list of student strengths and weaknesses for iep

Whos at the IEP Table? But as Mary Falvey points out in her book Believe in My Child with Special Needs!,taking a problem-focused approach defeats your goal of high expectations and creative problem-solving. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 My Strengths and Weaknesses | All Rights Reserved | |, What Are Your Weaknesses? None of us are perfect, and this means its likely that we will have at least some weakness to work on. It requires hard work, dedication, and a willingness to set goals, make plans, and stick to them. The use of strengths-based approaches is not necessarily new, however supporting individuals' needs in a strength-based model has been largely overlooked in special education. A strengths-based IEP often boils down to a shift in mindset. There are so many areas of strength that you could dive into: physical strengths, academic strengths, social skills, emotional regulationthe list goes on! Student strengths in the classroom are important to understanding the student as a whole! Use a strengths finder before the IEP meeting. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to reach out. These helpful sentence starters can be best used with the assistance of the student and parents. Check out this guide to see the top 13 student strengths and student weaknesses contributing to academic success! Strengths tests and self-assessments can help deepen the discussion about strengths. These kinds of student self-assessments can help IEP teams develop a strengths-based IEP. Sam will use his creativity and interpersonal skills to develop and lead his peers in a class vocabulary game with 90% accuracy in three out of four weekly opportunities. Individualist 13. Enroll in one of our online courses for educators! Indiscipline 15. A: Students can use their strengths to pursue activities and interests that may help them reach their academic or career goals. Heres what you need to know to help develop a strengths-based IEP for your child. And so, in the spirit of that, you will not find a list of child strengths and weaknesses examples here in this article. Make sure your child and adolescent strengths are included as part of your parent concerns. A disability is never ones fault; its how they were born. (Purpose Challenge Practice #1). Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Easily Distracted 14. Looking to help your students shine through strengths-based ieps? Thank you for reading! Cognitive Skills or Strengths: In this area, I would include skills such as processing, communication, reasoning and attention. It involves setting goals, developing a plan for achieving them, and striving for excellence. Student-led IEPs also underscore the importance of self-awareness. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. But as more schools make strides in student-led IEPs and other areas, they may inspire more districts to rewrite their IEP templates. This is the list of child strengths categories: creativity, literacy, study skills, communication, hygiene, cognition, language, self-confidence, and courage. Statement of academic needs/weaknesses 4. Name the goals and strategies you will use to improve the person's communication. __________ is a hard worker in class. Students will identify their personal biases and consider how those biases influence their ability to treat others fairly. To ensure success, students must learn how to manage their time effectively and identify student strengths. I will be using these infographics in my IEP meetings/disability disclosure lessons! And explore 10 ways to be an effective advocate for your child at school. His/her positive work habits show that he/she _______________, can _______________, and _______________. Sure, lots of kids struggle in this area, but many excel. Another way to think about it is, what outside help does this student have to help them achieve their goals? What a powerful way to support a childs progression than to shout their achievements out for the whole educational team to hear! Take an inventory of the students strengths, interests, and preferences. Keep it basic and straightforward, but be truthful in your choice. Remember that student strengths can be based on work habits or personality traits. This blueprint, however, tends to fall short in considering a students strengths and competencies, and more often than not focuses on what a student cannot do. When teachers can differentiate content (the delivery method or access to what is learned), process (the activities used to learn it), and product (how learning is shown or how it is assessed), students can generalize and transfer learning more effectively. Being kind is a vital strength, both in the classroom and in the outside world. In order for student strengths to be effective in developing an iep, they must relate specifically and uniquely to each student. Falvey notes, Statements that focus on the students weakness often result in IEPs of low or no expectations. Many teachers, especially new ones, find it challenging to, IEP writing strengths and weaknesses examples. Write it down! In this post I will provide a few examples of items to add to your list of student strengths for IEP writing, to help you get the ball rolling. Reframe the way the IEP team talks about strengths. This can be an issue because it can take away from learning opportunities for others. Inside: Learn how to use Student Strengths or Child Strengths on an IEP, and the importance of doing so. Disruptive 8. Student IEPs. A strengths-based approach is a pathway to increasing parent-school partnerships because it shows parents that their childs teachers believe in their childs potential, and students begin to understand that they are capable and valuable contributors at school and in life. What makes this student unique? Although that student strength might not directly relate to academic success, it may contribute to the student's participation in class. Recognizing these strengths in students is key to helping them reach their full potential. A child with a great memory is often able to remember instructions, peoples names, and previous learning experiences easily. One student may be particularly strong in curiosity, love of learning, and perseverance, while another may be strongest in kindness, humility, and fairness; yet another could have zest, social-emotional intelligence, and teamwork as top strengths. 