Ask about an unfamiliar word
When to use this goal
For students who skip over words they do not know and lose meaning, often without noticing. Asking about a word is a self-advocacy habit for vocabulary. Fit depends on present levels showing frequent unknown words in class text, not grade.
- Baseline
- Count questions about word meaning, not other questions. Check whether there were unknown words to ask about: give a quick oral check of five words afterward. A student who asks nothing but knows every word does not need this goal.
- Tips
- Praise the question itself. In larger classes, a sticky note or a word parking lot lets the student flag words without interrupting. Students who use AAC can program a what-does-it-mean button.
- Limits
- The count depends on how many unknown words the text holds. Some students ask about every word to avoid reading; look at the pattern.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID rd-voc-027.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute small-group reading lesson with an instructional-level text, the student will ask about the meaning of an unfamiliar word by saying, writing, or signaling the word and asking what it means independently at least 3 times per 20-minute reading lesson, on 4 of 5 observed lessons, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.
Baseline: 0 times per 20-minute reading lesson.
- Condition
- Observable behavior
- Criterion
- Measurement method
Measurability check11 of 11 met
Met: Observable behavior. Stated as an action.
Met: Condition. Stated.
Met: Unit fits the behavior. Frequency fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Frequency (event) recording gives frequency data.
Met: Review timeframe. Stated.
Met: Baseline and target compatible. Same unit, change in the right direction.
Met: Aligned with area of need. Still about Vocabulary.
Met: Level of support. Defined.
Met: Blanks filled in. Nothing left to fill in.
Checks structure and wording only. Whether the goal fits the student is the team's call.
Short-term objectives (optional)
When are objectives required?Required for students on alternate assessments (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)); some states require them for everyone.
Paste into your IEP system
Most district systems have a separate box for each part of a goal. Copy them one at a time, or all at once as labeled text.
- Area of need
- Reading - Vocabulary
- Baseline
- 0 times per 20-minute reading lesson.
- Annual goal386 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute small-group reading lesson with an instructional-level text, the student will ask about the meaning of an unfamiliar word by saying, writing, or signaling the word and asking what it means independently at least 3 times per 20-minute reading lesson, on 4 of 5 observed lessons, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- During a 20-minute small-group reading lesson with an instructional-level text
- Behavior
- The student will ask about the meaning of an unfamiliar word by saying, writing, or signaling the word and asking what it means independently
- Criteria
- At least 3 times per 20-minute reading lesson, on 4 of 5 observed lessons
- Evaluation method
- Frequency recording
- Schedule
- Twice weekly
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Frequency & rate tracker. Records the count and the observation length.
Frequency & rate tracker
Frequency- Student label:
- Target:
- at least 3 times per 20-minute reading lesson
- Mastery rule:
- on 4 of 5 observed lessons
- Collection schedule:
- twice weekly
- Method:
- Frequency (event) recording
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute small-group reading lesson with an instructional-level text, the student will ask about the meaning of an unfamiliar word by saying, writing, or signaling the word and asking what it means independently at least 3 times per 20-minute reading lesson, on 4 of 5 observed lessons, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.
| Date | Observation period (start–end) | Minutes observed | Activity / context | Count (tally) | Rate per minutecount ÷ minutes (only if periods vary) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Count each occurrence of the defined behavior per 20-minute reading lesson.
- Keep the observation length the same each session. If it varies, compare rate per minute, not raw counts.
- Write the behavior definition at the top of the sheet so all data collectors count the same thing.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets, with formulas. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.