Category: Uncategorized

S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Steps® presents a video tutorial on how to use magic recipes during on-line therapy for IEP Goals. These recipes use "pretend cooking" tasks on-line to create an imaginary item that actually appears in their home. This task has the hidden motivator at the end of the session in order to keep the children engaged. […]

Smarter Steps presents a video tutorial about using sorting tasks for executive functioning skills for IEP Goals. Parents can learn about the importance of a foundation executive functioning skill called "sorting" that is a major component of developing higher level organization frameworks. Children need lots of practice with sorting in order to build a framework […]

Smarter Steps has created a video tutorial on how to use Jenga® for IEP Goals. Parents who are working with their children at home due to the corona virus can use this task for making therapy at home fun. Learn how to take this game and to infuse practice for speech, language, sight words, vocabulary, […]

Need a fun idea to work on language IEP goals? At Smarter Steps, we provide a tutorial video on how to use the tried and true activity of Mad Libs®. Children can learn about different parts of language in a humorous way. This activity can be done virtually with friends during the time of social […]

A tutorial video from SMARTER Steps for how to use the game of Twister® to address IEP Goals during home activities. This is a great idea for addressing sight words, math facts, vocabulary, and personal information. Game can be adapted to be played virtually during social distancing during COVID-19. Parents and siblings can play along. […]

Kelly Ott and Lara Wakefield, the Dynamic Duo Behind SMARTER Steps®, a Simple Acronym That Makes IEP Goal Setting Actionable and Attainable Listen Now! Coming together with a wealth of individual expertise and professional experiences, Kelly Ott and Lara Wakefield share their journey of their successful partnership as business partners, and … friends. Although they […]

Creating IEP Goals: 3 Tips to Get Started We want your school year to begin on the right foot!  As each IEP is annually reviewed, begin to develop S.M.A.R.T.E.R goals for your students.  Tips on updating specific features are available throughout the webinar series in your membership portal. Tip 1:  Start by examining student strengths. […]

IEP Goals Beyond the 3 R's Today we received this question from a subscriber: All the IEP goals I see are linked to the 3 R's and I teach Science. How do you suggest getting science and other subjects considered when admins are pushing for better 3R test scores in IEP meetings? This is something […]

SMARTER Steps IEP Goal Development:  The SMARTER method for IEP goal development was developed by Kelly Ott and Lara Wakefield and published in 2016. The SMART acronym was first coined by George Doran, Arthur Miller, and James Cunningham in 1981.  The November 1981 issue of Management Review included an article titled, "There's a S.M.A.R.T. way […]

Building A S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Future for Students with Disabilities. Building a name and reputation as a caring and compassionate educator occurs spontaneously when you are truly client centered. This involves so much more than developing IEP goals or providing therapy services to students. It means, providing the therapy or instruction, ongoing analysis of student’s needs, counseling […]