Functional domain
Pragmatic / Social Communication IEP goals
Pragmatic goals target how a student uses language with other people: taking turns, staying on topic, reading cues, repairing breakdowns and adjusting to the listener. These goals should be measured in real interactions with peers, not only with the adult who teaches the skill, using counts of specific observable behaviors.
Common measurability defects
- Writing "will improve social skills" or "will have appropriate conversations" without defining the target behavior or the setting.
- Measuring only in structured sessions with the SLP, which shows the student can perform the skill but not that peers ever see it.
- Using adult judgment of whether a conversation "went well" instead of counting turns, topic shifts or repairs.
- 01Grades K-2Autism
Baseline
In kindergarten, during a 10-minute structured turn-taking game with one peer, takes 2 reciprocal turns on average before leaving the activity, and responds to the peer's name call or bid for attention in 3 of 10 opportunities.
Annual goal
By [annual review date], during a 10-minute structured game or play activity with a peer, the student will take at least 6 reciprocal turns and respond to the peer's bids for attention (look, answer or act) in at least 8 of 10 opportunities on 4 of 5 consecutive weekly observations.
Measured by: Weekly 10-minute observations during centers or recess, recorded by the SLP or special education teacher on an event-recording sheet (turns and responses to peer bids). Graphed and reported each grading period.
Short-term objectives
- By the end of the first grading period, the student will take 3 reciprocal turns with an adult cue card and respond to 5 of 10 peer bids.
- By the end of the second grading period, the student will take 4 reciprocal turns and respond to 6 of 10 peer bids.
- By the end of the third grading period, the student will take 5 reciprocal turns without the cue card and respond to 7 of 10 peer bids.
- 02Grades K-2Speech/Language
Baseline
In 2nd grade, during a 5-minute conversation with a peer, maintains a peer-chosen topic for 1 contingent turn before shifting to an unrelated topic, averaging 4 abrupt topic shifts per conversation.
Annual goal
By [annual review date], during a 5-minute conversation with a peer on a peer-chosen or teacher-given topic, the student will maintain the topic for at least 4 contingent turns and make no more than 1 abrupt topic shift, on 4 of 5 consecutive weekly observations.
Measured by: Weekly recorded 5-minute peer conversations during social communication group or lunch, coded by the SLP for contingent turns and abrupt topic shifts. Graphed and reported each grading period.
Short-term objectives
- By the end of the first grading period, the student will maintain a topic for 2 contingent turns with a visual topic card.
- By the end of the second grading period, the student will maintain a topic for 3 contingent turns and make no more than 2 abrupt shifts.
- By the end of the third grading period, the student will maintain a topic for 4 contingent turns with the topic card faded.
- 03Grades 3-5Autism
Baseline
In 4th grade, when shown 10 short video clips of peer interactions, correctly identifies a character's feeling from facial expression and body language in 4 of 10 and states a likely thought or reason in 2 of 10.
Annual goal
By [annual review date], given 10 unfamiliar video clips or live role-plays of peer interactions, the student will identify each person's feeling from nonverbal cues, name the cue and state a likely thought or reason in at least 8 of 10 scenarios on 3 consecutive biweekly probes.
Measured by: Biweekly 10-scenario probes using clips and role-plays not used in instruction, scored by the SLP for feeling, cue and reason (all 3 required). Monthly classroom observation of responses to peer nonverbal cues. Graphed and reported each grading period.
Short-term objectives
- By the end of the first grading period, the student will identify feelings and name the cue in 6 of 10 scenarios.
- By the end of the second grading period, the student will identify feeling, cue and reason in 5 of 10 scenarios.
- By the end of the third grading period, the student will identify feeling, cue and reason in 7 of 10 scenarios.
- 04Grades 3-5OHI
Baseline
In 5th grade, interrupts the teacher or peers an average of 9 times during a 30-minute small-group lesson (median of 5 observations). Raises hand and waits on about 10% of opportunities.
Annual goal
By [annual review date], during 30-minute small-group and whole-class lessons, the student will wait for a pause or raise a hand before speaking, reducing interruptions to 2 or fewer per 30-minute observation on 4 of 5 consecutive weekly observations.
Measured by: Weekly 30-minute frequency counts of interruptions and hand raises by the special education teacher or paraprofessional, with the student self-recording on a tally card each grading period. Graphed and reported each grading period.
Short-term objectives
- By the end of the first grading period, the student will interrupt 6 or fewer times per 30 minutes on 3 of 5 observations.
- By the end of the second grading period, the student will interrupt 4 or fewer times per 30 minutes on 3 of 5 observations.
- By the end of the third grading period, the student will interrupt 3 or fewer times per 30 minutes and self-record with 80% agreement.
- 05Grades 6-8Autism
Baseline
In 8th grade, during a 10-minute lunch conversation with 2 peers, asks 0 follow-up questions about peers' topics and repairs 1 of 5 observed communication breakdowns (peer confusion, ignored comment).
Annual goal
By [annual review date], during a 10-minute unstructured lunch or advisory conversation with peers, the student will ask at least 3 follow-up questions related to a peer's topic and repair at least 4 of 5 communication breakdowns by rephrasing, adding information or checking understanding, on 4 of 5 consecutive weekly observations.
Measured by: Weekly 10-minute observations in the cafeteria or advisory by the SLP or a trained paraprofessional, coded on an event-recording sheet. Peer feedback form collected monthly. Graphed and reported each grading period.
Short-term objectives
- By the end of the first grading period, the student will ask 1 follow-up question and repair 2 of 5 breakdowns per observation.
- By the end of the second grading period, the student will ask 2 follow-up questions and repair 3 of 5 breakdowns per observation.
- By the end of the third grading period, the student will ask 3 follow-up questions on 3 of 5 observations and repair 3 of 5 breakdowns.
- 06Grades 9-12Autism
Baseline
In 11th grade, emails to teachers and a job-site supervisor score 3 of 10 on a register checklist (greeting, clear request, polite tone, no slang, closing). Uses the same casual register with adults as with peers.
Annual goal
By [annual review date], when writing emails or making requests to teachers, employers or community staff, the student will use a formal register that scores at least 9 of 10 on the register checklist on 4 of 5 consecutive weekly samples, and will switch to an informal register with peers when appropriate.
Measured by: Weekly authentic communication samples (emails, recorded requests, work-based learning messages) scored by the SLP or transition coordinator on a 10-point register checklist. Graphed and reported each grading period.
Short-term objectives
- By the end of the first grading period, the student will score 6 of 10 on the checklist using an email template on 3 of 5 samples.
- By the end of the second grading period, the student will score 8 of 10 with the template on 3 of 5 samples.
- By the end of the third grading period, the student will score 8 of 10 without the template on 4 of 5 samples.
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