Your Child’s Strengths | 127 Student Strength Examples to Swipe for your IEP

Your Child’s Strengths

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in getting our kids’ needs met on an IEP, we forget to address their strengths. And, IDEA is pretty clear about this. It’s even first on the list!

In some sections, IDEA lists the strengths of the child as the first item. But again, we often go into IEP meetings with the mindset that the school is going to tell us “no” and we forget to address strengths or assets.

See? It’s right here. (bold mine)

(3) Development of IEP

• In developing each child’s IEP, the IEP Team, subject to subparagraph (C), shall consider—
  • (i) the strengths of the child;
  • (ii) the concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child;
  • (iii) the results of the initial evaluation or most recent evaluation of the child; and
  • (iv) the academic, developmental, and functional needs of the child.

What are your Child’s Strengths?

And sometimes, during a meeting, we’re put on the spot. We know our kids are great kids, with a lot of assets and qualities to offer the planet. But under stress, we draw a blank.

Well, no more! Maybe you want to jot these down for the IEP meeting. Or just swipe them for your IEP parent concerns letter.

Many of these were crowdsourced from our IEP parent group.

This is an area of the IEP that needs more focus and attention. I think that because so many IEP teams are worried about and focused on meeting the child’s needs, they forget to focus on the strengths portion of an IEP.

Student Strengths in the IEP

When adding your student strengths in an IEP, a team should approach this much like any other section of the IEP. The strengths should be identified, either through evaluations or anecdotal information from parents and teachers.

A team can also add strengths to an IEP by area or discipline. I listed examples below.

Types of Student Strengths

A student’s strengths can fit into different categories or domains.

• Cognitive Skills or Strengths: In this area, I would include skills such as processing, communication, reasoning and attention.
• Academic Skills or Strengths: reading skills, writing skills, math or science skills, preferred subject area excellence, or study habits.
• Social Skills or Strengths: Examples include well liked, cooperative, problem solver, makes friends easily, socializes at appropriate times during the day, has a friend pool to draw from for support, communicates with others well.
• Social Emotional Strengths: There will be overlap here with social skills. Some examples of social emotional skills include resilience, problem solver, positivity, optimism, pleasant and easy going, adapts easily to unexpected changes, flexible thinking, creativity.
• Executive Functioning Strengths: Sure, lots of kids struggle in this area, but many excel. Examples of good executive functioning skills would be ability to stay focused/on task, organizational skills, time management, locker and backpack organization, planning.