2. Find out if your childs school already has access to a strengths finder. When you sit down with an IEP team to start the planning process, it can be tempting to start with what a student cant do: She cant read yet. In the meantime, you dont have to wait for your childs school to change its IEP template. Aidan will use his preference for hands-on learning and his skills with technology to dictate his notes during science lab and complete his science lab reports on time and with 85% accuracy in three out of four consecutive assignments. Well email you our most helpful stories and resources. Basics of Strength-Based IEPs An approach & mindset that uses a students abilities to help work on weaknesses as well as utilizing a students strengths. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. These list items are grouped into six different categories: Attitude, Academic Skills, Executive Function Skills, Social Skills, Motor Skills, and Sensory Processing Skills. %PDF-1.6 % Im not comfortable using it with IEP students, and heres why. A child with strong short-term memory skills is often able to remember things for a short period of time, such as a list of items or a set of instructions. One of the things that I've /really/ tried to emphasize as a Special Ed teacher is that we're trying to capitalize on a student's strengths to address their needs/areas for growth. Being cooperative is a vital aspect of any successful educational experience because it allows you to work in pairs and groups, as well as do what you are asked by the person that is leading the activity. Making a note about the strengths of a students family or community supports on the IEP report is not always recognized in the list of student strengths IEP section, but it is worth noting. Greater Good in Education. But sometimes, we need a little help to get our list of child strength examples. So if you are going to make note of a childs honesty, or lack thereof, please make sure you are doing a Deep Dive on that concept to determine what is really the issue for the child. For example, a student who struggles with procrastination can try setting small goals that are achievable in a short amount of time or breaking their studies up into manageable chunks. Creating a positive environment and developing good habits can also help students overcome their weaknesses and achieve success. 2023 A Day In Our Shoes with Lisa Lightner. Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Ethical Decision-Making & Social Responsibility, Topic 1 Caring for Ourselves: The Science of Emotional Resilience, Topic 2 Safety & Belonging in Classrooms and Schools, Topic 3 Addressing Trauma and Adversity: Supporting Student Mental Health, Topic 4 Committing to Racial Equity and Cultural Responsiveness, Topic 5 Teaching for Social, Emotional, and Academic Development, Topic 6 Supporting SEL through Family and Community Engagement, Wisdom (creativity; curiosity; judgment; love of learning; perspective), Courage (bravery; perseverance; honesty; zest), Humanity (love; kindness; social-emotional intelligence), Temperance (forgiveness; humility; prudence; self-regulation), Transcendence (appreciation of beauty and excellence; gratitude; hope; humor; spirituality), Many character strengths are associated with higher satisfaction with life. A well-rounded statement includes several areas of strength with up to three options from each. I prettied it up a little if you want to share it:) __ Deals with anger, insults, and disagreements peacefully. The virtues are broader characteristics that have been valued in philosophical and spiritual traditions across time and place, while the character strengths function as components of or pathways to the virtues. Instructional strategies. I have another article about children who chronically lie or are liars. Strengths-based IEPs arent widely used yet. Read on to see examples. Strengths: Emotional intelligence is a term used to describe a person's ability, strong communication and presentation abilities verbally, strong analytic abilities, fairness, etc. Jeremiah is reading at grade level and has good comprehension. It is important to identify these weaknesses and work with the student to develop strategies to address them. It can also give kids a sense of ownership when they get to help make decisions about their IEP. What are strengths that the student has that make them socially adaptable or socially accepted? 481 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<67C5935B9099344ABEDAEEEBF4E20F8C>]/Index[447 65]/Info 446 0 R/Length 154/Prev 193707/Root 448 0 R/Size 512/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Here we are covering more on student strengths for IEP writing, which is an area of the students Individualized Education Plan that should never be overlooked. And these insights can be a guiding force throughout the IEP meeting. Maybe they are a great helper in the classroom, a friend to all, or have a stand-out-talent in music class. Here are some other character strengths that I found on another site, and my commentary behind them. Students explore how every person has dignity and wortheven those who hurt us. Fear of Failure 2. Collaborative [IEP] teams must make a commitment to solve problems rather than admire them, reinvent them, or conclude that there are no solutions." (Like that quote? 