Identifying interests, needs, skills, goals and priorities
At the heart of all good Individual Learning Plans is the basic requirement that they reflect who your teenager is including his/her strengths, interests, goals and aspirations. With this information, it is possible to identify and implement appropriate learning strategies and priorities.
Tools to assist identifying and setting goals
Trying to work out what to learn at school, in the community, at home and in the workplace is not easy. There are a lot of activities out there, but which ones will best equip an individual to lead a successful life as an adult? The following tools and resources may assist you and your teenager to identify and set goals by making informed choices about his/her learning priorities and skill training needs.
Student Pathway Planning Framework
In the ACT, all students in Year 9-12 attending an ACT government school are supported to actively participate in planning for life after school through the Student Pathways Planning framework. The framework is designed to assist students to explore their unique set of needs and capabilities by identifying their personal strengths, interests and goals. By building and reflecting on their sense of self, students are supported to make informed decisions about their future. This includes making decisions about learning choices and setting both long-term and short-term goals to help them get there. Students are also encouraged to explore and plan potential pathways through school to further study, training and/or work.
Student Pathways Planning is an integral part of career education and is delivered in a variety of ways. In Year 9 and 10, some schools embed it as part of the Study of Society and Environment classes. Other schools and colleges integrate it into their pastoral care program.
If used effectively, the Student Pathway Planning framework is a valuable tool to support students to take an active role in planning for life as an adult and have their voice heard. It also has the capacity to assist students and their families prepare and plan for Individual Learning Plan meetings.
Be sure to find out how Student Pathway Planning is delivered by your particular school and discuss how to incorporate the goals, priorities and plans identified through the process into your teenager's Individual Learning Plan.
My Plan for My Future - Symbol format planning templates (Appendix 1)
www.education.tas.gov.au/school/educators/support/guaranteeing-futures/pathway
My Plan for My Future is a set of resources developed by the Tasmanian Department of Education to assist young people in Years 8, 9 and 10 to develop the skills and understandings necessary to make informed and realistic choices about their future pathways. Each of the Year 8, 9 & 10 resources includes a picture symbol format Pathway Planning template (see Appendix 1)
You may want to consider using these templates to assist your teenager to take ownership of their transition planning. The templates encourage students to identify their strengths, think about what they want to achieve now and in the future, set goals and develop action plans to achieve them.
My Future Let's Plan
www.education.tas.gov.au/school/educators/support/transitionplanning
Tasmanian Department of Education has also developed a web-based resource entitled "My Future Let's Plan" to support transition planning for students with a disability. This specialist resource tool complements the My Plan for My Future resources.
Transition Planning Workbook for Families & Students with Disabilities.
Department of Special Education, College of Education, San Diego State University (2004) accessed 19/11/2007, http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~jrjohnso/SFTEP/modules.html
This is a student-family focused transition planning workbook by John R. Johnson. It includes a range of planning tools including a parent checklist and a worksheet to help determine goals and objectives.
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