thesis iep goal

IEP Goals for Written Expression

The following post will introduce you to our blog, where we discuss  Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals related to written expression . Knowing what is expected of your child regarding the written word is crucial whether they are just starting or currently in middle or high school. Your child’s academic and future success may depend significantly on their ability to set and achieve these objectives, according to the  US Department of Education . Keep reading this post about “IEP goals for written expression.

But what do IEP goals for written expression look like, and why are they so crucial?

Your child’s writing will improve with the help of these aims, which detail the exact skills and abilities they should develop. Several aspects, like  structure, grammar, vocabulary, and more , fall under this category. Furthermore, you and your child’s educators can work together to guarantee the child is on track to succeed in writing by setting clear, measurable goals. Understanding  how to write an effective IEP  is valuable for this process.

In this post, we’ll discuss the  various forms of written expression goals that you can include in an Individualized Education Program (IEP),  as well as  their significance, and offer some suggestions for how you can best support your kid  as they work toward achieving these goals. You will find helpful information here if you are a parent, educator, or student. As an additional resource, the  Center for Parent Information and Resources  offers comprehensive guidance on supporting students with disabilities.

IEP Goals Examples for Written Expression

IEP goals for written expression are explicit, measurable, and individually suited to the student’s requirements. They intend to assist students in improving their writing abilities and achieving their academic and personal objectives. 

Here are  some instances of written expression IEP goals :

• Organization :  A student’s writing objective may increase their ability to arrange their thoughts and ideas. It is one of the IEP goals for written expression. It may involve establishing an outline, employing transitional phrases, and organizing sentences and paragraphs logically.
• Vocabulary :  Expanding students’ vocabulary and improving their descriptive writing skills may be another objective. It may involve acquiring new words and phrases and implementing them naturally and effectively into their writing.
• Grammar and mechanics :  A student’s goal may be to enhance the grammar and mechanics of their writing. It may involve utilizing correct punctuation, verb tense, and sentence structure.
• Writing for specific purposes :  A student’s objective may be to be able to register for particular reasons, such as an argumentative essay or a research article. It is one of the IEP goals for written expression. It may involve learning to compose a thesis statement, utilizing evidence to support their ideas, and employing the proper citation style.
• Self-editing :  A student’s objective may be to increase their capacity to self-edit their writing. It involves the ability to recognize and repair mistakes in grammar, mechanics, and structure.

It is vital to remember that IEP goals for written expression should be  explicit and measurable . You should be able to follow the student’s development and determine whether or not they have fulfilled the goal. So these are the IEP goals for written expression. For behavioral issues, a  Functional Behavior Assessment  can provide additional insights.

In addition, it is essential to emphasize that  these are merely examples; schools should tailor each student’s IEP goals to their unique needs, interests, and academic level .

Measurable IEP Goals for Written Expression

Setting concrete, observable goals for students’ writing abilities is essential to an individualized education program (IEP). Below, you can find the IEP goals for written expression. These  objectives must be realistic, feasible, and specific  to the student’s requirements and skills. 

Here are a few  quantifiable IEP writing objectives :

• Within 12 weeks, the student will improve their writing fluency to the point where they can write three sentences per minute in response to a given writing prompt with an accuracy rate of at least 80%.
• Over 12 weeks, the student will enhance their grammar and sentence structure by accurately identifying and using at least five distinct types of sentence structures with 80% accuracy in their work.
• Over 12 weeks, the student will increase their vocabulary by employing at least five new words in their writing with an 80% success rate.
• Over 12 weeks, the student will demonstrate their ability to employ descriptive language, arrange their thoughts, and use transition words by writing at least one paragraph per week with an 80% accuracy rate.
• Over 12 weeks, the student will write at least three phrases every week using good letter construction and legible handwriting.

Schools can alter these examples to fit the individual learner’s needs.  The IEP team should collaborate to determine the most beneficial objectives for the student. So, those are the IEP goals for written expression.

Written Expression IEP Goals for Different Grade Levels

Written expression measurable IEP goals  can differ depending on the student’s grade level . 

Here are some examples of IEP goals for written expression that may apply to various grade levels:

Elementary School:

• For 12 weeks, the student will write at least one complete phrase every week with an accuracy rate of 80%.
• Using proper capitalization, punctuation, and space, the student will write at least one paragraph per week for 12 weeks, achieving an accuracy rate of 80%.
• For 12 weeks, the student will write at least one tale weekly using descriptive language with a distinct beginning, middle, and finish.

Middle School:

• For 12 weeks, the student will write at least one page per week utilizing proper grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary, with an accuracy rate of 80 percent.
• For 12 weeks, the student will compose at least one persuasive essay per week with an accuracy rate of 80%, utilizing logical reasoning and evidence to support their position.
• For 12 weeks, the student will produce at least one research paper per week with an accuracy rate of 80%, utilizing proper MLA or APA format and at least two sources.

High School:

• For 12 weeks, the student will write at least one analytical essay per week with an accuracy rate of 80%, analyzing literature or non-fiction text using critical thinking abilities.
• For 12 weeks, the student will write at least one argumentative essay weekly, with 80% correctness, utilizing logical reasoning and evidence to support their thesis and arguments.

It is crucial to note that schools can tailor these examples to the student’s particular needs and skills.  The IEP team should collaborate to determine the most suitable goals for the student.  Those are the IEP goals for written expression.

What Is an IEP Writing Goal Bank?

When creating an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for a student who has trouble writing, drawing on a “writing goal bank” with  several pre-written goals and targets  can be helpful. These objectives are flexible and can be tailored to student’s specific needs to help them improve their writing.

Improvements in spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, handwriting, editing, coherence, organization, persuasive writing, and research writing are all examples of attainable IEP writing goals. These objectives need to be well-defined, quantifiable, and time-bound. The IEP team should collaborate to determine the most beneficial objectives for the student.

Can Speech-Language Therapy Support Written Expression IEP Goals?

Speech-language therapy can assist with written expression IEP goals by providing targeted instruction and support for student’s unique areas of difficulty.  Speech-language therapists can assist students in improving their language, vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. In addition, they may advise students on how to order their thoughts, use descriptive language, and integrate transitional phrases in their writing.

In addition, speech-language therapy  can enhance handwriting goals by teaching correct letter construction and fine motor control .

Speech-language therapists can also assist students in comprehending the writing process and how to construct and organize ideas within paragraphs, essays, and papers.

In addition, therapists can help students improve their editing skills by instructing them on grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.

Notably, speech-language treatment is  delivered alongside school teaching . The therapist will collaborate closely with the student’s instructor to ensure that the IEP’s goals and objectives are realized.

In conclusion, speech-language therapy can support written expression IEP goals by providing instruction and support in the student’s specific areas of difficulty, such as language, vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, writing fluency, handwriting, organization, editing, and writing process.

Jennifer Hanson is a dedicated and seasoned writer specializing in the field of special education. With a passion for advocating for the rights and needs of children with diverse learning abilities, Jennifer uses her pen to educate, inspire, and empower both educators and parents alike.

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Writing IEP Goals: The 7 Essential Components

Writing good IEP goals can be difficult… especially when you don’t know where to start! The good news is that once you learn about the 7 essential components of an IEP goal, you will be an expert on writing quality goals for all of your students! This article describes each of the 7 components that you should include in every IEP goal in addition to some other helpful tips.

What are IEP goals?

Individual Education Plan (IEP) goals are annual goals included in a student’s IEP. They need to be appropriate, observable, measurable, and meaningful to the student. An IEP goal is appropriate if its contents are derived from assessments of the student’s abilities; observable if you can objectively see the student engage in the target skill; measurable if you can record and evaluate data to determine whether or not the goal was met; and meaningful if it touches on the majority of the elements below, which are noted in the article “Writing an IEP” :

Writing IEP Goals – Objective of an IEP Goal

• Addresses the general curriculum or a functional objective
• Functional: the skills can be used in student’s everyday life
• Generative: helps them learn other useful skills/concepts (a prerequisite skill)
• Important to the student and their family
• Age-appropriate (their chronological age, not their developmental age)
• Contributes to friendships/membership in society/their community
• Contributes to self-determination
• For goals addressing behavior: Competes with inappropriate responses

Target skills for an IEP goal (the skill or task you want the student to be able to do), are chosen based on the areas of need/deficits described in the student’s present levels of performance in their IEP. To learn more about writing an IEP, click here . Additionally, IEP goals should have separate goals, known as benchmarks or objectives, that serve as mini goals to achieve throughout the year as the student progresses towards the annual IEP goal. To learn about writing benchmarks/objectives for IEP goals, click here.

Writing IEP Goals – The 7 Components of an IEP Goal

These are 7 the seven key components you should consider any time you are writing IEP goals:

• Functional Performance Indicator
• Observable Behavior
• Measurement

IEP Goal Component #1: Date

This component is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a best practice to have the IEP goal date be one day before the exact year mark of when the IEP meeting is being held. For example, if the IEP meeting is on January 22nd 2022, I would start each goal with “By 1/21/2023…”.

IEP Goal Component #2: Condition

The condition component of an IEP goal outlines the specific circumstances under which the student is expected to perform the target skill. This means that the condition could include a variety of information depending on what skill the goal is targeting. This component could include:

• Environment
• Specific Situations
• Situational Context

Common ways to frame the condition component are “when given _____” or “with access to _____” or “during _____”. Here are a few examples of what that might look like (with the condition component in bold):

“By 1/21/2023, when presented with a variety of simple job applications ….”

“By 1/21/2023, during unstructured social time …”

“By 1/21/2023, with access to a calculator …”

“By 1/21/2023, when given a predetermined budget for purchasing items in simulated classroom scenarios …”

By 1/21/2023, during naturally occurring opportunities …” 

“By 1/21/2023, when asked a personal question by a teacher, staff member or peer, and with access to a field of 3 answer choices …”

The condition component is important because it tells you when you should be taking data. For example, if the IEP goal said “By 1/21/2023, with access to a calculator , Jane will calculate the correct change…” you would know that you should only be taking data on this goal when Jane is using a calculator. If she were to calculate change without a calculator, data on her performance should not be recorded as data for that specific IEP goal because the condition was not met.

IEP Goal Component #3 Functional Performance Indicator

The functional performance indicator is the task you want the student to be able to do. In other words, it’s the target skill of the IEP goal. I always phrase this part as “student will…” Here are some examples with the functional performance indicators marked in bold:

“By 1/21/2023, when presented with a variety of simple job applications, Joe will demonstrate knowledge of his personal and professional information (such as name, address, age, work experience)…”

“By 1/21/2023, during unstructured social time, Joe will use his AAC device for expressive communication …” 

“By 1/21/2023, with access to a calculator and budget template based on the income of a preferred job or job she is hired for, Jane will demonstrate her knowledge of budgeting and ability to perform basic financial calculations …” 

By 1/21/2023, when feeling stressed or anxious by non-preferred people or activities, Jane will appropriately and successfully navigate the situation …” 

Don’t worry too much about explaining how the student accomplishes the task in the functional performance indicator. This component is just for stating what the target skill is.