4. Brian Stack, MEd is the principal of Sanborn Regional High School in Kingston, New Hampshire. A strengths-based IEP uses student abilities to help work on weaknesses. Jonah is a 9-year old fourth grade student with average ability, whose achievement testing shows relative strength in reading and weakness in math. honesty, integrity, fairness), Is able to plan for the future, describe future goals, Displays good common sense and decision making, Explains ideas or concepts well to others, Has good listening skills, without interrupting, Is able to effectively use non-verbal cues to communicate with others, persuasive in getting someone to do something, Can easily pick up on the emotional state of another person, able to work out his/her own conflicts with others, able to become totally absorbed in an activity, tolerant of others who have cultural, ethnic, or racial differences, pride in his/her own cultural, ethnic, or racial background, Likes to find out about historical events around the world, Enjoys learning about different cultural traditions, Enjoys listening to audiobooks or to someone telling a story or reading out loud, Has a chemistry set or other science kit that he/she works with at home, Enjoys logical or number games or puzzles like Rubiks cube or Sudoku, aptitude for fixing machines or mechanical things, Likes to create three-dimensional structures with building materials, able to visualize images clearly, can describe, Gets information more easily through pictures than words, sensitive to the visual world around him/her, can express verbally and respond appropriately, Likes to spend time using a computer, tablet, or smartphone, uses the internet appropriately for school and entertainment, Knows how to set up audio-visual or computer equipment, Enjoys social networking (e.g. For example, if Elana struggles in math, what does she do well in that subject? An IEP team can use student strengths to develop student success goals within the students iep. Use this framework to help guide the writing process: __________ has a strong character, is _______________, and is _______________. What are the strengths that make the student academically successful? This essay is designed to give you, the professional, a rationale for teaching to the strengths and interests of your students with dyslexia. Each student has a unique profile of strengths, with some strengths being more developed and others less so, regardless of how they compare to other students. Jos is caring and kind and demonstrates loyalty in friendship. ), Is resilient (again, disabled students have to put up with much more than non disabled students), Shows independence (seriously? Ask, What does the student do well? Begin each IEP goal with a strength: Teachers should encourage parents to be active participants in the IEP process. These can include academic abilities, such as writing and mathematics; interpersonal skills like collaboration and communication; problem solving skills; creativity; resilience or persistence in difficult situations; and physical abilities. Elana will use her skills with a times table to help transition by May 15 to knowing from memory all products of two one-digit numbers with 90% accuracy in four out of five tries. Student struggles are not ignoredrather, they are reframed with a strengths-based lens for actionable IEP goals addressing specific student performance expectations. This questionnaire is applicable to students ages 4-17. I hate seeing kids punished for this, or for it to be treated as a character flaw. Its a way to shift the language we use to describe the needs of our students, and ultimately it leads to higher investment in their educational, social, and emotional growth. Additionally, they can work on improving their weaknesses by seeking out resources or support from teachers, counselors, or mentors. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Disorganized 7. (Gratitude for Tweens and Teens Lesson 3), A values-informed process to help students make the best possible ethical choices, Strategies for parents and caregivers to help teens understand and practice being humble. Incorporating your childs strengths into SMART goals can make the goals even stronger. Teachers can use a variety of strategies to identify and develop student strengths, such as observation, testing, interviews or surveys. Strengths are covered at the beginning of the meeting, and the rest of the time is focused on deficits. Taking a look at specific student strengths in the classroom is a great place to start. But again, we often go into IEP meetings with the mindset that the school is going to tell us no and we forget to address strengths or assets. This list of student strengths and weaknesses for IEP contains a wide variety of examples. There are so many areas of strength that you could dive into: physical strengths, academic strengths, social skills, emotional regulationthe list goes on! To do this, IEP teams often need to gather more information. Students learn about forgiveness from book characters. For example, student strengths such as "spontaneous" and "good listener" may not be as effective for student success goals because they are broad student strengths. But if you look for student strengths, you get these options. But here are some common elements and approaches. 