Task analysis examples for life skills goals
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A task analysis breaks a routine into small, observable steps so you can teach and measure each one. A strong life skills goal names the routine, the number of steps, the support allowed and the criterion, such as completing 9 of 10 handwashing steps independently on 4 of 5 days. Each example below shows the steps, a baseline and how to score it.
A task analysis lists the steps of a routine in order, written so an observer can see whether each step happened. It is the standard way to teach and measure life skills, because "can make a sandwich" is not one skill.[2] It is eight or ten small ones, and the student may already have half of them.
The 20 examples below cover personal care, meals, school routines, household tasks and community skills. Each one has the condition, the baseline, the criterion and the measurement. All students and numbers are fictional. For how task analysis fits with other methods, see the IEP data collection guide.
How to choose the right task analysis goal
Pick the routine from what the student needs most for independence now, then size the step list to the student.
| Student profile | Good first routine | Steps | Teaching order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needs full help with most self-care | Handwashing or toothbrushing | 6 to 8 | Backward chaining |
| Does some steps, skips or reorders others | Arrival or pack-up routine | 8 to 10 | Total task with prompts on missed steps |
| Ready for home and kitchen tasks | Simple snack or laundry | 8 to 12 | Forward chaining or total task |
| Transition age, community focus | Purchasing, bus riding, clocking in | 10 to 15 | Total task in the real setting |
Forward chaining teaches the first step first. Backward chaining has the adult do all but the last step, so the student finishes and gets the natural reward. Total task teaches every step every time, with prompts where needed.
Personal care (examples 1 to 5)
- Handwashing, 8 steps. Given the direction "wash your hands" at a sink, Ana will complete 8 of 8 steps independently on 4 of 5 days. Baseline: median 3 of 8 independent.
- Toothbrushing, 10 steps. Given a toothbrush, toothpaste and a picture sequence, Mateo will complete 9 of 10 steps independently for 5 consecutive school days. Baseline: 4 of 10.
- Putting on a coat and zipping it, 6 steps. At recess dismissal, Kai will complete 6 of 6 steps with no more than one gestural prompt on 4 of 5 days. Baseline: 2 of 6 independent.
- Toileting routine, 12 steps. When taken to the restroom on schedule, Eli will complete 10 of 12 steps independently across 10 consecutive opportunities. Baseline: 5 of 12.
- Applying deodorant after PE, 5 steps. Given his locker kit, Darius will complete 5 of 5 steps independently in 4 of 5 PE classes. Baseline: 1 of 5.
Weak: "Will improve hygiene skills." Measurable: "Given a toothbrush, toothpaste and a picture sequence, will complete 9 of 10 toothbrushing steps independently for 5 consecutive school days, as measured by task analysis." Goal templates are on the daily living goals page, with more under dressing and toileting.
Meals and kitchen (examples 6 to 9)
- Making a cold sandwich, 10 steps. Given ingredients and a picture recipe, Priya will complete 9 of 10 steps independently in 3 consecutive sessions. Baseline: 4 of 10.
- Opening and setting out lunch, 7 steps. In the cafeteria, Leo will complete 7 of 7 steps with only a visual checklist on 4 of 5 days. Baseline: 3 of 7.
- Using a microwave to heat a meal, 9 steps. Given a frozen meal with picture directions, Sofia will complete 9 of 9 steps independently in 4 of 5 sessions. Baseline: 2 of 9.
- Cleaning up after a meal, 6 steps. After lunch, Omar will complete 6 of 6 steps with no more than one verbal prompt across 5 consecutive days. Baseline: 2 of 6.
Weak: "Will learn to prepare simple meals." Measurable: "Given a frozen meal with picture directions, will complete 9 of 9 microwave steps independently in 4 of 5 sessions, scored on a task analysis data sheet." See the cooking goals topic for more wording.
School routines (examples 10 to 13)
- Morning arrival, 10 steps. Given a visual schedule at her cubby, Ana will complete 9 of 10 steps independently for 5 consecutive days. Baseline: 5 of 10.
- End-of-day pack-up, 8 steps. When the dismissal bell rings, Jayden will complete 8 of 8 steps within 6 minutes on 4 of 5 days. Baseline: 4 of 8 in 11 minutes.
- Checking out a library book, 7 steps. During library time, Mia will complete 7 of 7 steps independently in 3 of 4 visits. Baseline: 2 of 7.
- Transitioning to a related service room, 6 steps. At the scheduled time, Noah will complete 6 of 6 steps with only a timer cue on 4 of 5 days. Baseline: 3 of 6.
Weak: "Will be more independent at arrival." Measurable: "Given a visual schedule at her cubby, will complete 9 of 10 arrival steps independently for 5 consecutive days." Related templates are in school independence goals.
Household tasks (examples 14 to 16)
- Washing a load of laundry, 12 steps. Given a washer with picture labels, Grace will complete 11 of 12 steps independently in 3 consecutive sessions. Baseline: 5 of 12.
- Folding towels, 5 steps. Given a basket of 6 towels, Ben will complete all 5 folding steps on 5 of 6 towels independently in 4 of 5 sessions. Baseline: 1 of 6 towels.
- Wiping a table, 6 steps. After snack, Lucy will complete 6 of 6 steps with only a gestural prompt to begin on 4 of 5 days. Baseline: 2 of 6.
Weak: "Will help with chores." Measurable: "Given a washer with picture labels, will complete 11 of 12 laundry steps independently in 3 consecutive sessions." More examples are in household skills goals.
