Hey there!
One of the questions I struggled with as a newer therapist was, "Can you help Mikey learn to tie his shoes?"
Sometimes, "Mikey" was a first grader. Other times, he (or she) was a middle or high school student.
Either way, I always found myself struggling to answer this question. Sometimes, I even felt like a fraud when addressing it.
One week, I would tell a teacher, "Sure, I can address that." And the following week, I would tell another teacher, "Sorry, that is not something I feel I should address right now."
At the time, I had no idea what I was doing was perfectly OK. In fact, it was more than OK. It was exactly what I should be doing.
Without knowing it, I was addressing each student's individualized educational relevancy and weighing whether or not shoe tying was an appropriate goal for them.
That's why I want to discuss educational relevance today.
More specifically, I want to address how goals centered around ADLs and IADLs are (or are not) educationally relevant.
This can be a difficult question to answer because what is relevant to one student’s education plan may not be relevant to another student's plan.
So, let's dive in!
Why Educational Relevance is Not Always Clear
Educational relevance can vary greatly from one student to another because each student has unique needs, strengths, and long-term goals. Factors such as the student’s disability, academic performance, family culture and beliefs, and future aspirations drive this variability.
For instance, a student primarily facing fine motor difficulties may need a simple handwriting goal, while a student who demonstrates more global delays may benefit more from goals centered around functional communication that may not include handwriting.
Understanding this subjectivity is the first step toward creating meaningful and effective goals.
It requires a deep understanding of the student’s individual educational plan (IEP), comprehensive assessments, and collaboration with teachers, parents, and other professionals involved in the student’s education.
Understanding Educationally Relevant Activities
When considering educational relevance, we often think of activities directly and obviously impacting a student’s educational experience. These clear-cut activities include handwriting, social participation, organization, and other commonly attributed educational activities.
However, as Dr. Deborah Schwind will highlight at the Back to School Conference, individuals who live independently are more likely to run a household, form relationships, and have stronger interactions with parents. Higher levels of discrete daily living skills are also associated with better outcomes during adulthood (Anderson et al., 2017).
That is why, for some students, goals that address show tying, dressing, eating, cooking, hygiene, transportation, and job skills are 100% relevant to their educational curriculum.
How to Determine if a Potential Goal is Educationally Relevant
When considering whether an activity or goal is educationally relevant, ask yourself (and the IEP team) the following questions:
What are the long-term goals for the student?
Consider the student’s aspirations and future needs. Are they aiming for college, vocational training, or direct entry into the workforce? Understanding these goals can help you tailor your IEP and transition plan goals to support these outcomes. You can start to consider these questions before a transition plan is required.
Is the team focused on the skills that will support the student this year, five years from now, or both?
Balance immediate needs with future success. Short-term goals might address current academic challenges, while long-term goals could focus on skills that promote independence and lifelong learning.
What can you work on today that will support both short-term and long-term goals?
Identify activities that provide immediate benefits and contribute to long-term development. For example, improving a student’s organizational skills can help them keep up with current coursework and prepare them for future higher education or employment responsibilities.
How to work on ADLs in School-Based OT
In my experience, collaborative group therapy has been the best service delivery model for supporting ADLs and IADLs at nearly all grade levels.
Of course, a few ADLs, like toileting, may need to be addressed individually for obvious reasons. But in general, I find that students benefit from watching and engaging in actions similar to those of their peers.
This is especially true in programs that focus on obtaining life skills. The more emphasis placed on ADL and IADL training throughout the school day, the better the outcomes for the students.
Also, working on (I)ALDs does not have to be rote and boring. When you collaborate with teachers and paraprofessionals, you’ll find many ways to make working on ADLs fun and engaging for the students.
Coffee carts, classroom jobs, and even built-in classroom routines can help students address many skills that will lead to independent living beyond high school.
Learn to Support ADLs and IADLs
If you want to learn more about how to support student independence and improve postsecondary outcomes, be sure to attend the Back to School Conference.
At the conference, Dr. Schwind will lead an entire session titled ADL + IADL = A Big Deal. In this session, she will not only share research about why ADLs and IADLs are a big deal but also discuss how you can collaborate with your school staff to develop programs to support the students you serve.
This is the perfect opportunity for you to learn how to help the students who often need the most support.
I hope to see you there!
Until next time,
👋 Jayson
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