2. Give this a try instead: flip those immobilizing weakness statements into specific strengths and needs statements that point the way toward solutions. If IEP writing is new to you, or you are not sure what to add based on your role, just remember to think of the student as a whole. Learners' strengths can be very diverse based on the specific situation. Teachers should also seek out feedback from parents and other stakeholders to gain insight into the strengths of each student. I hope that this student strengths for iep examples guide has been helpful. Taking that question into consideration can help a student make goals or develop skills based on personal strengths and achievements. A team can also add strengths to an IEP by area or discipline. Character strengths Is honest and trustworthy Is caring, kind, and empathetic Helps others Shows loyalty Works hard Is resilient Shows independence Cooperates Social strengths Shares, takes turns, and can compromise Puts effort into making friends and keeping them Is a good listener Accepts differences in others Asks for help when needed The OT Toolbox assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions that may appear in the Website. When a skill is not acquired, the implication is not that the student is deficient, but rather that the student lacks the opportunity, experience, and instruction needed to master the skill at this time. Unfortunately, thats not the norm for most students yet. Having students actively participate in parts of the IEP meeting can help in many ways. To create a caring learning community where teachers and parents are partners and the strengths and competencies of students are celebrated, a strengths-based framework for curriculum, instruction, assessment, and evaluation is key. Its the ability to connect the dots, as they say. Even if the student strengths seem silly or out of place, they may be meaningful for some students. Focusing is an important strength because it means you can work independently and dont need constant supervision to get a task done whether it be school work, writing skills or social skills. Media inquiries:[emailprotected](preferred) or646-757-3100. Get detailed teacher input regarding students on your IEP caseload. This is the time to gloat about your student. In his classroom behavior, he demonstrates responsibility by coming prepared to class with materials ready to learn. 3 Steps to Impress, Strengths Based Interview Questions: Top Example Questions, ESFP Strengths and Weaknesses: Top 5 List of ESFP Strengths, 16 Strengths and Weaknesses Examples Job Interview List, Accounting Strengths and Weaknesses: Top 5 Poll Results 2023. 0 Sydney Thorson, OTR/L, is a new occupational therapist working in school-based therapy. To do so is infringement of copyright law. Some examples of social-emotional skills include resilience, problem solver, positivity, optimism, pleasant and easygoing, adapting easily to unexpected changes, flexible thinking, and creativity. Jos follows classroom rules and expectations and actively participates in table groups. Does she prefer to work in groups? All Rights Reserved. I think that because so many IEP teams are worried about and focused on meeting the childs needs, they forget to focus on the strengths portion of an IEP. As a student, knowing yourself, including the things you are best at, and the skills that could do with a little more work can be invaluable. Check out Mary Falveys book,a great resource to share with parents, especially. Fault has too much negativity attached to it. Examples of Student Weaknesses 1. The common goals and the strengths-based goals set the same expectation for student progress. Or just swipe them for your IEP parent concerns letter. Key points to reflection when writing strengths-based ieps: How do charter strengths improve academic performance? Additionally, taking an assessment such as the CliftonStrengths assessment can be a helpful tool for students to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Involving students in IEP meetings can help the team think about ways to develop strengths and work on weaknesses. Visual processing: A child with strong visual processing skills is often able to easily understand and remember information that is presented visually. Bringing in the family or community broadens the lens to what outside supports the student has. It can support carryover of goal areas, as well as encourage meaningful participation. In some sections, IDEA lists the strengths of the child as the first item. A: Students may be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses through self-reflection, feedback from classmates or teachers, or by engaging in activities that allow them to assess their abilities. For example, students can lead the part of the meeting where they share what they discovered about themselves when taking the strengths test. Its time for the language used in PLAAFPs and IEPs/ISPs to reflect this understanding. A student's strength is a positive attribute that can be used to help students reach their goals and become more successful in life. Being easily distracted means that you can find it hard to focus on the task at hand. In an era when more and more is packed into a school day, cultivating a student's strengths may . Copyright 2023 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. pursue an inclusive education for their child, from preschool to high school and beyond, collaborate with educators on their childs IEP, promote their childs access to the general curriculum, support their child as he or she develops friendships. gene kelly grandchildren,

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