IEP Goal Component #4: Observable Behavior

This component is deeply connected to the functional performance indicator. In the functional performance indicator you describe what you want the student to be able to do, while in the observable behavior component you describe how you know the student is doing the functional performance indicator (target skill/task). I typically include the observable behavior component directly after the functional performance indicator, and begin the component with “by…”. Below are some examples of the functional performance indicator followed with the observable behavior in bold so that you can see how they are connected.

“… Jane will successfully prepare for her learner’s permit exam by passing a practice learner’s permit test …” 

“… Joe will demonstrate his ability to appropriately transition from one task or activity to the next by initiating the transition within 15 seconds of the initial request and successfully following through on the transition …” 

“… Jane will appropriately and successfully navigate the situation by advocating for herself (i.e. requesting a break, asking for help or support, expressing her emotions to an adult), and/or engaging in self-regulation (i.e. deep breathing, accessing a fidget item, utilizing a coping strategy) …” 

The observable behavior component of the IEP goal plays a central role because it describes what you should be seeing the student doing.

IEP Goal Component #5: Criteria

The criteria of an IEP goal either quantifies the target skill or explicitly states the standard to which the skill needs to be performed. The most common language of the criteria component include:

• “Independently”
• “With ___% accuracy”
• “With ____ prompts”

Here are a few examples of the criteria in bold:

“By 1/21/2023, during unstructured social time, Joe will use his AAC device for expressive communication by initiating a greeting to a peer, independently …”

“By 1/21/2023, when provided with verbally-delivered directions, Joe will demonstrate his ability to complete 2-step tasks by following the provided directions to completion, with no more than 3 verbal prompts …” 

“By 1/21/2023, when provided with 10 calculation problems and with access to a calculator, Jane will demonstrate her ability to solve calculations and navigate a calculator by successfully using it to yield the correct answer to the problems on the worksheet with at least 80% accuracy …’ 

Fun fact: the functional performance indicator, observable behavior, and criteria do not always need to be in order. In fact, I sometimes put the criteria of “independently” before I describe the functional performance indicator and observable behavior to help the writing of the IEP goal flow more.

It’s important to note that when you write “independently” for the criteria, that means that the student will perform the target skill with no prompting after the initial request. So for this goal: “By 1/21/2023, during unstructured social time, Joe will use his AAC device for expressive communication by initiating a greeting to a peer, independently …” that means he cannot receive a verbal reminder, gesture, or any form of prompting by a staff member in order for him to initiate the greeting. If he requires any form of prompting to complete this skill, then the IEP goal is not met.

Only include the term “independently” if you want the student to perform the skill or task without prompting. Additionally, if a student is expected to require prompting, you should indicate how many prompts and what kinds of prompts will be used. Click here for an article about different types of prompting.

IEP Goal Component #6: Mastery

This component is extremely important because it will indicate whether or not the student has mastered the target skill of the goal. We want students to remember what we teach them, so it’s important for them to generalize and master the skill rather than just completing it once! The mastery component measures the ability to perform the skill over time. Common language used in this component:

• In __ out of __ opportunities
• In __ out of __ trials
• On __ out of __ school days
• For __ consecutive weeks

It’s best practice to leave a little wiggle room (i.e. 4 out of 5 school days rather than all 5 school days), because there are so many environmental factors we cannot control that might influence a student’s performance every once in a while. If we are writing that the student will perform the skill on 3 out of 4 opportunities, that takes into account the possibility that they might have an off day. Below are a couple examples of the first 6 components with the mastery component in bold:

“By 1/21/2023, during unstructured social time, Joe will use his AAC device for expressive communication by initiating a greeting to a peer, independently, in 4 out of 5 opportunities …”

“By 1/21/2023, when provided with verbally-delivered directions, Joe will demonstrate his ability to complete 2-step tasks by following the provided directions to completion, with no more than 3 verbal prompts, in 3 out of 4 trials …”

“By 1/21/2023, with access to a calculator and budget template based on the income of a preferred job or job she is hired for, Jane will demonstrate her knowledge of budgeting and ability to perform basic financial calculations by spending/saving money according to the budget, accurately filling in the budget, and correctly completing the required calculations, independently, for 4 consecutive weeks …” 

IEP Goal Component #7: Measurement

The final component of the IEP goal describes how data will be collected on the IEP goal to determine whether or not the IEP goal was met. I always begin this component with “as measured by…”. The most common measurements are:

• Permanent products
• Observations
• Recorded data

When deciding how to measure the goal, it’s important to really think about what the most logical way to collect data would be. For goals where students are writing or typing, it might be a good idea to choose “permanent products” so that you can use the documents they’ve filled out as data. When writing IEP goals where you’re watching a student do something, such as communication goals, it would make sense to measure the goal with “observations”.

Writing IEP Goals – All 7 Components

“By 1/21/2023, with access to an online California driver’s education course and additional modified materials, Jane will successfully prepare for her learner’s permit exam by passing a practice learner’s permit test, independently, with at least 83% accuracy in 3 out of 4 opportunities, as measured by permanent products.”

• Date By 1/21/2023
• Condition with access to an online California driver’s education course and additional modified materials
• Functional Performance Indicator Jane will successfully prepare for her learner’s permit exam
• Observable Behavior by passing a practice learner’s permit test
• Criteria Independently, with at least 83% accuracy
• Mastery in 3 out of 4 opportunities
• Measurement as measured by permanent products

“By 1/21/2023, with access to a calculator and budget template based on the income of a preferred job or job she is hired for, Jane will demonstrate her knowledge of budgeting and ability to perform basic financial calculations by spending/saving money according to the budget, accurately filling in the budget, and correctly completing the required calculations, independently, for 4 consecutive weeks, as measured by permanent products and teacher/staff-recorded data.”

• Condition with access to a calculator and budget template based on the income of a preferred job or job she is hired for
• Functional Performance Indicator Jane will demonstrate her knowledge of budgeting and ability to perform basic financial calculations
• Observable Behavior by spending/saving money according to the budget, accurately filling in the budget, and correctly completing the required calculations
• Criteria Independently
• Mastery for 4 consecutive weeks
• Measurement as measured by permanent products and teacher/staff-recorded data

“By 1/21/2023, when provided with verbally-delivered directions, Joe will demonstrate his ability to complete 2-step tasks by following the provided directions to completion, with no more than 3 verbal prompts, in 4 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by teacher observation.”

• Condition when provided with verbally-delivered directions
• Functional Performance Indicator Joe will demonstrate his ability to complete 2-step tasks
• Observable Behavior by following the provided directions to completion
• Criteria with no more than 3 verbal prompts
• Mastery in 4 out of 5 opportunities
• Measurement as measured by teacher observation

For more examples of complete IEP goal examples, click here (coming soon).

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Teachers’ Perceptions of Individualized Education Program (IEP) Goals and Related Services

• ORIGINAL ARTICLE
• Published: 28 November 2015
• Volume 29 , pages 5–23, ( 2017 )

Cite this article

• Millicent M. Musyoka   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2205-2621 1 , 2 &
• M. Diane Clark 1 , 2  

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The rationale for developing an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is to identify appropriate goals to ensure that children who have disabilities are successful at school. This study focused on investigating teachers’ views of the most important IEP goals for their young deaf students, as well as to ask them which services students were receiving. Our purpose was to identify the most prevalent IEP goals guiding early childhood education (ECE) programs and to determine whether services provided were appropriate for addressing the students’ most critical needs. The participants included 118 young deaf children, ages 3–5, participating in the VL2 Early Educational Longitudinal Study (EELS). Results found that the IEP goals focused on three main areas: 1) improving school readiness; 2) improving communication (both sign communication and speech communication); and 3) improving pre-academic performance in targeted areas. Additionally, associations between specific IEP goals listed and related services were explored in relation to educational setting and school language philosophy. Recommendations for educational practice and further studies are provided.

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This study draws its data from Early Education Longitudinal Study (EELS). The National Science Foundation Science of Learning Center on Visual Language and Visual Learning (VL2) Grant No SBE0541953 and SBE 1041725 supported EELS. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Science Foundation.

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Musyoka, M.M., Diane Clark, M. Teachers’ Perceptions of Individualized Education Program (IEP) Goals and Related Services. J Dev Phys Disabil 29 , 5–23 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-015-9462-0

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• Know what the important questions to ask when setting writing goals
• Understand how to determine IEP goals from the writing assessment in the areas of organization, content, voice, and mechanics
• Understand the importance of linking goals with the curriculum and teacher assessments 
• Learn how best to approach writing (organization, content, voice, and mechanics) with your student once you have created goals
• Understand the varying demands of expository writing

Setting Goals

O nce you have completed the assessment, it is time to identify your student’s relative strengths and weaknesses in the area of writing. It is just as important to measure, describe, and report your student’s abilities for writing as his or her  dis abilities. This goes a long way towards establishing competency. Several questions you want to ask yourself as you are prioritizing goals for the student include:

• What are her writing strengths?
• What are her barriers when approaching a written task?
• What types of writing does she need to do at this grade level?
• How independently is she able to produce a written piece?
• What should the final product look like?
• How effortful is the writing process?

Once you have answered these questions, you can pinpoint the student’s goals and learning objectives. If your student has an IEP, the writing goals should describe the type of writing (e.g., expository, narrative, persuasive, etc.) and level of independence to be achieved. Although there is a separate page for accommodations and supports on the IEP, it is a good idea to specifically mention them in your goal. Below are two examples:

• Samantha will independently compose a personal narrative.
• Kelly will independently edit a persuasive essay using assistive technology.

While it is advantageous to write a goal for your student to achieve mastery or independence, you may have a beginning writer who will need more direct instruction and guidance. You may have to address this in your goal. For example,  Amanda will draft a book review with minimal cues to access and use her visual organizer for planning.  Once again, this goal identifies the type of writing, level of independence, and the accommodations.  

Each goal may have one or more learning objectives. These are the specific sub-skills that need improvement. For the above goals, the learning objectives may address organization, content, voice, or mechanics. It is helpful to refer back to the writing assessment to determine what area(s) need to be addressed. Several examples for each area are listed below:

Organization:

• Samantha will write a compelling introduction in her personal narrative.
• She will demonstrate the use of emotion for emphasis within her personal narrative.
• She will use paragraphs with introductory sentences to organize her narrative.
• Samantha will include a moral in her personal narrative.
• She will use a title to create interest in her narrative.
• Samantha will “explode a moment” through detailed descriptions in her narrative.
• Kelly will show a sense of audience in his persuasive essay.
• Kelly will incorporate rhetorical questions in his essays.
• Kelly will summarize the evidence in his persuasive essay.
• Kelly will use consistent verb tense throughout his essay.
• He will use standard spelling in his essays.
• Kelly will use punctuation such as quotation marks, semi-colons, and parentheses to strengthen his persuasive essay.

