IEP reading goals
Vocabulary IEP goals
6 example goals for vocabulary, each with a condition, behavior, criterion, measure and time frame.
Short answer
A vocabulary goal names the words or word parts taught, what the student does with them, and a criterion such as 8 of 10 words. Tasks include explaining a meaning, using the word in a sentence, or working out a new word. Measure on taught words and on new words.
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 vocabulary goal make sense?
Vocabulary is the knowledge of what words mean, and it limits comprehension as soon as decoding is in place. A student who reads "the colonists were reluctant" perfectly but doesn't know "reluctant" has decoded the sentence and missed it.
Two kinds of goal work well. One covers taught words: the student learns a set of words from class texts and shows they know them. The other covers strategies: using prefixes, suffixes, roots and context to work out words that weren't taught. The second kind generalizes better, so most teams include one of each.
Make the measure ask for more than a match. Explaining the word, using it in a new sentence, or picking the right word for a blank shows real knowledge.
Example vocabulary goals
By the annual review, given 10 words taught from class read-alouds, the student will explain each word's meaning in their own words with 8 of 10 acceptable on 3 consecutive probes, measured by an oral vocabulary check scored with a key.
- Condition
- Given 10 words taught from class read-alouds
- Behavior
- Explain each word's meaning in their own words
- Criterion
- With 8 of 10 acceptable on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- An oral vocabulary check scored with a key
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, given 10 taught words, the student will use each word correctly in a new spoken or written sentence for 8 of 10 words on 3 consecutive probes, measured by a sentence task scored with a rubric.
- Condition
- Given 10 taught words
- Behavior
- Use each word correctly in a new spoken or written sentence
- Criterion
- For 8 of 10 words on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- A sentence task scored with a rubric
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, given 10 unfamiliar words with taught prefixes such as un-, re-, pre- and dis-, the student will explain the meaning using the prefix for 8 of 10 words on 3 consecutive probes, measured by a word parts task.
- Condition
- Given 10 unfamiliar words with taught prefixes such as un-, re-, pre- and dis-
- Behavior
- Explain the meaning using the prefix
- Criterion
- For 8 of 10 words on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- A word parts task
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, given 10 unfamiliar words with taught Latin or Greek roots, the student will explain the meaning using the root and affixes for 7 of 10 words on 3 consecutive probes, measured by a word parts task.
- Condition
- Given 10 unfamiliar words with taught Latin or Greek roots
- Behavior
- Explain the meaning using the root and affixes
- Criterion
- For 7 of 10 words on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- A word parts task
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, given 10 sentences with an unfamiliar word and a context clue, the student will state the word's meaning and the clue used for 8 of 10 sentences on 3 consecutive probes, measured by a context clue task.
- Condition
- Given 10 sentences with an unfamiliar word and a context clue
- Behavior
- State the word's meaning and the clue used
- Criterion
- For 8 of 10 sentences on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- A context clue task
- Time frame
- By the annual review
By the annual review, given a set of 12 taught words, the student will sort them into categories and explain each choice with 10 of 12 sorted and explained correctly on 3 consecutive probes, measured by a word sort task.
- Condition
- Given a set of 12 taught words
- Behavior
- Sort them into categories and explain each choice
- Criterion
- With 10 of 12 sorted and explained correctly on 3 consecutive probes
- Measure
- A word sort task
- Time frame
- By the annual review
From baseline to target: a worked example
A fifth grader decodes grade 5 text at 97% accuracy but scores 3 of 10 on a check of words taught in science and social studies. He can't use word parts; "preview" and "review" are both "looking at something".
The team writes two goals: 8 of 10 taught words explained and used in a sentence, and 8 of 10 new words with taught prefixes explained. The teacher pre-teaches five words a week from class texts and adds a ten-minute word parts routine three times a week.
Short-term objectives
- By the end of the first grading period, the student will explain the meaning of the prefixes un-, re- and pre- with 3 of 3 correct.
- By the end of the second grading period, the student will explain new words with taught prefixes on 6 of 10 items.
- By the end of the third grading period, the student will explain new words with taught prefixes on 7 of 10 items.
How do you measure progress?
- For taught words, check words from the past two to four weeks, as well as this week's, so you see retention.
- For strategy goals, use words that were not taught, built from taught parts.
- Score explanations with a key of acceptable meanings. A synonym or a clear example counts.
Common mistakes
- Measuring by matching words to definitions on a worksheet; the student can guess by elimination.
- Choosing words the student will rarely meet. Pick words from the texts the student reads in class.
- Teaching lists of words with no connection to texts or to each other.