Student Strengths Examples

1. Outstanding memory in areas of interest
2. willingness to forgive and give people second chances
3. Persistent in reaching his desired outcome
4. He has a strong desire for social connection and friendship
5. He has an excellent memory and excels in completing tasks when given clear lists or flowcharts
6. strong negotiating skills
7. Is curious about the world around him/her
8. Has a good sense of time, can plan
9. Fun fashion sense as a means of expression
10. Sensory/tactile learner, multi-sensory learner
11. great at finding efficiencies
12. able to recognize when work is truly necessary
13. Eager to learn when refocused consistently
14. When regulated M is a sweet considerate child
15. Thinks out-of-the-box to find unconventional and creative solutions
16. Generous and sharing
17. exercises great emotional restraint when pushed to his limits
18. Is empathetic toward the needs of others even if he cannot express
19. Demonstrates an ability to learn
20. Consistently processes information and responds, even though it is a delayed response
21. ability to verbalize when he is upset or dysregulated
22. may appear disinterested in class or not paying attention, but when questioned can regurgitate back the information that was just presented
23. May be impulsive, but once regulated can usually identify the situation and trigger with great accuracy
24. Can solve equations in his head, but may show frustration at having to show work
25. enjoys sticking to a routine
26. Can adapt to changes in daily schedule with proper warning and notification and explanation
27. strong desire to do well and please others
28. a happy, pleasant child when regulated
29. is able to set realistic, achievable goals for herself
30. Can follow 1/2/3 step directions
31. Can follow directions when given clear, direct language
32. Is able to and will ask for help when needed
33. Can make a decision given 2/3/5 choices
34. will interact appropriately with peers
35. communicates appropriately to peers
36. can initiate tasks/projects
37. working memory has improved to where she can…….
38. can listen intently without interrupting
39. will raise a hand and wait patiently to be called on
40. recognizes and respects the personal space of others
41. can do 4/5/6 volleys in a 2-way conversation
42. can verbalize when being teased/bullied and respond appropriately
43. will accept unsolicited adult assistance/help without resistance
44. good sense of balance and motor planning
45. Learns material best when moving around, gross motor movement
46. Likes to ride his/her bike, skateboard, and/or other self-powered personal vehicles
47. good physical health
48. physically strong
49. athletic abilities (elaborate)
50. Likes to exercise and will initiate independently
51. good physical endurance
52. Can follow instructions/rules for games such as (give examples)
53. is a fair loser and winner
54. Plays musical instruments (elaborate)
55. participates in (community activity/sports) and elaborate
56. Is aware and will be safe in the following setting (elaborate) and will respond appropriately
57. Can care for the family pet (elaborate)
58. Can act appropriately around a baby or younger child
59. Enjoys working independently or in groups
60. is persistent in carrying out assignments or activities
61. Keeps a personal diary or journal
62. Understands sarcasm, enjoys telling jokes
63. Possesses a sense of personal responsibility
64. Has strong opinions about controversial topics and is able to verbalize them
65. Marches to the beat of a different drummer
66. Handles stressful events well (e.g. is resilient)
67. Has good character (e.g. honesty, integrity, fairness)
68. Is able to plan for the future, describe future goals
69. Displays good common sense and decision making
70. Explains ideas or concepts well to others
71. Asks relevant questions
72. Has good listening skills, without interrupting
73. Handles verbal feedback well
74. Is able to effectively use non-verbal cues to communicate with others
75. persuasive in getting someone to do something
76. assertive skills without being pushy
77. optimistic attitude
78. can express how he/she is feeling
79. Can easily pick up on the emotional state of another person
80. Enjoys socializing with others
81. Has at least one good friend
82. polite and has good manners
83. able to work out his/her own conflicts with others
84. Volunteers his/her time
85. friendly to others
86. good at sharing with others
87. good personal hygiene
88. Trusts others without being naïve
89. liked by his peers
90. good organizational skills
91. good study skills
92. able to pay close attention to details
93. good short-term and/or long-term memory
94. able to become totally absorbed in an activity
95. Has traveled to other countries
96. tolerant of others who have cultural, ethnic, or racial differences
97. pride in his/her own cultural, ethnic, or racial background
98. Likes to find out about historical events around the world
99. Enjoys learning about different cultural traditions
100. Enjoys reading books
101. Has good reading comprehension
102. Enjoys doing word puzzles
103. a good writer in one or more genres
104. good speller
105. large vocabulary for his/her age
106. Enjoys listening to audiobooks or to someone telling a story or reading out loud
107. Has a chemistry set or other science kit that he/she works with at home
108. Enjoys logical or number games or puzzles like Rubik’s cube or Sudoku
109. aptitude for fixing machines or mechanical things
110. Likes to create three-dimensional structures with building materials
111. good at doing jigsaw or other puzzles
112. able to read maps well
113. able to visualize images clearly, can describe
114. Gets information more easily through pictures than words
115. sensitive to the visual world around him/her, can express verbally and respond appropriately
116. good handwriting
117. good eye-hand coordination
118. enjoys hiking and/or camping in nature
119. Likes to spend time using a computer, tablet, or smartphone
120. uses the internet appropriately for school and entertainment
121. Knows how to set up audio-visual or computer equipment
122. Likes to text on the phone
123. Enjoys social networking (e.g. blog, website, Facebook); uses appropriately
124. Has several his/her own favorite movies or TV shows that he/she likes to talk about and can do so without manipulating the conversation
125. Loves learning new things; will seek out knowledge
126. good test taker
127. loves to run