Measurement  should be consistent with that used in the classroom. If your student is an elementary or middle school student, chances are the teacher has a rubric to evaluate written assignments. Not only does this qualitatively describe the expectations of the student’s writing, it quantitatively assigns points to each area. Involving the classroom teacher in goal setting and measurement will lead to more continuity and collaboration (which often yields greater dividends in the student’s rate of progress).

If your student is in high school grading rubrics may or may not be utilized; however, some schools use writing handbooks that delineate writing expectations and offer examples. The assignment is generally posted electronically (or hard copies are provided) with specific criteria for the assignment.

Intervention

Specific demands for expository writing, assistive technology.

Effective writing intervention is predicated on a thorough assessment, as well as appropriate and measurable goals. Once you have delineated your learning objectives, you may choose to use a formal writing program or more of an individualized approach. Regardless of what you choose, you will likely be working on multiple aspects of writing within your intervention. Next, we will walk you through each of these sub-skills of writing. In addition, several formal writing programs will be reviewed.

Story Cohesion Your student will benefit from explicit instruction for story cohesion (i.e., what it is and what elements contribute to story cohesion). Meta-cognitive exercises will help your student to become more aware of her use of story cohesion. Finally, addressing story cohesion in isolation (in the editing process) will allow your student to concentrate her efforts on this aspect of writing, without worrying about story grammar, spelling, word retrieval, punctuation, etc.

To begin intervention, you should define story cohesion. You may ask, “Do you think your story is smooth and sticks together or is it bumpy and confusing in places?” Provide a list and explanation of elements of cohesion: transition sentences, sequence words, clear pronouns, and sticking with the same idea throughout the story. Direct your student to compare a story that demonstrates cohesion to one that does not. Ask her to identify a couple of places in her story that need to be smoother. Then have your student examine a piece of writing that she has completed and add transition sentences with the following conjunctions (in the same way, however, consequently, nonetheless, in addition, or for example). More explicit sequence words may need to be added such as: first, after that, next, and finally . Edit any pronouns that may be unclear. Review your student’s writing for any details that do not “belong” to the main idea of the story. Provide a written template to use when drafting her next narrative. The template should include a definition of cohesion and the following sub-skills (with examples and key words):

• Transition words and sentences
• Sequence words
• Pronouns and referents
• Topic maintenance

Grammar It is important to target grammar with your student regardless of age. Morphology develops a great deal in late elementary and early middle school to incorporate multi-syllabic words (using prefixes and suffixes). By middle school, students should use a variety of sentence types and have good control of syntax for clear and smooth writing.

For a brush up on grammar, we recommend Louisa Moats’ reader-friendly book Speech to Print: Language Essential for Teachers .

Vocabulary It is very important to help your students learn to use descriptive vocabulary and non-literal language when writing. To do so, they need to have repeated exposure to sources rich with vocabulary. Dyslexics will often simplify their word choices due to difficulties with spelling or word retrieval. Some of these students settle for generic words, like things, stuff, is , and people. They benefit from revision of their writing, replacing these words with more accurate nouns and more active verbs. Provide a model text with vibrant verbs, such as Bullfrog Pops ! by Rick Walton (Putnam and Grosset Group, 1995). Your student may incorporate some of the verbs encountered in the story into her own narrative.

Teach your student to elaborate using adjectives, adverbs, and metaphors. Provide a piece of poetry as an example. Once the student has selected a topic or a story to tell, help her with the planning stages. By breaking the writing process into more manageable steps, your student will be able to focus exclusively on semantics.

• Brainstorm key words to describe the character, setting, and feelings.
• List similes and metaphors that convey the problem (Nivel was flailing like a cat in water).
• Introduce or reintroduce your student to the thesaurus (preferably the one on her computer if she types her papers).

Voice It is virtually impossible to teach this writing element in a vacuum. Model texts and essays are highly recommended to provide a strong model of how an author’s voice can be conveyed.

          You may ask the student to compare two pieces of writing, one that is bare-bones and run-of-the mill with one that is fresh and engaging. Ask your student which story she would rather read.             “Voices in the Park” by Anthony Browne (D.K. Publishing, 1998) is a narrative that explores voice and different points of view (like four blind men describing an elephant). The reader is treated to a variety of highly stylized stories with engaging and unusual illustrations.

Helping your student tap into her own voice may not be as simple as showing good models; however, you may unlock her voice through directly teaching writing elements that will allow her to express herself with more texture. Examples of these elements are below:

• Figurative language: metaphor, similes, clichés, expressions, and personification
• A variety of writing formats: flashbacks, scene changes, chapters, and different characters narrating
• Action verbs
• Adjectives and adverbs
• Emotional appeal
• Questions to engage the reader
• Conversational tone
• A moral or reflection

In addition, you may help your student think about his audience and write appropriately for that group of people. This may necessitate some theory of mind, to look at a topic or story from another’s point of view. It may help to say, “Talk to me like you would talk to your best friend. Now tell me that story again as if I were your teacher.” You may write a couple of quotes from this to have your student capture in his essay.

Since many students with dyslexia struggle with the multi-faceted task of writing, voice is often sacrificed. Assistive technology might enable your student to focus more on his voice in his writing. You will likely help your student a great deal by going back to a piece of writing and adding the “interest” after the draft has been completed. Alternatively, you may wish to do this in the planning stages. The important point is to break down the essay into less overwhelming tasks.

Story Grammar Since story grammar follows a developmental sequence, your evaluation should have determined what stage your student is at and what the next element is that she should learn. Maryellen Rooney Moreau has developed assessment tools and curriculum based on the development of story grammar . This is a multi-sensory program and is easily adapted for all age groups and ability levels.

Once again, explicit instruction of the story grammar feature is key. For example, you may talk about how a good plot is comprised of a problem, how the character feels, and what he plans to do about it. A model text may be introduced after this pre-teaching occurs.

• For younger students, “A Day’s Work” by Eve Bunting (Clarion, 1994) would illustrate all of these elements. The problem is that the grandfather chooses a job that he is not qualified for because he needs the money. He makes a mistake and finds out that he weeded the flowers rather than the weeds. Consequently, the grandfather feels ashamed. His plan is to teach his grandson an important lesson on integrity when he insists on returning to his job and making amends.
• For older students, apply the concepts of plot and embedded plots in the book they have read for Language Arts. (Note: it is recommended that you select a book that the student has completely read, or it may be hard to analyze the plot).

After the pre-teaching and model text, the student may retell this story in her own words, using the story grammar for a plot. This may be incorporated into a book review, or modified (with a creative twist that the student adds for a different outcome).

Students may benefit from a graphic or tactile reminder for each of the story elements (again, this is incorporated into the Story Grammar Manual and materials referred to above ). This gives the student the opportunity to visualize, move a manipulative, and verbalize or write the outline of a story. This is useful for retelling (reading comprehension) and planning (written expression) activities involving narrative text.

Spelling Students with dyslexia may require systematic and explicit instruction in one or more of the five foundational skills (phonemic awareness, mental orthographic images, phonics knowledge, morphology, and semantic knowledge).

Spelling objectives that are specific are necessary for explicit instruction and progress monitoring (i.e. Jack will accurately spell words with “silent –e” and “vowel teams” [two vowels that make one sound] in his reports.). You will likely have multiple areas of spelling that you are addressing simultaneously (i.e. orthographic knowledge/phonics, and phonemic awareness) and it is helpful to have separate learning objectives for each one.

With that said, it is often most efficient to target multiple linguistic goals within a given task. For example, you might complete the following activities with a student to address both phonics and phonemic awareness:

• Begin by having a student listen to the phonemes, "f-I-J-I-t" and say, "fidget."
• Then you can have the student spell it with letter tiles, and noting that "j" is spelled with the letters "d" and "g".
• You may ask the student to think of other words with “j” in the middle or at the end. The list might include: bridge, sage, wedge, widget, cage, and arrange.
• Ask your student to divide the words into two groups, those with "j" spelled with "g" and those spelled with "dg".
• Direct your student to guess why some words are spelled with "g" and the others are spelled with "dg". This process of engaging the student in the learning process and discovery is key . (You may, however, scaffold through questions by asking, for example, "What do you notice about the vowel sounds in each group of words?")
• Reinforce the effort and what is correct. “That’s right, the words with the "dg" have short vowels before the "j" sound and the other words have a long vowel before the 'j' sound."
• Summarize through a rule, "So, we could say 'short needs support and long is strong'". The words with short vowels need a 'd' and a 'g', but the words with long vowels only need a 'g' to make the 'j' sound."
• Test it out on other words.
• Encourage the students to write a short story or journal entry using as many of these words as possible. Spelling in context is key!

Explicit instruction is what struggling spellers need most. This means teaching spelling rules and skills with multiple exposures and exemplars. The student should have opportunity for mastery. If the student can teach the rule/concept back to you, then you are ready to add on to that knowledge (perhaps with an exception to the rule).

While his peers have implicitly learned phonics, phonemic awareness, and sight words from reading, the student with dyslexia has not. The earlier the intervention the better; this is so that the underlying skills for spelling and decoding are in place for later stages of “reading to learn.” In this stage, students are expected to be able to decode and spell words that they have only been exposed to in print. However, if a student with dyslexia does not decode it accurately, he will not understand it or be able to spell it later, and the learning gap widens exponentially. Hence, early and explicit instruction is paramount!

To begin intervention, determine the student’s learning style and incorporate that in your lessons. For example, if you are teaching phonemic awareness to a visual learner, colored blocks or papers might help her to visually represent each sound/phoneme. On the other hand, a kinesthetic learner might do better using his fingers or pencil to tap for each sound he hears. Auditory learners may enjoy playing a game that requires them to segment the last sound of a word and produce a word of their own with it. This can be played in a Round Robin fashion.

In the same way, phonics skills can be taught to the dominant learning style or in a multi-sensory way for a student. A kinesthetic learner might learn best from having paper plates with each “vowel team” written on it. When the student steps on that plate, she has to verbalize the sound the vowel team makes and two words containing that vowel team. A visual-kinesthetic learner might benefit from drawing fun pictures (e.g., a sailboat on the sea) that incorporate the targeted vowel teams. Verbal learners might enjoy a silly little song to remember the short vowel sounds.

Handwriting Not all dyslexics have difficulty with handwriting, but for those who do, poor handwriting can give the wrong impression about ability. Teachers should create opportunities for students with dyslexia to practice typing skills and use word processing whenever possible.

Punctuation is generally taught explicitly in elementary school, but thereafter is quite often learned implicitly (through reading or feedback on papers). Many good writers have difficulty knowing when to use commas, not to mention semi-colons versus colons. Direct instruction is necessary. A specific goal will capture the types of punctuation that are omitted or need to be introduced for more mature writing.

