An individual educational plan (IEP) is necessary when working with children with disabilities or developmental delays. It is a unique plan that describes special educational conditions for the maximum realization of a child’s special educational needs in learning and upbringing. The formation of such a plan takes place at special meetings, which are attended by both employees of the organization and specialists and parents.
Before working on the plan, it is necessary to determine the main components of the meeting. The main components that provided the information to develop a plan for Hayden were eligibility, functional performance, and the current level of academic success (Utah Parent Center, 2012). To prove that the boy was accepted to prepare an IEP, detailed information was collected. This information revealed that Hayden had speech delays and intellectual disabilities.
When drawing up an individual plan, it is necessary to determine its primary goals, which will be worked out with the child. The main sections of Hayden’s IEP are the introduction of behavioral strategies and assistance in communication. Thus, Hayden needs to increase the number of words in his vocabulary and learn how to match colors with visual and verbal help (Utah Parent Center, 2012). Setting such goals contributes to the better course of the educational process and further obtaining successful results.
Moreover, it is necessary to create a comfortable environment for all its participants when holding such meetings. For Hayden’s parents to have a voice during the meeting, the team members set a positive tone from the very beginning. First, each participant in the meeting introduced himself so that everyone would have an idea of why these people are present and what their roles are. Furthermore, when conducting a conversation, each stage was coordinated with the boy’s parents, which also positively affected the meeting.
I believe that such meetings are essential for drawing up an individual educational plan, and parents should not be afraid of them. It is necessary to understand that these measures aim to develop and improve the child’s life. The advantage of the team’s work was the full involvement of the boy’s parents in the process of developing the plan. Moreover, direct acquaintance with specialists and listening to the opinions of parents bring an element of trust and reliability. Professionalism and interest of specialists are visible, which gives reason to say that such an IEP meeting does not need critical changes.
Reference
Utah Parent Center. (2012). Transition from Early Intervention to Preschool: Model IEP Meeting. YouTube. Web.