child should be to minimize the symptomatic behavior and achieve a better learning curve. An individualized understanding of an autistic child’s experience is important for setting IEP goals for that child.
While setting up IEP goals for a child suffering from autism, it is important to keep in mind that enhancing the communication capabilities of the child should be on focus. Education of the child should be planned in such a way so as to achieve the best results.
IEP teams are often created for developing IEP goals for autistic children. These teams consist of parents or caregivers of the child and representatives from the school, usually teachers. At these meetings the IEP goals for autistic children are discussed and formulated by both parents and teachers. It is essential for IEP teams to meet at least once a year or more for the successful implementation of IEP goals.
IEP goals cannot be generalized for all autistic children. They have to be individualized according to the learning needs and development progress of each autistic child. Once an IEP goal is adapted, it should be implemented immediately for best results else the whole purpose may go waste. The future of autistic children and their educational progress depend upon the IEP goals set for them. Hence, consult autism experts before finalizing their individualized education program. It is the duty of special education teachers and therapists for autistic children to take active participation in the creation of IEP goals.
As a parent, caregiver, or teacher, you can contribute significantly towards the setting up of IEP goals for an autistic child. There are IEP goal banks on the Web that offer sample IEP goals created by professionals.
Processing your request, Please wait....