Meta-cognition is the first step to teaching punctuation. It answers the question, “Why does it matter if I use a comma or not?” Often it is effective to show your student a sentence that can be interpreted two ways depending on the punctuation. This can be a fun exercise (just search on the Internet for “ambiguous headlines”). Perhaps the student can draw a picture to represent two interpretations of the following phrases: “Complaints about NBA Referees Growing Ugly,” “Eye Drops off the Shelf,” or “Milk Drinkers are Turning to Powder.”

Another introductory activity is to read and discuss “Punctuation Takes a Vacation” by Robin Pulver (Holiday House 2003). This can help students to realize the importance of using correct and effective punctuation in their writing.

The following tips are offered for teaching punctuation to students over the course of several sessions:

• Systematic rules for when to use each type of punctuation should be directly taught, one at a time.
• Examples should accompany each rule. Give the student the opportunity to “edit” someone else's writing for incorrect usage or omission of a particular punctuation mark.
• Give feedback and praise, “Great job! You helped correct 9 out of 10 commas. Take a look at the third sentence again.”
• Ask the student to compose several sentences of her own while referring to the examples. Provide specific feedback on these sentences.
• Tell the student that she is ready to put her knowledge to the test by editing a piece of her own writing for punctuation.
• Repeat this process for all of the types of punctuation that need remediation.
• Develop a reference sheet (that the student can refer to when she is writing) with all of the rules and examples you have practiced.

Help your student understand that writing is a process and that good writers revise their work over and over again.

The structure for expository writing varies somewhat depending on the assignment. Therefore, you may want to obtain a copy of the assignment, grading rubric, and writing handbook (often given to high school students during orientation). This will allow you to make your intervention curriculum-relevant. Once you have determined specific goals for your student’s expository writing you are ready to begin intervention.

Organization: To save on time, you may wish to commence work in the area of organization by simply revising a paper that has already been composed. Another approach is to begin intervention after the student has completed her research.

If your student jumps into the body without first hooking the reader or identifying the topic/thesis that he will write about you will want to begin with a meta-cognitive exercise. This should be a discovery process rather than didactic.

• You may choose to use a Socratic method: What would happen if we went to a website and it just started talking about the specifics of a new iPod...without first telling you what it was or why it is different from the previous generation? Would that be easy to read? Would it make sense? Would you continue to read the rest of the article without knowing what it was about?
• You may prefer to use a hands-on activity and then discuss it. Cut out several articles and remove the titles. Then cut off the first paragraphs. Instruct your student to match the article with the correct introductory paragraph. (A similar type of meta-cognitive task is recommended if your student struggles with writing a conclusion.) This will be more challenging if the articles are about similar topics. Ask your student to tell you about her experience reading something without an introduction. Teach the components of a good introduction: a hook to grab the reader’s attention, and a thesis or main idea to be discussed in the body of the paper. Help her to reverse engineer a template by looking at these pieces. Alternatively, refer to the assignment or writing handbook to determine the structure that is required. The template for an introduction may be as follows:

1.  A hook: Find a quote, statistic, or ask a question to draw the reader in. 2.  Transition: Tie the “hook” to the topic that will be discussed. 3.  Thesis: Make your argument and list the supporting points that will be in the body of the paper. A list works well for this, e.g., Compared to tap water in the U.S., bottled water is not good for us, our wallets, or the environment.

Instruct your student to identify her main arguments and to write an introductory sentence for each argument, followed by supporting details. Once again, a template or outline can streamline this process. Encourage your student to get the ideas down, rather than agonizing over the specific wording, since that can be revised later. Tell your student that her argument will stand if she has an adequate structure and the correct content in her essay, much like a building made with quality materials and a sound framework.

If your student lacks smooth transitions, help her to identify these and edit a completed paper by adding conjunctions, sequence words, and clarifications. Adding sentences to bridge together ideas is also beneficial. Ideally, you will collaborate with your student, provide some instruction, make a plan, and then assign the last bit for homework (to ensure mastery and carry-over). This can be reviewed in a subsequent session.

Content: Many students with dyslexia struggle with paraphrasing the information that they have read. Strong reading comprehension and word retrieval skills are required to come up with specific vocabulary and synonyms for words to avoid redundancy. An assortment of more abstract verbs, adjectives, and metaphors are brought to the undertaking of writing expository text. This type of writing requires strong grammatical dexterity to facilitate the use of a variety of sentence types.

Once you’ve identified which of the aforementioned areas to target, you should select an assignment to focus on. Previously completed assignments work well, particularly if the focus is on refining the semantics and sentence structure.

Ask your student to highlight key words that are overused and then use the thesaurus to add variety. You may need to point out overly-used sentence types and then provide examples of other compound or complex sentence structures. Help your student revise several of her sentences and then orally reread the essay. Ask if she likes the sound of the first version or second version better and why. This gets your student into the habit of self-appraisal rather than relying on a teacher for assessment.

It is likely that your student will also struggle with paraphrasing what she has read or researched. Now that she has some tools from the previous assignment (using a thesaurus and changing the sentence types), use these for paraphrasing a new assignment.

Ask your student to identify the main idea and to “put it in her own words.” You will probably have to model this a time or two by “thinking aloud”. (“Let’s see, this article is pretty complicated, but it seems like it’s mainly talking about when Hawaii became a unified state and not just a bunch of individual islands. I think the most important details are…”) Highlighting key words and using the structure of the text may also help your student to extract the salient information. Working memory is a requisite skill to simultaneously hold the information in mind while parsing it, selecting salient details, and then putting them into a cogent form to articulate a particular point of view. This necessitates critical thinking skills. No longer can students regurgitate what they’ve read; they have to identify a point of view and compare it, make connections with it, or refute it. This is not something that you can look up in a book and it is rarely explicitly taught to students.

This is by far the most challenging part of teaching writing. Fortunately, many strategies are now available to help with the working memory component. Audio recording and voice dictation are at the top of the list. An important strategy for the student who struggles with working memory is to provide a writing process that allows her to focus on the smaller sub-skills of writing. Below is one example of a writing process for completing a draft of an expository essay:

• Brainstorm a topic and narrow it down to a specific argument/aspect
• Research that particular area
• Highlight key words and points
• List main arguments/points
• Formulate 3-5 topic sentences
• Add supporting details or examples to each topic sentence
• Draft a thesis sentence with all of the main arguments
• Identify a quote, brief story, or question to capture your reader’s interest
• Compose a transition sentence between the “hook” and thesis sentence
• Restate the thesis (in slightly different words) for the conclusion
• Add a reflection to the conclusion
• Reread the essay and add transition sentences and sequence words as needed
• Edit draft using text-to-speech (to listen and read it at the same time)
• Revise writing at another time (paying attention to the organization, voice, mechanics, and content).
• Ask someone else to provide feedback.

Since this may be such an iterative process, your job as the professional is to help your student estimate how many days this may take and to schedule that time in her planner. In addition, it may be appropriate to help your student self-advocate to receive more advanced warning for writing assignments (of any length) and extended time to complete them.

Assistive Technology can give students with dyslexia access to writing. It can ameliorate stress and frustration associated with the writing process, and it can empower students to add their unique voice to the world. Technology is readily available to help with every stage of writing:

• Planning/Organization: Kidspiration, Inspiration, and Draft Builder
• Drafting and Spelling: Co-Writer, Dragon, Franklin Electronic Speller, Kurzweil 3000
• Editing: Text-to-speech, Ginger software, and word processing tools (thesaurus, dictionary, spelling, and grammar check),

Find more information on these and other assistive technology programs here .

You, as the professional, are uniquely positioned to make writing a manageable task for your students. With explicit instruction, meta-cognitive tasks, and assistive technology you equip your students with a skill that they will need throughout their lives. You may also provide education to family members and faculty about writing. Perhaps your student body would benefit if assistive technology were made available in the classroom. Your knowledge and advocacy can help to make this a reality. Success starts here!  

More on Writing Intervention

• Read LD Online's Mechanical Obstacles to Writing: What Can Teachers Do to Help Students with Learning Problems?

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Free IEP Goal Bank With More Than 110 Goals

All the goals you need, when you need them.

There are as many IEP goals as there are students. But the longer you teach special education, the more you’ll find yourself searching for just the right reading comprehension goal for a student with a learning disability or a behavior goal for a kid who has ADHD. That’s where an IEP goal bank, also known as a goal database, comes in.

IEP Goals 101

IEP goals should be specific enough to be implemented by anyone who reads them. They should address aspects of the general curriculum but at the student’s functional level. And the goals should be actionable and measurable.

The goals should also include the accuracy and number of trials that the student needs to complete to show mastery. The accuracy and number of trials will depend on the student’s ability, strengths, and skills. (Typical accuracy and trials are 80% 4-out-of-5 trials.)

Finally, the goals should include the level of support the student needs. Should they be demonstrating the skill independently, or do they need a few prompts or maximum support? Build that into the goal too.

So, a finished goal might be: When given a pile of coins (all one type), Jaime will count the coins and find the total with no more than two prompts with 70% accuracy in 3 out of 5 trials.

IEP Goals for Your Database

A lot of thought goes into each IEP goal, so here are more than 100 goals that every special education teacher should have in their bank.

Reading Comprehension IEP Goal Bank

Reading comprehension is a skill that many students struggle with it. Choose a goal that helps students reach the next level of reading comprehension so they can understand and enjoy what they read.

• When given a story at their reading level, [STUDENT] will use a storyboard or story map to outline the story’s main elements.
• When given a nonfiction text at their reading level, [STUDENT] will select and use the appropriate graphic organizer to identify key information.
• When given a paragraph at their reading level, [STUDENT] will apply the RAP strategy ( R eading a single paragraph, A sking oneself to define the main idea and supporting details, P utting the information into the reader’s language).

• When given a passage at their reading level, [STUDENT] will use an outline strategy to summarize the content or retell the story.
• When given a text at their reading level, [STUDENT] will read and demonstrate literal knowledge by answering five literal questions.
• [STUDENT] will demonstrate understanding of text using total communication (AAC devices, PECS, verbalization, sign language) to answer five literal questions about the text.
• When presented with a passage at their reading level, [STUDENT] will use context clues to identify the meaning of unknown words.
• When given a passage at their instructional level, [STUDENT] will make a prediction and read to confirm or adjust their prediction with information from the text.
• When given a text at their reading level, [STUDENT] will identify the main idea and two supporting details.

• Given a sentence, [STUDENT] will combine background knowledge with information from the text to infer the author’s meaning.
• Given a passage at their reading level, [STUDENT] will answer five inferential questions.
• After reading a passage with visual supports (e.g., highlighting), [STUDENT] will answer literal questions with minimal assistance.
• After reading a passage at their reading level, [STUDENT] will identify the author’s purpose for writing.
• Given a list of author’s purposes and a text, [STUDENT] will select the correct author’s purpose for writing.

Math IEP Goal Bank

Students may be working on numeracy or word problems. Whatever their focus, choose a math goal that helps them progress.

• [STUDENT] will identify a one- or two-digit number (verbally, pointing, written).
• [STUDENT] will rote-count from 1 to 25 (or higher).
• [STUDENT] will skip-count by 2, 3, 5, 10 to 50 (verbal or written).

