SMART IEP Literacy Targets

[IndigoBell]

I have an IEP meeting, for my DS in Year 5, tomorrow. Academically his biggest problem is his writing / spelling and handwriting.

He is on NC Level 5 books in the reading scheme, yet working at NC Level 2 in his writing.

He hates writing and finds it physically hard, so he is allowed to use a computer for longer pieces of work. However he still has to do some handwriting during school.

His problems are just about everything. Handwriting, spelling, punctuation, layout...
His work is worse than his younger brothers who is in Year 2. There are words missing from every sentance, syllables missing from every word, random capital letters, no full stops. His typed work is better than his written work, but still a level 2.

Any ideas what you would put in his IEP?

For handwriting I'd like school to use handwriting without tears or speed up every day with him ( we are doing OT for his handwriting with him every day at home)

But for actually writing paragraphs what would you put in his IEP?

I think we'll have to ignore his spelling, as it hasn't made our top 3 most important things....

I will know when to proof read my own written work - after drafting and editing - to see if the text can be the final version

I will have a good understanding of when to start a new paragraph in my own work and my writing will be easy to read.

I will be able to spell correctly 20 common suffixes from root words. For example: hope/hopeful/hopeless

Thanks mrz.

The first two targets you suggested aren't measurable enough - but they are on the right track. Somehow I need to strengthen the wording.

It's not that he doesn't proof read his work - it's that when he does proof read it he never spots any errors in it. i.e. he reads what he thinks he wrote not what he actually wrote. I'm thinking maybe he needs to use text-to-speech software to help him hear what he really is writing.

Are the following any good?

1. I will proof read my work and fix the errors that I find.

1. I will use full stops and capital letters correctly.

1. I will layout my work so that there is spacing between words, the words aren't too cramped, and I will start a new paragraph when I start a new topic.

I will punctuate all my sentences with a capital letter and full stop

I will group related material into simple paragraphs.

I will proof read my work and my writing will be easy to read.

As a TA who helps write IEP's for children in a similar position and having a SN child of my own and having been involved in writing IEP's for him I think that 2 and 3 sound measurable and do-able within the time limits of an IEP (as they are supposed to be achievable in that time) but you may need to add something like 'observed at least 5 times per week'. But I do think that 3 sounds like 2 targets to me.

I think that the first one is far too big IYSWIM and needs to be broken down. If he currently does not spot his errors when proof reading then it is a bit meaningless at this point to say that he will fix them. think it needs to be something like 'I will independently proof read my work, by reading them out loud, looking for errors in (1 thing eg missing words), and will try to make my sentences make sense' - observed 3 times per week (supported by teacher/TA).

But I also think that it sounds like he needs to have more 1 to 1 input/assessment around his writing skills as there would appear to be some key skills he hasn't acquired and needs supporting to do so. (Sorry if that is something that has already been done and I am telling you stuff you already know) Have school actually been addressing this??

Thanks Wedgie. I think you are right, my targets are probably unrealistic. I think I'll suggest:

1. I will punctuate all my sentences with a capital letter and full stop.

1. I will write in full sentances which make sense. (ie addressing the leaving out words)

1. I will leave spaces between words.

He hasn't had any 1:1 at all. So will definately be asking for that this year. But like I said, he's only been at this school for one term, and last term they were pretty much concentrating on assessing him and getting him settled in. ( And his previous school was absolutely dreadful which is why we moved him.)

Anyway, I'm sure this fab school will have loads of ideas for his IEP. I'll report back how it goes...