Careful planning and organization are key in helping special ed students succeed in their learning journeys. That’s why we are starting our 2022 blog series with powerful IEP organizational hacks on how to set up IEP work bins. Buckle up and get ready to transform your teaching routine.

What are IEP work bins?

IEP work bins are task boxes that include learning activities specifically designed for the individual student’s IEP goals. The bins are usually organized to be used by one student, and learning activities are added or removed based on the child’s progress with his/her IEP goals.

IEP work bin activities are usually stored in a large clear container. The container needs to be easy enough for students to open and large enough to fit multiple worksheets and activities.

Here’s a great example of an IEP work bin in action, check it out below.

View a sample IEP work bin

Why IEP work bins are a good idea?

In special ed classrooms, students may have anywhere from 5 to 100 different IEP goals. While educators spend most of their time trying to adapt their

teaching to individual student needs, it can be challenging to make one-on-one time with every student.

This is when IEP work bins come in handy. Work bins provide special ed students with a set of activities carefully tailored to their IEP goals. Because there is always a planned activity stored in the bin, students can independently pick up activities and progress at their own pace.

Organizing IEP work bins

It’s important to keep track of the activities assigned to each child and duly remove the activities that have been completed. To make the tracking easier, use labels on each activity and try this simple spreadsheet.

Make a copy of the spreadsheet

 

 

Here’s how you can use the spreadsheet and labels:

1. Create a label code for an IEP goal. For example, if a student has a goal for reading comprehension, you could label related activities as “Reading-1”.

2. Mark all “Reading-1” activities on the spreadsheet and use sticky notes that say “Reading-1” to label the activities inside the bin.

3. The spreadsheet also helps track which student is assigned which activity, as well as the dates when the activities were placed in the bin.

What goes inside an IEP work bin?

There are lots of different types of activities to fill up your IEP work bins. Be sure to include those that address each student’s learning style, needs, and IEP goals. Check out these handy, ready-to-use worksheets and tasks for example.

Browse tasks for IEP work bins

Track student progress with Datability

IEP work bins are a practical way to keep special ed students engaged and focused on their IEP goals. You know what other tool can take your IEP organization to a higher level? Yes, you’ve guessed it right – Datability is always there to help you track each student’s goals, behaviors, and academic performance. If you’ve been looking for a solution that lets you compile all student IEP data in one space and analyze insights about every student under your wing, Datability is the way to go. To learn more about the platform’s benefits, give this video a watch.

Watch video

We hope you found these tips helpful and will use them to keep your students focused on their IEP goals throughout the school year. We’ll be sharing more valuable insights about all things special ed, so stay tuned for our upcoming blog posts.