• Given 10 addition problems, [STUDENT] will independently add single-digit numbers with (or without) regrouping.
• [STUDENT] will independently subtract a single-digit number from a double-digit number with (or without) regrouping.
• Given 10 subtraction problems, [STUDENT] will independently subtract double-digit numbers from double-digit numbers with (or without) regrouping.
• [STUDENT] will independently tell time to the half hour (or quarter hour, etc.) on an analog clock (verbal or written).
• [STUDENT] will independently identify the next dollar amount when given a price, determine how much is needed to make a purchase, and count out the necessary amount using school money.
• Given a quarter, dime, nickel, and penny, [STUDENT] will identify the coin and value.
• Given a random amount of coins (all one type or mixed), [STUDENT] will independently count the coins.

• When given two-digit (or three- or four-digit) numbers, [STUDENT] will round to the nearest tens (or hundreds or thousands).
• Given two numbers (pictures, groups of items), [STUDENT] will determine which number is greater than/less than/equal to by selecting or drawing the appropriate symbol.
• Given data and a graph (bar, pie), [STUDENT] will complete the graph to display the data.
• Given a graph (bar, pie, line), [STUDENT] will answer three questions about the data.
• [STUDENT] will identify the numerator and denominator in a fraction.
• When given a picture of a shape divided into parts, [STUDENT] will color the correct number of sections to represent the fraction given.

• [STUDENT] will solve one-step word problems using addition and subtraction (or multiplication and division).
• [STUDENT] will independently solve 15 multiplication facts (up to 9).
• Given a fact-fluency tracker, [STUDENT] will track mastery of multiplication facts up to 12.
• Given a problem-solving checklist, [STUDENT] will use the checklist to solve a one-step or two-step word problem.

Writing IEP Goal Bank

Here are writing IEP goals for organization, fluency, and editing.

• Given a topic, [STUDENT] will write a sentence that accurately addresses the topic.
• Given a word bank, [STUDENT] will select the appropriate words to complete a sentence or paragraph about a topic.
• [STUDENT] will use a keyword outline to write a paragraph with at least [number of] sentences, including an introduction/topic sentence and conclusion sentence.

• [STUDENT] will dictate a response to a question and use talk-to-text to communicate at least three sentences about a topic.
• [STUDENT] will write a three-paragraph essay about a topic that includes a clear introductory sentence, main idea, supporting details, and conclusion.
• [STUDENT] will select and use the appropriate graphic organizers to organize ideas in response to a writing topic.

• When given a paragraph to revise, [STUDENT] will add transitional words and phrases to connect ideas in sentences (or paragraphs).
• When given a prompt, [STUDENT] will maintain writing for [amount of time] as measured by observation and student writing output.

Behavior IEP Goal Bank

Everything we see in school is behavior, from working to engaging in class to maintaining self-control and managing emotions. If a student has an IEP for ADHD, an emotional disability, autism, or other categories, they may be working on behavior goals to improve their ability to succeed in school.

• Given a self-monitoring checklist, [STUDENT] will demonstrate self-regulation during [# of sessions] across [# of months].

• Given a token board, [STUDENT] will follow class rules to earn [# of tokens] for each 30-minute period in special and general education settings.
• Given a self-regulation strategy (e.g., zones of regulation), [STUDENT] will identify when they are moving from green to red, and apply a self-regulation strategy to maintain their self-regulation.
• Given support and a visual model, [STUDENT] will implement an organizational system for their locker/desk/backpack/binder.

• Given scripts and reminders, [STUDENT] will manage frustration and disruptions to their routine during classroom activities.
• Given a social story, [STUDENT] will be able to adjust to new routines and procedures in the classroom.
• By the end of the IEP, [STUDENT] will manage conflicts, independent of teacher support, 4 out of 5 occurrences over a ___ time period.
• Given a work assignment, [STUDENT] will initiate work tasks as measured by observation and work completion.
• Given a work assignment, [STUDENT] will complete work tasks as measured by observation and work completion.
• Given a token board and visual or rules, [STUDENT] will follow rules and earn tokens throughout the total school environment.

Social Skills IEP Goal Bank

Social skills may not seem academic, but how students engage with others can be an important outcome for students who have deficits in this area. Here are goals that can support their progression in forming relationships with peers and adults.

• During unstructured class time, [STUDENT] will engage in respectful conversation with peers (maintain personal space, use respectful voice).
• During unstructured class time or play time (e.g., recess), [STUDENT] will engage with peers (participate, share, follow rules, take turns) for > 10 minutes with minimal adult prompting.

• During a preferred activity, [STUDENT] will invite a peer to join in during recess.
• During a preferred activity, [STUDENT] will engage in appropriate conversation (ask appropriate questions, respond to questions, take turns) for > five turns.
• When frustrated or involved in a conflict, [STUDENT] will resolve the conflict without aggression, but will apply a problem-solving strategy (walk away, tell a teacher).
• [STUDENT] will demonstrate five back-and-forth exchanges with peers during structured play activities.

• [STUDENT] will engage in appropriate turn-taking with peers in classroom discussion.
• [STUDENT] will decrease inappropriate verbal comments to once per day (or week) or less as measured by teacher observation and behavior checklist.
• Given a pre-activity checklist, [STUDENT] will identify one peer they would like to engage with and how they are going to engage (e.g., ask a question, invite to play).

Social-Emotional Skills Goal Bank

Identifying and managing feelings is another important school outcome for students who have deficits in this area. Here are goals that help students advance in social-emotional skills.

• [STUDENT] will work cooperatively with peers in small-group settings (e.g., share materials, engage in conversation, accept others’ ideas).

• [STUDENT] will identify appropriate social rules and expectations for various social situations.
• [STUDENT] will refrain from interrupting others.
• [STUDENT] will identify emotions presented in picture form.

• [STUDENT] will engage in communication with others by asking questions when provided with the opportunities.
• [STUDENT] will increase or maintain conversation about a preferred or nonpreferred topic.
• Given a strategy and visual prompts, [STUDENT] will identify the signs of anxiety and apply a strategy to address feelings of anxiety in real and simulated situations.
• Given a picture scale, [STUDENT] will identify the level of anxiety they are feeling.

Executive Functioning Goal Bank

Executive functioning skills are skills like planning, working memory, attention, problem-solving, mental flexibility, and self-regulation that help kids be successful in school. Students with poor executive functioning have a hard time with time management, organization, getting started with or finishing work, and connecting past experiences with current actions. (Know any kids like this?)

• Given visual cues, [STUDENT] will implement an organizational system for organizing their backpack (locker, binder).
• Given a task and a list of materials, [STUDENT] will gather the needed items to complete the task.

• [STUDENT] will arrive at class with necessary materials (paper, pen, computer).
• [STUDENT] will use a checklist (visual schedule) to independently complete classwork.
• [STUDENT] will respond appropriately to oral commands.
• [STUDENT] will ask for clarification and further explanation when needed.
• [STUDENT] will request desired objects or instructional materials and equipment using [picture prompts, sign language, AAC device, etc.].

• [STUDENT] will express needs, wants, and feelings using [picture prompts, sign language, verbalization, etc.].
• [STUDENT] will create a daily visual schedule (or checklist or to-do list) and complete it.
• By the end of the IEP, [STUDENT] will demonstrate the ability to follow multiple-step directions (two or three steps) with minimal (1 or 2) adult prompts.
• By the end of the IEP, [STUDENT] will refer to their checklist for task completion to finish assigned work.

Self-Advocacy IEP Goal Bank

Self-advocacy goals are for skills from decision-making to goal attainment, asking for help, and self-advocacy. These are important skills that students need to develop, especially as they transition into independent living, college, and career.

• [STUDENT] will effectively communicate their needs and preferences in the classroom by [raising their hand, writing a note].
• [STUDENT] will use a communication notebook to write questions and concerns to the teacher one time per week.
• [STUDENT] will identify a goal, create a list of steps to achieve the goal, and work through the steps.
• Given a task that involves a choice (e.g., the school lunch menu, a list of books) [STUDENT] will select between the options available.
• Given a challenging situation to solve, [STUDENT] will define the problem and come up with two possible solutions.
• [STUDENT] will create a list of three personal strengths and three areas for improvement.
• [STUDENT] will actively participate in the development of their IEP goals and accommodations.
• [STUDENT] will identify one IEP goal and three objectives to support that goal.
• When faced with an academic challenge, [STUDENT] will seek assistance by raising their hand or using the classroom procedure for seeking help.
• [STUDENT] will advocate for accommodations and/or modifications in the classroom using an appropriate time, tone of voice, and language.
• [STUDENT] will demonstrate understanding of their learning preferences using a checklist, verbal communication, or another method of communication.
• [STUDENT] will engage in positive self-talk daily with and without teacher support.
• By the end of the IEP, [STUDENT] will learn and apply two self-advocacy strategies.
• By the end of the IEP, [STUDENT] will demonstrate the ability to ask for help when needed.
• By the end of the IEP, [STUDENT] will identify and communicate two environmental requirements (e.g., “I need a movement break”).
• By the end of the IEP, [STUDENT] will engage in three conferences and/or meetings where the student will communicate their educational needs.
• [STUDENT] will explain and advocate for testing accommodations through the classroom teacher, testing center, school counselor, etc.
• [STUDENT] will reflect on their academic progress and will determine which accommodations are supporting their learning.

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Write More Measurable IEP Goals with This Systematic Process

Helen Fuller Tarkington, M.Ed.

Advanced Consultant

University of North Carolina

This seems reasonable enough. But often, teachers find that developing and refining the IEP is not so simple. How do you effectively write measurable goals ? What exactly are you measuring? In my years of experience as a teacher and consultant, I have found that these two questions go hand in hand. In other words, you can’t write a measurable IEP goal until you first determine exactly what you are teaching ( target skill or behavior ) and how you’ll know when your students have met that target.

Two Questions Shape Goal Writing and Data Forms

Teachers frequently think they need to write their IEP goals first and then consider how to create a corresponding data form. But if we instead start with two essential questions ( what I am teaching and how will my student demonstrate success? ), it is much easier to see how the measurable goal seamlessly corresponds with the data-collection form. Take a look at the simple process below that should not only help you write better IEP goals, but also clarify how to collect meaningful data on them.

What skill are you teaching? (Target skill or behavior)

Start with a simple fill-in-the-blank statement:

I want to teach my student __________.

• Make sure the skill or behavior is concrete and specific.

How will I know when they have met the target?

Next, select one of the following that best completes the sentence:

My student would be successful if they were able to perform the skill or behavior __________.

• With greater or less frequency (frequency goal/data)
• For a longer amount of time or in less time (duration goal/data)
• At a higher percentage or greater number of times (percentage or numerical goal/data)
• With greater independence (level of support or prompting goal/data)
• In a variety of settings (across settings goal/data)

Develop your goal and aligned data-collection form

Once you’ve answered the questions in steps one and two, choose the corresponding goal and data from the ones below and complete the remaining steps.

