Things to Consider
In order to write an effective speech-language therapy goal there are 6 components needed. 1. When will the goal be achieved? 2. What skill is being targeted? 3. How will the goal be achieved? 4. What is the level of mastery desired (for example: 80% accuracy or 4/5 opportunities)? 5. How much cueing will be provided? 6. Who/how progress will be measured (e.g. as measured by SLP/A data collection and observations). However, in a lot of IEP programs, the person responsible is a check-box marked in the IEP.
Goal 1: Expanding Utterances
By DATE, STUDENT will improve language skills by using carrier phrases (“I want ___”, “I see ___”, “I need ___”) in order to expand utterance length in 4/5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, when provided with minimal cues, during structured and unstructured speech activities, as measured by SLP/A data collection and observations.
There are therapy resources like this one, pictured above, on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Goal 2: Expand Receptive Vocabulary
By DATE, STUDENT will expand receptive vocabulary skills by identifying common objects/pictures from a field of 3 with 80% accuracy, across 3 consecutive sessions, when provided with prompt “show me the ___” and minimal cues, during structured speech activities, as measured by SLP/A data collection and observations.
Goal 3: Expand Expressive Vocabulary
By DATE, STUDENT will expand expressive language skills by labeling 20 common objects/pictures with 80% accuracy, across 3 consecutive sessions, when provided with minimal cues, during structured speech activities, as measured by SLP/A data collection and observations.
Goal 4: Articulation
By DATE, STUDENT will improve intelligibility by producing /k/ and /g/ in all word positions at the word level with 80% accuracy, across 3 consecutive sessions, when provided with minimal cues during structured speech activities, as measured by SLP/A data collection and observations.
Goal 5: Phonological Process
By DATE, STUDENT will improve intelligibility by eliminating phonological process of final consonant deletion in CVC words in 8/10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, when provided with minimal cues during structured speech activities, as measured by SLP/A data collection and observations.
If it’s been awhile since grad school and you’re having trouble remembering the names of phonological processes check out the phonological process chart at mommyspeechtherapy.com.
Conclusion
Writing IEP goals can be very stressful. Especially as a new SLP. Just remember to clarify what skill you are looking to improve, how it will be improved, and what level of mastery you want it to improved to in one year from now. Goals should be attainable, not too easy, not too hard. If you are a new special education teacher click here to read this blog for tips on what to do first.
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