For students with visual impairments, goal setting also promotes self-advocacy, problem-solving, and confidence. Encourage the student to write down one or more goals or “resolutions” they would like to work on. Emphasize that goals should be meaningful, realistic, and focused on behaviors the student believes they can maintain. Remind them that progress is more important than perfection. No one meets every goal perfectly, and stumbling along the way is normal. What matters is continuing to try.

​Why Personal Goals Matter

Personal goals give us something to strive for. They help us:
  • Clarify what is most important
  • Focus our time, energy, and effort
  • Track our progress
  • Build responsibility and independence
  • Experience a sense of accomplishment
By setting clear, achievable goals, students learn to take control of their choices, actions, and future.

​Strategies for Effective Goal Setting

  • Be Specific. Vague goals are hard to follow. Clear, detailed goals help create a roadmap. For example, instead of “Do better in school,” try “Turn in all assignments on time,” or “Use my magnifier for all reading tasks.” Specific goals provide clarity and make it easier to know what steps to take.
  • Set Realistic Targets. Students should aim high but also consider what is achievable given their strengths, available time, energy, and workload, as well as the skills and tools they already have. Help the student break a large, overwhelming goal into smaller steps. For example, break “Improve typing speed” into practice for 10 minutes each day, or complete one typing lesson per week. 
  • Make Them Timely. Adding a time frame creates structure and accountability. Encourage goals that include a deadline (e.g., “By the end of the semester...”) or a routine (e.g., “Every Monday and Thursday...”). Be realistic, allow enough time to succeed, but not so much that momentum is lost.
  • Write Them Down. Putting goals in writing strengthens commitment. Students can keep goals in a notebook, planner, or digital device, use large print, braille, or audio notes (whatever is most accessible), and review and update their goals weekly. Writing goals helps them stay focused and reminds them of what they’re working toward.
  • Break Them Down. A big goal becomes more manageable when divided into small steps. For example, the goal to become more organized can be broken down into steps. Steps could include cleaning out your backpack every Friday, using a color-coded or tactile folder system, and checking the schedule each morning. Celebrate each step the student completes. Small wins build confidence and momentum.
  • Stay Flexible. ​Life changes, and so can goals. Teach students that it’s okay to adjust the timeline, change the strategy, rewrite a goal if it no longer fits, and replace a goal with something more meaningful. Flexibility is a key part of self-advocacy and emotional resilience.​
​Help students understand that goals are not about being perfect—they are about growing. Whether the goal is academic, social, personal, or related to independence, every step forward counts. By setting thoughtful goals and revisiting them often, students learn responsibility, build confidence, and develop the lifelong skill of self-improvement.

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Full Article List

Guide: Start Here
Tools (VI Basics)
Plan: Referrals & Eligibility
Referral & Eligibility​ ​Medical Vision Information 
FVLMALow Vision Evaluations
Other Evaluations
Plan: IEP Planning
Plan: Collaboration & Accessibility
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Compensatory Skills
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​​​Tactile Graphics ​Print Concepts ​​Abacus  ​​Organization Skills​ ​​Study Skills ​​Time Management
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