54 SKILLS : WRITING FUNCTIONAL IEPs cont.

MATHEMATICS

  1. Make appointments using a calendar (dentist, personal care doctor, eye doctor, etc.)
  2. Attend appointments on time using a clock
  3. Write the date in various formats
  4. Identify when a store is open and closed using a clock
  5. Money budgeting and planning
  6. Money saving for items and for emergencies
  7. Balance your bank account
  8. Pay for a service
  9. Pay a bill in full and on time by the due date
  10. Match items to stock shelves
  11. Check store receipts to make sure it is correct
  12. Calculate an expected paycheck based on hours worked
  13. Identify shapes, colors, and numbers in the real world

SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES

  1. Follow a schedule
  2. Locate a specific place or room within a public building or area
  3. Use a map or GPS to find a location
  4. Use a map or GPS to get from one place to another
  5. Schedule transportation or use public transportation to attend appointments
  6. Identify holidays
  7. Identify the season and how to dress for the weather

SELF-CARE AND LIFE SKILLS

  1. Personal hygiene (taking a bath/shower, using bathroom, washing hands, using deodorant, brushing teeth, clipping nails, female personal hygiene)
  2. Cooking, eating, and preparing food (use microwave, oven, stove, refrigerator, and other kitchen appliances and supplies, kitchen safety, eating healthy foods and the Food Pyramid)
  3. Care for pets
  4. Dress appropriately for weather
  5. Housekeeping (vacuum, sweep or mop, take out trash, wash dishes, clean, use washer and dryer, put clothes away, dust, etc.)
  6. Safety (fire, water and pool, severe weather, etc.)

This list of skills is a starting point, but also this should be a discussion for the entire IEP Team, the parent and child included. To start the conversation with the child’s IEP team, the parent should reach out to the child’s caseload manager. Feel free to share this list with the child’s IEP team too!

team too! Remember: you won't be able to help your student/child work on all of these skills at once, so it is important to prioritize your student/child's needs. Start with three or four skills to work on at first, and then build on that list as your student/child masters the new skills. The parent, teacher (and child) are the child's best advocate! •

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stephanie is a dual-certified special education teacher, Master IEP Coach®, children's book author, and teacher mentor. She has a passion for creating engaging, adapted resources for teachers and students with disabilities, and is self-proclaimed #datanerd. She understands that not everyone will love IEPs as much as she does, but it is her hope that with the appropriate training and resources, teachers will not only advocate harder for student services and supports, but also bridge the gap between teachers and families to foster a true IEP Team. She also provides professional development for teachers. You can connect with her at mrsdscorner.com and theintentionaliep.com. Stephanie is also a huge mental health advocate, sharing her experiences and struggles to let others know that you can survive the dark seasons and thrive in life and teaching with a mental illness.