What are some example goals in the IEP for socialization?

One of the most common requests from parents is sample IEP goals to support socialization or social skills for their child. Of course, IEP goals are unique to each child and must always start with a baseline of where the child is at.

For example:

• Given a visual support (e.g. funny pictures, photo book, or magazine) and communication support (e.g. comments and questions), Brenna will engage in conversation with peers (including students without disabilities), using a combination of questions and comments, taking turns for five turns in 7 out of 10 opportunities.
• When presented with a situation in which Felix needs to locate an item such as a tool, a worksheet, or a page in a book, Felix will ask a familiar peer for help using total communication (e.g. gestures, speech, AAC), wait for a response, and accept assistance, on 3 out of 5 occasions over three consecutive weeks.

Children might have lots of opportunities, but their disability prevents them from participating in meaningful social interaction, so they may need direct instruction and practice in social skills or conversation. The goals are also going to depend on the age of your child. See our full article Socialization Goals in the IEP for example goals for preschool, elementary, middle, and high school aged students.