Frequency Goals and Data Collection

If you determined that the goal for your student is to perform a particular skill or behavior either more or less often , you will be writing a frequency goal and collecting frequency data . This means you are recording and measuring how often a skill or behavior is occurring in a given period of time. The skill or behavior may be one you are hoping to reduce , like hitting, self-injury, or talking without raising a hand. Conversely, it may be one you are hoping to increase , like raising one’s hand to speak or commenting during a collaborative conversation.

If you’ve decided that frequency data is the type of data that will best determine growth, then answer the following questions to help write your IEP goal and aligned data-collection form.

What is my student’s current baseline ? In other words, how often are they currently exhibiting the behavior or performing the skill I am targeting? Knowing the baseline will help you determine a realistic goal or outcome.

Next, determine the timeframe in which you want to measure or collect data. Does it make sense to measure frequency every hour or class period, or can you measure the skill or behavior over the course of the entire school day? For example, if you are attempting to decrease a problem behavior that is happening many times over the course of a day, it may make sense to break down the timeframe into smaller chunks, like hours or periods.

After you’ve determined your baseline and when you will collect data , determine your realistic goal for the target skill or behavior . Set reasonable expectations for your student based on the current baseline. For example, if your target skill is to increase a student’s commenting during a conversation and they are currently only doing so once during a 10-minute collaborative conversation, your annual goal might be to increase their participation to six comments in a 10-minute period.

Finally, once you’ve set the frequency goal, decide how many times your student will need to perform that target to demonstrate mastery . Is mastery achieved if they consistently comment six times in five trials? There is no right answer; the goal is based on the individual needs of the student. It is important that the IEP team reach consensus about what mastery is and how it should be demonstrated by the student.

When given picture/symbol support, Desiree will participate in a class group discussion by a) raising her hand, b) waiting to be called on, and c) answering her teacher when called on at least 3 times per class period in at least 5 consecutive trials.

Duration Goals and Data Collection

If you determined that the goal for your student is to perform a particular skill or behavior for a longer or shorter amount of time , you will be writing a duration goal and collecting duration data . Examples include decreasing the amount of time it takes a student to transition or complete a task. Duration goals can also be used to work on increasing the time of a skill or behavior, such as participation in group time or hygiene routines like brushing teeth or washing hands.

If you’ve decided that the skill or behavior you are targeting is best reflected as a duration goal, answer the following questions to help write your IEP goal and aligned data-collection form.

What is the current baseline ? How long is my student currently exhibiting the behavior or performing the skill? This will help you determine a realistic goal or outcome.

Next, determine when you want to measure or collect data. Are you measuring duration during a daily routine (i.e., every time they wash their hands or brush their teeth) or during a specific time of day (morning group time)?

After you’ve determined your baseline and when you will collect data, determine a realistic goal for the target skill or behavior . Set reasonable expectations for your student based on the current baseline. If a student currently is only brushing their teeth for five seconds, a realistic goal would be to increase their total time to 60 seconds rather than a full two minutes.

Finally, once you’ve set the duration goal, decide how many times your student will need to perform that target skill or behavior to demonstrate mastery . Is mastery achieved if they consistently brush teeth for 60 seconds in five trials or 10? As with frequency data, there is no right answer; the goal is based on the individual needs of the student. The IEP team should reach consensus about what mastery is and how it should be demonstrated by the student.

When given a visual model and timer, John will increase his total tooth-brushing time after lunch to 60 seconds in 10 consecutive trials over a nine week period.

Percentage or Numerical Goals and Data Collection

Percentage or numerical data is used to measure an increase (in the percentage or number correct of a certain skill). This can be helpful in measuring academic goals like numeral or letter/sound recognition, computation skills, or other discrete skills.

If you’ve decided that the skill or behavior you are targeting is best reflected as a percentage or numerical goal, answer the following questions to help write your IEP goal and aligned data-collection form.

What is the current baseline ? Conduct an assessment to determine where your student is currently. For example, can your student name any upper or lowercase letters?

After you’ve established your baseline, determine a realistic goal for the target skill . As with frequency and duration data, set reasonable expectations for your student based on the current baseline. If a student currently knows two of 26 uppercase letters, expecting them to learn all 26 upper and lowercase letters by the end of the year may not be realistic.

Finally, once you’ve set the target goal, decide how many times your student will need to perform that target to demonstrate mastery . Is mastery achieved if they consistently name all 26 letters five consecutive times or nine out of 10 measured trials? Consult with the entire IEP team to determine the level of mastery that makes sense for your student.

Isabelle will receptively identify (from a field of 3) 26 upper and 13 lowercase letters in 90% of at least 10 trials over a nine week period.

Levels of Support/Prompting Goals and Data Collection

Levels of support or prompting goals and data allow you to easily see incremental progress that a student makes toward acquiring a skill. Sometimes, growth may be steady but slow, and other data-collection strategies don’t capture their progress. When writing a level of support or prompting goal, you need to determine what levels of support or prompting (greatest to least support) you will give to the student. Here are examples:

• Hand over hand or physical prompt
• Modeling the skill
• Verbal prompt
• Gestural prompt
• Independence

You can vary these levels based on the needs of your individual student. When collecting the level of prompting data, you record the greatest level of support that you provided to elicit the target skill.

If you’ve decided that the skill or behavior you are targeting is best reflected as a level of support/prompting goal, answer the following questions to help write your IEP goal and aligned data-collection form.

What is the current baseline ? Conduct an assessment to determine your student’s current level. For example, can your student use a choice board to select a snack and ask for it with modeling or a verbal prompt?

After you’ve determined your baseline, determine your realistic goal for the target skill . Often the target is independence, but that may not be appropriate for your student. Instead, you may choose a greater amount of support like a gestural or verbal prompt as your target goal.

Finally, once you’ve set the target goal, decide how many times your student will need to perform that target to demonstrate mastery . Is mastery achieved if they independently make a choice and request a snack in four out of five trials or eight consecutive trials? Consult with the entire IEP team to determine the level of mastery that makes sense for your student.

When given a visual choice board, Fred will independently make a snack choice from a field of 3 and communicate a request to a teacher in at least 4 out of 5 trials over a nine week period.

Progress across Settings Goals and Data Collection

Finally, you might want to target a skill that is best measured by how that student generalizes it in different settings. For example, if you have been working with a student on asking for help, it might be useful to teach the skill and to collect data on how they perform it throughout the day in various settings. For many, skill generalization can be challenging, so collecting data to determine skill acquisition in different contexts is important.

If you’ve decided that the skill you are targeting is best reflected as a progress across settings goal, answer the following questions to help write your IEP goal and aligned data-collection form.

What is the current baseline ? Conduct an assessment to determine where your student is currently performing. For example, can they ask for help in any setting? Where are they most independent?

After you’ve determined your baseline, determine a realistic goal for the target skill . You may want to see your student generalize the skill to two to three other settings or contexts.

Finally, once you’ve set the target goal, decide how many times your student will need to perform that target in each setting to demonstrate mastery. Is mastery achieved if they independently ask for help five times in each of three settings? Consult with the entire IEP team to determine the level of mastery that makes sense for your student.

When given a visual support (i.e., a help picture card), Serena will independently ask for help during snack time, independent work, and at recess in at least 5 consecutive trials over a nine week period.

Writing measurable IEP goals and collecting data on them may feel daunting at first, but beginning with a couple of simple questions about the target goal and measure of success for your student can help point you in the right direction. From there, follow a systematic process to make sure you’ve included essential elements in the goal itself, and data collection becomes much less overwhelming and more meaningful for guiding instructional decisions and ensuring student success.

About the Author

Helen Fuller Tarkington is a special education teacher who has also worked as an autism specialist and educational consultant. She is a certified Advanced Consultant for the University of North Carolina's TEACCH Autism Program. Her blend of experiences as a practitioner, consultant and trainer has given her a unique perspective and interest in helping teachers efficiently and effectively implement evidence-based practices within the classroom. She holds an M.Ed in Special Education from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.

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IEP Goal Bank: 100 SMART Goals for Mid-Year

As we reach the halfway point of the school year, it's a crucial time to evaluate the progress of our students with disabilities and learning differences and update their Individualized Education Plan (IEPs) if needed. One of the most important aspects of an IEP is the setting of SMART goals.

What are SMART goals?

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. They provide a clear roadmap for student progress and help to ensure that all stakeholders are working towards the same objectives.

Why are IEP goals important?

IEP goals are important because they:

• Provide a clear focus for instruction and intervention
• Help to track student progress
• Guide decision-making about student placement and services
• Promote communication and collaboration between teachers, parents, and other professionals

100 SMART IEP Goals for Mid-Year:

To help you get started, here are 100 SMART IEP goals for students with disabilities and learning differences in elementary, middle, and high school, broken down by level:

Elementary School:

• Student will decode and read CVC words with 90% accuracy by the end of the semester.
• Student will identify and retell the main idea of a simple story with 80% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will answer comprehension questions about a non-fiction text with 75% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will use sound-symbol correspondence to spell familiar words with 85% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will read fluency passages with 90 words per minute with 95% accuracy by the end of the trimester.
• Student will write complete sentences with proper grammar and punctuation by the end of the semester.
• Student will write a five-paragraph essay with a clear topic sentence and supporting details by the end of the quarter.
• Student will use transition words and phrases to connect ideas in their writing with 80% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will edit and revise their writing for clarity and correctness with 90% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will complete daily writing prompts with 75% completion rate by the end of the trimester.
• Student will add and subtract single-digit numbers with 100% accuracy by the end of the semester.
• Student will count and identify objects up to 20 with 95% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will solve word problems involving addition and subtraction with 85% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will identify and understand basic geometric shapes with 90% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will write and solve simple equations with one variable with 80% accuracy by the end of the trimester.

Social Skills:

• Student will greet classmates and teachers with appropriate words and eye contact by the end of the semester.
• Student will take turns and share materials with others with 90% success rate by the end of the month.
• Student will participate in group activities and follow instructions with 85% success rate by the end of the quarter.
• Student will resolve conflicts with others peacefully and respectfully with 80% success rate by the end of the year.
• Student will ask for help when needed with 75% success rate by the end of the trimester.
• Student will dress themselves independently for school with 90% success rate by the end of the semester.
• Student will use the restroom independently with 85% success rate by the end of the month.
• Student will pack their backpack with necessary materials with 80% success rate by the end of the quarter.
• Student will manage their time effectively and complete tasks on time with 75% success rate by the end of the year.
• Student will identify and manage their emotions appropriately with 70% success rate by the end of the trimester.

