IEP reading goals
Inferential comprehension IEP goals
6 example goals for inferential comprehension, each with a condition, behavior, criterion, measure and time frame.
Short answer
An inferential comprehension goal says the student will answer questions whose answers are not stated in the text, such as why a character acted or what will happen next. The student backs each answer with a detail from the text, for example on 4 of 5 questions.
These are example goals for discussion. Each student's goals are written by the IEP team from that student's own assessment data. This page is not legal advice.
When does a inferential comprehension goal make sense?
Inference is putting what the text says together with what the student already knows. The text says "Sam grabbed his umbrella"; the reader infers it's raining. Most reading questions past second grade ask for this, and many students who handle literal questions stall here.
The key part of an inference goal is evidence. "Because I think so" isn't an inference. A good goal asks the student to answer and point to the words that led them there, which makes the thinking visible and scoreable.
Write this goal after literal comprehension is reasonably secure at the same text level. If the student can't retell the story, start with the literal comprehension goal.
Example inferential comprehension goals
By the annual review, after reading a story at their instructional level, the student will answer "why" questions about a character's actions, naming a supporting detail, for 4 of 5 questions on 3 consecutive probes, measured by a scoring key.
- Condition
- After reading a story at their instructional level
- Behavior
- Answer "why" questions about a character's actions, naming a supporting detail,
- Criterion
- For 4 of 5 questions on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- A scoring key
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, while reading a story and stopping at set points, the student will predict what happens next and give a reason from the text for 3 of 4 predictions on 3 consecutive probes, measured by a prediction log.
- Condition
- While reading a story and stopping at set points
- Behavior
- Predict what happens next and give a reason from the text
- Criterion
- For 3 of 4 predictions on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- A prediction log
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, after reading a story at their instructional level, the student will describe how a character feels and quote the words that show it for 4 of 5 questions on 3 consecutive probes, measured by a scoring key.
- Condition
- After reading a story at their instructional level
- Behavior
- Describe how a character feels and quote the words that show it
- Criterion
- For 4 of 5 questions on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- A scoring key
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, given a short informational text, the student will state whether the author wants to inform, persuade or entertain, with one reason for 4 of 5 texts on 3 consecutive probes, measured by an author's purpose task.
- Condition
- Given a short informational text
- Behavior
- State whether the author wants to inform, persuade or entertain, with one reason
- Criterion
- For 4 of 5 texts on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- An author's purpose task
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, after reading a grade-level passage, the student will answer inference questions in writing with one piece of text evidence scoring 2 of 2 on a short-answer rubric for 4 of 5 questions, measured by a short-answer rubric.
- Condition
- After reading a grade-level passage
- Behavior
- Answer inference questions in writing with one piece of text evidence
- Criterion
- Scoring 2 of 2 on a short-answer rubric for 4 of 5 questions
- Measure
- A short-answer rubric
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, given a grade-level passage with an unfamiliar word, the student will work out the word's meaning from context and explain the clue for 4 of 5 words on 3 consecutive probes, measured by a context clue task.
- Condition
- Given a grade-level passage with an unfamiliar word
- Behavior
- Work out the word's meaning from context and explain the clue
- Criterion
- For 4 of 5 words on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- A context clue task
- Time frame
- By the annual review
From baseline to target: a worked example
A fourth grader answers 5 of 5 literal questions on grade 3 text but 1 of 5 inference questions. Asked why a character hid the broken vase, she says "because she did" or retells the event.
The team writes a goal of 4 of 5 inference questions with a supporting detail. The teacher models thinking aloud ("The text says her face turned red. When does my face turn red? So she might be embarrassed.") and gives sentence starters: "I think ___ because the text says ___."
Short-term objectives
- By the end of the first grading period, the student will answer "why" questions about a character on 2 of 5 items with a supporting detail.
- By the end of the second grading period, the student will answer inference questions on 3 of 5 items with a supporting detail.
- By the end of the third grading period, the student will answer inference questions on 4 of 5 items with a supporting detail.
How do you measure progress?
- Write questions whose answers are not stated in one sentence, and a scoring key with acceptable answers and evidence.
- Score the answer and the evidence separately at first. Many students get the answer right but can't point to why.
- Keep the text level steady across probes so a change in score reflects the skill.
Common mistakes
- Accepting answers with no link to the text.
- Measuring inference on text the student can't read accurately.
- Asking only about feelings. Include cause and effect, prediction and word meaning too.