Goal Setting For Transition-Age Students printable pdf download

Fast Facts –Goal Setting

Goal Setting for Transition-Age Students

by Susan B. Palmer and Kendra Williams-Diehm

Setting goals is an essential part of life for students who are planning for the future. It is important

for students to have many and varied opportunities to set goals and to practice the goal-setting process,

including the evaluation of goals prior to exiting high school. Setting goals is just one aspect of Self-

Determination that students with disabilities can learn and practice repeatedly over time to establish this

activity in their lives. Goal-setting instruction can occur within the context of classes or in separate self-

advocacy or counseling settings. Often goal setting can also be used in a job or community setting or just to

think about things that students might like to achieve in their lives. Parents or others can use goal-setting

with students away from school to increase involvement in life outside of school. All this can help students

to accomplish what it is they wish to do.

You might ask a student, “What can you do to get a better grade in English this semester?” or “Do

you have some ideas about getting the job you mentioned?” If students have no idea or are not able to

express themselves, then you might begin teaching students to set goals and learn to solve problems and

make decisions. This can be done with a single student, a small group of students, or an entire class.

The steps listed immediately below can be used to structure the teaching of goal-setting according

to Wehmeyer and colleagues (2007):

1. Identify the Goal

What do you want to learn or do?

2. Write the Goal

Is the goal clear, concise, measurable, short-term/ long-term?

3. Create an Action Plan

How will you begin to work on this goal and when?

4. Evaluate Progress and Adjust Plan or Goal

How are you doing, what have you done, is the goal finished or not?

For students who have more severe disabilities, you may need to adjust the steps above, starting

even before the first step to talk about what the word, “goal” means. Explain that a goal is what you wish to

do, and have a conversation that involves either making choices between two different acceptable goals or

taking more time to explore the student’s preferences. Use effective listening (including restating ideas to

clarify) and allow plenty of time for students to express their thoughts.

Goal Setting For Transition-Age Students