Middle School:

• Student will identify and define vocabulary words in context with 90% accuracy by the end of the semester.
• Student will analyze and interpret the themes of a literary text with 85% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will compare and contrast characters and events in a story with 80% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will identify and analyze the author's purpose and style in a nonfiction text
• Student will write a persuasive essay with a clear thesis statement and supporting arguments by the end of the semester.
• Student will use proper grammar, punctuation, and mechanics in their writing with 95% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will cite sources correctly in a research paper using MLA or APA format by the end of the quarter.
• Student will revise and edit their writing for clarity and conciseness with 85% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will use technology to create and present written work effectively with 80% success rate by the end of the trimester.
• Student will solve multi-step equations with fractions and decimals with 90% accuracy by the end of the semester.
• Student will graph linear equations and interpret slopes and intercepts with 85% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will apply proportional reasoning to solve real-world problems with 80% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will calculate the area and volume of basic geometric shapes with 75% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will use technology to solve math problems and create visual representations with 70% success rate by the end of the trimester.
• Student will design and conduct a science experiment with a control group and variable manipulation by the end of the semester.
• Student will analyze and interpret data from experiments and draw evidence-based conclusions with 90% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will explain scientific concepts and principles using clear and concise language with 85% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will identify and describe the relationships between different scientific disciplines with 80% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will use technology to research scientific topics and create presentations with 75% success rate by the end of the trimester.
• Student will actively listen to others and respond appropriately in conversations with 90% success rate by the end of the semester.
• Student will respect the opinions and ideas of others even when they disagree with 85% success rate by the end of the month.
• Student will work effectively in teams to complete tasks and achieve goals with 80% success rate by the end of the quarter.
• Student will demonstrate leadership skills by taking initiative and motivating others with 75% success rate by the end of the year.
• Student will resolve conflicts peacefully and respectfully with a mediator if needed by the end of the trimester.

Self-Advocacy:

• Student will identify their learning strengths and weaknesses with 90% accuracy by the end of the semester.
• Student will ask for help and accommodations when needed with 85% success rate by the end of the month.
• Student will communicate their learning goals and progress to teachers and parents with 80% clarity by the end of the quarter.
• Student will advocate for their needs and rights in school settings with 75% success rate by the end of the year.
• Student will develop self-determination skills and make informed decisions about their education with 70% success rate by the end of the trimester.

High School:

• Student will analyze and interpret complex literary texts with 95% accuracy by the end of the semester.
• Student will identify and explain the use of literary devices such as symbolism and figurative language with 90% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will compare and contrast different versions of the same story or poem with 85% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will critically evaluate the author's message and purpose in a non-fiction text with 80% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will use annotated bibliographies to research and write academic papers with 75% accuracy by the end of the trimester.
• Student will write a research paper with a clear thesis statement, strong supporting evidence, and proper citation format by the end of the semester.
• Student will use a variety of writing styles and techniques to communicate effectively in different contexts with 95% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will edit and revise their writing for conciseness, clarity, and persuasiveness with 90% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will effectively use argumentative strategies to support their claims and counter opposing arguments with 85% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will create digital presentations and multimedia projects to communicate their ideas in an engaging way with 80% success rate by the end of the trimester.
• Student will solve complex equations and inequalities involving polynomials and radical expressions with 90% accuracy by the end of the semester.
• Student will apply mathematical concepts to solve real-world problems in various disciplines with 85% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will analyze and interpret data using statistical methods and draw evidence-based conclusions with 80% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will use advanced graphing techniques to represent and analyze mathematical relationships with 75% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will use technology to model complex mathematical concepts and create simulations with 70% success rate by the end of the trimester.
• Student will conduct independent research projects on a scientific topic of their interest with 95% success rate by the end of the semester.
• Student will design and conduct experiments to test scientific hypotheses with 90% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will analyze and interpret scientific data collected from various sources with 85% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will explain complex scientific concepts and principles using clear and concise language with 80% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will effectively communicate scientific findings through presentations, reports, and other media formats with 75% success rate by the end of the trimester.

Social Studies:

• Student will analyze and interpret historical events from multiple perspectives with 95% accuracy by the end of the semester.
• Student will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different historical interpretations with 90% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will identify and analyze the causes and consequences of major historical events with 85% accuracy by the end of the quarter.
• Student will compare and contrast different political and economic systems with 80% accuracy by the end of the year.
• Student will participate in class discussions and debates on social and political issues with 75% engagement rate by the end of the trimester.

Career Development:

• Student will identify and research potential career paths related to their interests and skills with 95% accuracy by the end of the semester.
• Student will develop a resume and cover letter highlighting their qualifications and experiences for job applications with 90% success rate by the end of the month.
• Student will complete informational interviews with professionals in their chosen field with 85% success rate by the end of the quarter.
• Student will develop a plan for achieving their career goals, including education and training requirements with 80% clarity by the end of the year.
• Student will participate in internship or job shadowing opportunities to gain practical experience in their chosen field with 75% success rate by the end of the trimester.

Independent Living:

• Student will prepare and cook balanced meals for themselves with 95% success rate by the end of the semester.
• Student will manage their finances effectively and budget their income and expenses with 90% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will plan and schedule their daily activities and appointments independently with 85% success rate by the end of the quarter.
• Student will use public transportation or other transportation options to travel safely and independently with 80% success rate by the end of the year.
• Student will advocate for their rights and responsibilities as a young adult with 75% success rate by the end of the trimester.

Transition Planning:

• Student will participate in transition planning meetings and actively contribute to their IEP goals and post-secondary plans with 95% engagement rate by the end of the semester.
• Student will identify and research potential post-secondary options, including colleges, vocational schools, or employment opportunities with 90% accuracy by the end of the month.
• Student will complete the necessary applications and admissions requirements for their chosen post-secondary program with 85% success rate by the end of the quarter.
• Student will develop self-advocacy skills and learn to navigate the post-secondary system independently with 80% success rate by the end of
• Student will connect with resources and support services available at their chosen post-secondary institution with 75% success rate by the end of the trimester.
• Student will develop a plan for accessing accommodations and services needed for success in their post-secondary program with 70% clarity by the end of the year.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL):

• Student will identify and manage their emotions effectively with 95% success rate by the end of the semester.
• Student will develop positive coping mechanisms and strategies to deal with stress and anxiety with 90% success rate by the end of the month.
• Student will build healthy relationships and demonstrate empathy and respect for others with 85% success rate by the end of the quarter.
• Student will make responsible decisions and demonstrate good judgment in various situations with 80% success rate by the end of the year.
• Student will develop self-awareness and understand their strengths and weaknesses with 75% accuracy by the end of the trimester.

Additional Tips:

• Involve students and their families in the goal-setting process.
• Use clear and concise language.
• Set goals that are challenging but achievable.
• Set deadlines for achieving goals.
• Monitor student progress regularly.
• Make adjustments to goals as needed.

By following these tips and using this IEP Goal Bank, you can help your students with disabilities reach their full potential.

Setting SMART goals is crucial for students with disabilities to achieve academic and personal growth. This IEP Goal Bank provides a valuable starting point for educators and parents to develop individualized goals tailored to each student's unique needs and capabilities. By collaborating with students and families, educators can create a roadmap for success and ensure that all students receive the support they need to thrive. Remember, the most important goal is not perfection, but progress. Celebrate each milestone and use setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth. With dedication and support, students with disabilities can overcome challenges and achieve their full potential.

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Maximize Special Education with the Ultimate IEP Goal Bank: Achieve Measurable Results

Struggling with IEP goals? Our IEP goal bank is your answer, offering SMART objectives ready to be tailored to your students’ IEPs. Here, you find the right mix of specificity and measurability to pave your students’ educational path.

Unlocking the Power of SMART IEP Goals

SMART IEP goals are the bridge that connects students’ diverse learning needs to their full potential for academic success. IEP Goals bolster the effectiveness of the IEP process. Diverse learning needs.

What are SMART IEP goals?

SMART IEP goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives that guide the educational journey of students with diverse learning needs.

Kindergarten.

Goal Bank - Kindergarten goals focus on a standards-aligned learning progression for both Math and ELA.​

Goal Bank - First grade goals focus on a standards-aligned learning progression for both Math and ELA.​

Goal Bank - Second grade goals focus on a standards-aligned learning progression for both Math and ELA.​

Goal Bank - Third grade goals focus on a standards-aligned learning progression for both Math and ELA.​

Goal Bank - Fourth grade goals focus on a standards-aligned learning progression for both Math and ELA.​

Goal Bank - Fifth grade goals focus on a standards-aligned learning progression for both Math and ELA.​

The Essence of Specificity in IEP Goals

The specificity of iep goals can be likened to the lens of a telescope. it brings the stars closer, making them appear clearer and more attainable. in the context of ieps, specificity brings clarity to the education process, facilitating clear communication among all stakeholders involved in the education process, from educators and parents to the students themselves., this specificity allows for targeted intervention strategies, which are crucial for addressing the unique needs of each student. for instance, if a student struggles with initiating a conversation with peers, a specific goal might involve providing a verbal prompt to assist them. this specific goal creates a direct pathway to address the particular objectives outlined in the iep., moreover, specificity in iep goals enables precise measurement of progress, ultimately enhancing the engagement of parents in the iep process. when parents understand the goals their child is working towards, they are more likely to be actively involved in their child’s education, further enhancing the support system for the student’s educational progress., iep goal bank for middle school.

With a free account, you can easily print your favorite goals with just one click! We are thrilled to see that more than 55,000 special education teachers use our website every month to find IEP goals and aligned teaching materials.

Goal Bank - Sixth grade goals focus on a standards-aligned learning progression for both Math and ELA.​

Goal Bank - Seventh grade goals focus on a standards-aligned learning progression for both Math and ELA.​

Goal Bank - Eighth grade goals focus on a standards-aligned learning progression for both Math and ELA.​

General Education Curriculum Focused IEPS

When a child has been identified as having a disability, the first step in creating their Individualized Education Program (IEP) is to evaluate the child's disability and assess the child's present levels.

Comprehensive free IEP goal bank to support students

Our Comprehensive IEP goal bank supports students' diverse learning needs by providing pre-written goals is three major academic areas as well as communication, language development, and social skills growth.

Making IEP Goals Measurable

The adage, ‘What gets measured, gets managed,’ is particularly applicable in the context of IEP goals. When goals are measurable, they become more than mere aspirations. They become concrete objectives that can be tracked, managed, and adjusted as necessary.

Measurable IEP goals express objectives in quantifiable terms, define success criteria, and identify baselines and target levels using the IEP goal formula. For example, a goal might involve a student being able to answer WH questions with a specific level of accuracy within a certain time frame.

To ensure the efficacy of these measurable goals, a data collection plan is crucial. This plan outlines the tools and frequency of data collection and analysis, providing a structured method for tracking progress over time. With this system in place, educators and parents can objectively assess a student’s performance over time, ensuring that the student is on the right track towards achieving their IEP goals.

Aligning Goals with Individual Capabilities

Creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment hinges on aligning IEP goals with the capabilities of each student. This approach goes beyond merely setting goals; it’s about understanding the student’s abilities, skills, and areas of need, and then tailoring the goals to suit these unique factors.

This process involves considering the student’s preferred learning styles, interests, and motivators when developing goals. For example, if a student has a strong interest in art, an IEP goal could involve using picture cues to make learning more engaging and accessible for them.

