Goal Setting For Transition-Age Students (Page 3 of 4) in pdf

Fast Facts –Goal Setting

Students working on academic goals often report that they are able to finally understand how to

manage their assignments or increase their grades with targeted studying or use of strategies. Teachers

have reported that once students learn the Self-Determined Learning Model process (referenced below)

and begin to use it as needed, students take a more active role in their education, appear to be less

passive, and become more active decision makers and problem-solvers (Lee, Palmer & Wehmeyer, in

press).

Goals and Self-Determination

Setting and achieving goals provides a way for students to become more self-directed and

independent according to Sands and Doll (2005). Self-determination is essentially being able to make

choices and decisions about one’s own life without any more support than necessary. According to

Wehmeyer (1999), self-determination emerges when individuals learn and use aspects of self-

determination such as choice-making, problem-solving and others listed below. In addition, being in an

environment that supports choice and student-involvement is important. Frequent experiences that involve

self-determined principles are important. Supports and accommodations should be provided, as needed.

Below are some definitions of aspects of self-determination that influence goal setting.

Choice making is simply the selection of one thing from an array of options.

Decision making involves weighing the possible alternatives to any situation or

problem and then making a choice.

Problem solving is the process of solving some situation or dilemma whose

solution is not immediately known.

Self-Monitoring and self-reinforcement support being able to tell if one is doing

what is needed, and if so, providing some way to reward oneself, either with a

feeling of accomplishment or an external reward.

References

Lee, S.H., Palmer, S., & Wehmeyer, M.L. (in press). Goal-setting and self-monitoring support for access to

the general education curriculum. Intervention in School and Clinic.

Wehmeyer, M.L., Agran, M., Hughes, C., Martin, J., Mithaug, D.E., & Palmer, S. (2007). Promoting self-

determination in students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. New York: Guilford

Press.

Sands, D., & Doll, B. (2005). Teaching goal setting and decision making to students with developmental

disabilities. In M. L. Wehmeyer & M. Agran (Eds.), Mental retardation and intellectual disabilities

(pp. 273-296). Boston: Pearson.

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