4 years - parental concerns

Parental input to IEP goals - 4 years old

Before each IEP meeting we prepare a letter for our IEP team, which we send out couple of weeks before the meeting. This is our annual review - we comment on what we think was achieved, we raise our concerns, and we propose our goals for next year. With each year we are getting better at this and so our letter has more details every time. The purpose of making a list with our goals is not for all our goals to be used in the IEP (although we would loved it, it never happened). The purpose is for the school to know that we are serious about the upcoming meeting and that we are prepared. We have thought carefully about what was achieved and even more carefully about what our son should do next. We want the school to know that we have high expectations for the coming year and expect appropriate goals.

This document was sent to the team before the IEP meeting.  

Gross Motor Skills
Over the last year, The Student has made great progress in his gross motor skills. We are especially pleased that he seems to have gained strength in his upper body and core musculature. This remains an area of some concern and of constant work for us, especially given its importance and impact in all areas of development. We believe it is vital for The Student’s current and future academic success to improve his posture (both walking and sitting) and to improve his body coordination. We hope that, with appropriate support and help, The Student will continue his gains over the next year.

We expect that by the end of the 2012-2013 academic year The Student will refine his running and jumping skills, will learn to jump forward, to balance on one foot, to walk on a line, to throw balls overhead and catch bouncing balls, and to kick and intercept balls.

Fine Motor Skills
Over the last year, The Student has become increasingly more confident in his fine motor skills. He shows more patience and desire for fine motor activities, as well as more precision in performing these activities.

We expect that by the end of the 2012-2013 academic year The Student will be able to use adaptive scissors, string large beads, place small pegs in small holes, manipulate clay materials (rolling balls, snakes) and develop appropriate pre-writing skills (paint with wrist action, imitate/copy circle, cross). He will be able to unzip his lunch box, open a Ziploc bag and unscrews jar lids.

Self Help
We expect The Student will become increasingly more independent through self-feeding, self-dressing and undressing, potty training and improved personal hygiene practices. The Student will use an open cup for drinking, use the fork and spoon correctly, learn to put his pants/socks/shoes on, take off his shirt/sweeter, and use two hands to zip and unzip his coat.

Speech and Language
Over the last year, The Student has greatly expanded his speaking and listening vocabulary. He can make requests and comment on his environment. The use of sign language was instrumental in his speech development and supported him with (1) new word acquisitions, (2) use of longer sentences as a combination of spoken and signed words, and (3) clarification of less intelligible words. We believe it is essential to continue using sign language as an augmentative communication tool for The Student.

Expressive language
We expect that The Student will continue to expand his spoken vocabulary, use 3-word sentences consistently and have increasingly better speech intelligibility. The Student will pronounce his name correctly, use articles appropriately and use plural forms. He will use “I” and “you” in speech. He will use the “ing” form for common verbs. He will use k, g, f, t, d, and n sounds. He will use question inflection to ask for something.

Receptive language
The Student will follow 2 unrelated directions. He will continue to work on functional understanding/recognition of objects. He will understand the concept of past-present-future (now, next, later, before, today, yesterday, tomorrow). He will understand the concept of same and different. He will understand quantities (one, two, few, and many).

Communication
The Student will engage in longer interactive play sessions with an adult or peer. The Student will initiate and respond to peers’ interaction. The Student will answer questions about past events (what, when, who, where). The Student will answer questions and comment after reading a book. He will learn to formulate basic questions.

Educational Development
Over the last year, The Student has worked very hard to improve his pre-academic skills. He can recognize his name, the numbers from 1 to 10, the whole uppercase alphabet and most of the lowercase letters. He recognizes at least 10 colors and most body parts. He can count from 1 to 10 with support. He recognizes some shapes (circle, star, heart). He can sort objects by color. He has a sight vocabulary of at least 20 words.

We expect that by the end of the 2012-2013 academic year The Student will recognize and name most shapes. He will recognize the numbers from 1 to 20. He will be able to suggest words that start with specific letters. He will work on concepts related to size, quantity, direction and opposites. He will understand the concept of same-different. He will show awareness of time and understands the concept of past-present-future (now, next, later, today, yesterday, tomorrow). He will sort objects based on size, shape and function. He will increase his sight words vocabulary.