Moreover, engaging the student and parents in the goal-setting process ensures that the IEP goals are not only appropriate but also resonate with the student’s aspirations. By setting realistic expectations and differentiating instructional strategies, the IEP goals can be aligned with the student’s capabilities, nurturing their growth and potential.

Perfect IEP Team Meeting Data Tracking

Teach tastic designed short-term objectives are used to measure progress on annual goals in eight-week or quarterly intervals..

Comprehensive IEP Goal Bank: A Resource for Every Need

Social Skills and Emotional Growth

IEP goals for social skills and emotional growth focus on fostering positive peer interactions and emotional well-being. These goals can include:

Improving emotional regulation and self-control

Fostering empathy and perspective-taking abilities

Developing effective communication skills

Building and maintaining positive relationships

Resolving conflicts in a peaceful manner

Demonstrating appropriate social behavior in different settings  

Imagine never worrying about finding materials that do not align with your student's IEP goals again!

After using TeachTastic Publishing's line of IEP Goal Driven Teaching Materials, imagine a future where you no longer have to spend hours searching for appropriate teaching materials that align with your student's learning goals. Instead, you can easily find differentiated and scaffolded materials that are formatted for easy iep goal data tracking and standards-aligned for general education progression.

Imagine never having the difficult task of finding materials that align with your student's IEP goals again! IEP Goal Bank

IEP Goal Vault

Our smart goals and objectives bank is perfect for special education teachers who are looking for standards-based content to help them excel in the classroom.

Teaching Resources

With intentional IEP goals as a foundation, our extensive library of teaching materials will help you be able to find the right resources for your students and save valuable time in the process.

Special Education Lesson Plans

Our line of special education lesson plans provides scaffolded and differentiated teaching materials that are aligned with IEP standards, so you can plant the seeds for success from day one!

Special Education jobs just got easier!

Special Ed is the hardest position in any school district. Special Education teachers are responsible for ensuring that all students with disabilities make progress. Progress, in general, is not that difficult but when faced with state standards and creating well written smart ieps there needs to be a lot more thought. This is where TeachTastic iep can help.

With our state standards aligned IEP goal workbooks and teaching materials, every special education teacher will be expertly prepared for an iep meeting. articulate their needs, set goals, and create action plans that are realistic and achievable.

Comprehensive iep goal banks: a resource for every need.

In the realm of special education, one size does not fit all. Each child is unique, with their strengths, challenges, and learning styles. Comprehensive free IEP goal bank caters to this diversity, offering a rich resource for educators to find goals and objectives that align with their students’ unique needs.

These goal banks, also known as a goal bank, provide pre-written goals that cater to various areas of development, from communication and language development to academic excellence and social skills growth. Whether it’s improving reading comprehension, enhancing mathematical problem-solving skills, or fostering positive social interactions, these goal banks have a resource for every need.

Additionally, these goal banks undergo regular updates, guaranteeing that educators can access the most recent and efficacious goals for enhancing their students’ learning journey. With these resources, educators can create a roadmap for success that is as unique as the students they serve, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.  IEP Goal Bank

Communication and Language Development

These goals range from improving vocabulary and word retrieval skills to enhancing sentence structure and grammar. For example, an IEP goal might involve a student being able to describe two objects using a verbal cue or a picture cue. These goals ensure that students are equipped with the necessary communication tools to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas effectively.

While academic excellence is important, it’s not the only measure of success. Social skills and emotional growth play a crucial role in a student’s overall development, shaping their ability to form relationships, navigate social situations, and manage their emotions.

IEP goals for social skills and emotional growth focus on fostering positive peer interactions and emotional well-being.

Demonstrating appropriate social behavior in different settings

For instance, an IEP goal might involve a student being able to identify and manage their emotions in a healthy way.

In addition, these goals take into account the student’s age and developmental stage. This ensures that the objectives are appropriate and achievable, setting the stage for the student’s successful social and emotional development.

Academic Excellence Across Subjects

These goals are designed to address individual needs in each subject area within the general education curriculum, including:

improving reading comprehension and answering questions accurately in English

employing mathematical strategies in Math

identifying and describing two objects using appropriate grade-level vocabulary to address spatial concepts in Math

Furthermore, these goals extend beyond traditional academic subjects. They also address other essential skills, such as social skills and emotional growth. By focusing on the holistic development of the student, these IEP goals ensure that students are equipped with all the skills they need to succeed not just in school, but in life.

Tailoring IEP Goals to Specific Learning Challenges

Every student with a learning disability has unique challenges and strengths. To address these unique needs, IEP goals need to be tailored to specific learning challenges such as dyslexia, ADHD, and autism. These custom goals provide targeted objectives and structured activities to address the specific challenges faced by these students.

For instance, for a student with dyslexia, an IEP goal might involve improving reading fluency or enhancing reading comprehension. Similarly, for a student with ADHD, an IEP goal might involve improving focus and organization through structured activities. And for a student with autism, an IEP goal might focus on improving social interaction and communication skills.

By tailoring IEP goals to specific learning challenges, educators can provide more effective support and enhance educational outcomes for these students.

Structured Activity Goals for ADHD Management

For students with ADHD, structured activities offer significant benefits by aiding in the development of essential skills such as:

organization

time management

prioritizing

impulse control

IEP goals for ADHD management focus on improving these skills through structured activities. For instance, a goal might involve a student being able to complete a difficult task with minimal distractions or maintain focus for a specific period of time.

To ensure the efficacy of these goals, regular and systematic review of a child’s progress is crucial. By monitoring and documenting the student’s progress, educators can ensure that the student is making progress towards their goals and make necessary adjustments as needed.

Autism-Focused Objectives for Enhanced Interaction

For students with autism, developing social interaction and communication skills can be particularly challenging. To address these challenges, autism-focused IEP goals aim to enhance these skills.

These goals focus on improving social communication skills, including:

Understanding and using nonverbal cues effectively

Responding appropriately in social situations

Initiating and maintaining a conversation with a peer

Responding appropriately to a verbal question

Moreover, these goals also consider the unique learning styles and interests of students with autism. By incorporating visual aids and structured activities, educators can effectively engage these students and enhance their learning experience.

Addressing the Unique Needs of Students with Dyslexia

Students with dyslexia often encounter difficulties in areas such as reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, and language skills. To address these challenges, IEP goals for students with dyslexia focus on enhancing reading and writing skills. These goals may involve improving reading fluency, enhancing reading comprehension, and fostering phonemic awareness. For example, a specific goal could involve reading text at the appropriate grade level with a designated level of precision, enhancing reading fluency by a specific number of words per minute, or mastering particular phonological awareness abilities.

Additionally, these goals also consider the unique learning styles and interests of students with dyslexia. By incorporating multi-sensory teaching methods, educators can effectively engage these students and enhance their learning experience.

Incorporating Assistive Technology in IEP Goals

In the digital age, technology has become an essential tool for learning. For students with disabilities, assistive technology can play a crucial role in supporting their communication, learning, and accessibility.

Assistive technology provides tools and devices that can improve reading and writing skills, enhance communication, and support learning across various subjects. For instance, text-to-speech software can assist students with reading challenges, while speech-to-text software can support students with writing difficulties.

Beyond merely offering tools, assistive technology also involves equipping educators with the knowledge to use these tools effectively in supporting their students. By providing professional development for educators in areas such as assistive technology and differentiated instruction, schools can ensure that all students have the tools and support they need to succeed.

Strategies for Tracking and Assessing IEP Goal Progress

The journey towards achieving IEP goals is not a one-time event but a continuous process. To ensure that students are on the right track, it’s crucial to implement strategies for tracking and assessing IEP goal progress.

These strategies include using data logs and progress reports. Data logs provide a systematic approach to collecting and organizing data, ensuring accurate documentation of a student’s progress. On the other hand, progress reports provide a comprehensive overview of a student’s progress, including a detailed breakdown of each IEP goal, a graphical representation of student progress, and a summary detailing the student’s progress.

In addition, these strategies incorporate collaborative reviews with the IEP team. By working together, the team can:

Evaluate progress

Make necessary adjustments to goals and strategies

Ensure that the student receives the necessary support to achieve their IEP goals.

Utilizing Data Logs and Progress Reports

Data logs and progress reports are crucial tools for monitoring IEP goal progress. By providing a systematic and uniform approach to collecting and organizing data, these tools ensure accurate and objective documentation of a student’s progress.

Data logs should include:

Quantifiable IEP goals and objectives

Observations

Work samples

Tests relevant to the goal being monitored

This ensures that the data is clear and the log is easily navigable.

On the other hand, progress reports provide a comprehensive overview of a student’s progress. These reports should include:

A detailed breakdown of each IEP goal

A graphical representation of student progress

A comprehensive log of collected data points

A summary detailing the student’s progress

By regularly reviewing these logs and reports, educators can ensure that students are making progress towards their goals and make necessary adjustments as needed.

Ensuring Equal Access Through Appropriate Goals

In the realm of special education, equality is not about providing the same resources to all students; it’s about ensuring that all students have the tools and support they need to succeed. By developing appropriate and measurable IEP goals, educators can ensure equal access and opportunities for students with disabilities.

These goals are aligned with academic standards, provide a roadmap for student growth, and customize supports and accommodations to individual needs. For instance, accommodations under Section 504 aim to eliminate barriers to a student’s access to full participation in school activities and provide equal opportunities.

Additionally, by including all stakeholders in the IEP process - educators, parents, and students - these goals ensure a comprehensive consideration of all perspectives and needs. This collaborative approach ensures that all students, regardless of their unique abilities and challenges, have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an IEP goal bank?

An IEP goal bank is a resource designed to help users locate specific academic or behavioral goals used in special education software. It allows users to find individual goals within specific content areas and strands.

What is an example of a good IEP goal?

A good example of an IEP goal is: "The student will improve working memory skills by being able to remember and follow multi-step directions in 80% of classroom tasks." This goal is specific and clearly defines the desired skill or behavior.

What is the IEP goal for managing money?

The IEP goal for managing money is for the student to determine if they can purchase an item based on its cost and their budget, with 80% accuracy, in 4 out of 5 opportunities, by month, year.

SMART IEP goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives that guide the educational journey of students with diverse learning needs. These goals help ensure a targeted and effective approach to education for each student.

How do comprehensive IEP goal banks support students' unique learning needs by grade level?

Comprehensive IEP goal banks support students' unique learning needs by providing a variety of pre-written goals covering different developmental areas. These goals cater to communication, language development, academics, and social skills growth, ensuring a well-rounded approach to individualized education.

IEP Goal Formula

Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals ensures students have clear benchmarks for success. 

Description: Specify the target date by which the goal should be achieved.

As Measured By

Detail the method or tool used to measure the student’s progress toward the goal.

Student Will

Clearly define what the student is expected to accomplish.

Accuracy Level

State the proficiency standard or accuracy rate the student is expected to achieve.

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