Community and vocational (examples 17 to 20)
- Purchasing an item at a store, 11 steps. During community instruction, Marcus will complete 10 of 11 steps independently across 3 consecutive outings. Baseline: 4 of 11.
- Riding the city bus, 14 steps. With a job coach shadowing, Elena will complete 13 of 14 steps independently on 4 consecutive trips. Baseline: 6 of 14.
- Clocking in at a work site, 6 steps. On arrival at his school job, Tyler will complete 6 of 6 steps independently for 10 consecutive shifts. Baseline: 3 of 6.
- Restocking shelves, 9 steps. Given a cart and a picture planogram, Hana will complete 9 of 9 steps with no more than one verbal prompt in 4 of 5 shifts. Baseline: 4 of 9.
Weak: "Will improve job skills." Measurable: "On arrival at his school job, will complete 6 of 6 clock-in steps independently for 10 consecutive shifts." See independent living goals and vocational skills goals for transition-age wording.
A full step list: handwashing (example 1)
This is the step list behind example 1, written so each step can be seen.
- Turns on the water.
- Wets both hands.
- Gets one pump of soap.
- Rubs palms, backs and between fingers for 20 seconds.
- Rinses until no soap is visible.
- Turns off the water.
- Takes one paper towel.
- Dries hands and throws the towel in the trash.
Steps that are too big hide where the student gets stuck. If Ana keeps missing step 4, split it into "rubs palms," "rubs backs" and "rubs between fingers."
How to measure: the task analysis data sheet
Score every step every time on the task analysis data sheet. Mark each step I for independent, or write the prompt code that was needed, such as G, V, M or P. The prompt hierarchy examples explain the codes. The goal criterion counts only I marks. The task analysis measurement page has the scoring rules.
Here is a filled-in week for Ana's handwashing goal:
| Step | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Turns on water | I | I | I | I | I |
| 2. Wets hands | I | I | I | I | I |
| 3. Gets soap | G | I | G | I | I |
| 4. Rubs 20 seconds | V | V | M | V | G |
| 5. Rinses | I | I | I | I | I |
| 6. Turns off water | G | G | I | G | I |
| 7. Takes towel | I | I | I | I | I |
| 8. Dries and throws away | V | G | G | I | G |
| Independent steps | 4 of 8 | 5 of 8 | 5 of 8 | 6 of 8 | 6 of 8 |
The totals moved from 4 to 6 of 8. The sheet also shows that step 4 still needs the most help, so that is where teaching time goes next week.
How often to probe
For a routine that happens daily, such as arrival or handwashing, score it every day for the first two weeks, then 3 days a week once the trend is clear. For routines taught weekly, like community outings or laundry, score every session. Weekly totals then go on a line graph, the same way any goal is graphed.
Keep the conditions the same across probes. If the goal says "given a picture sequence," always provide one. If the student does the routine at home and at school, score each setting on its own sheet.
Adapting by grade and support level
| Level | Typical routines | Step size | Supports to fade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool and K | Handwashing, coat, toileting | 4 to 8 large steps | Physical prompts, then gestural |
| Elementary | Arrival, pack-up, lunch setup | 6 to 10 steps | Adult prompts to a visual checklist |
| Middle school | Locker, hygiene after PE, snack prep | 8 to 12 steps | Checklist to self-monitoring |
| High school and 18 to 21 | Laundry, purchasing, bus, job tasks | 10 to 15 steps | Job coach to natural cues |
| Extensive support needs | Any routine | Smaller steps, often more of them | Faded slowly, one level at a time |
The IEP must state how progress on each goal is measured.[1] For a routine, "task analysis, independent steps out of total steps" is clear and easy to report.
Writing objectives from a task analysis
Short-term objectives can step up the number of independent steps, such as 4 of 8 by November, 6 of 8 by February and 8 of 8 by the annual review. With backward chaining, objectives can name the steps instead: the last 2 steps independently, then the last 4, then all 8. Keep the step list the same all year, or the totals will not compare.
To check finished goal wording, paste it into the goal checker.
Frequently asked questions
What is a task analysis in special education?
A task analysis breaks a routine or skill into small, ordered steps that can each be taught and observed. On an IEP, it is both a teaching plan and a measurement method: each step is scored independent or prompted, and the goal counts independent steps.
How many steps should a task analysis have?
As many as the student needs to learn the routine, usually 5 to 15. Make the steps smaller for a student who needs more support. If a student keeps getting stuck on one step, split that step into two or three.
Should I use forward or backward chaining?
Backward chaining suits routines where finishing brings a natural reward, like a snack or clean hands, and students who need lots of support. Forward chaining suits routines where early steps set up the rest. Total task works when the student can already do many steps.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Functional skills IEP goals
- Daily living goals (functional skills)
- Independent living goals (transition)
- Task analysis measurement guide
- Task analysis data sheet
- Task analysis in the IEP glossary
- Free IEP data sheets
Related guides
- IEP data collection: methods, sheets and schedules that hold up
- Prompt hierarchy examples for IEP data
- IEP goal tracking sheets: free printable trackers by goal type
- How to choose a data collection method for an IEP goal
- Task analysis for washing hands (printable steps)
- Task analysis for brushing teeth (printable steps)
- Task analysis vs chaining: forward, backward and total task
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- Task Analysis (AFIRM Module), AFIRM, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, UNC Chapel Hill
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.