Replace an unhelpful thought before speaking
When to use this goal
For older students who stutter whose worry before speaking ("Everyone will laugh", "I'll get stuck") leads to avoidance, and who want a way to talk back to those thoughts. Base the choice on interview and attitude ratings. Coordinate with a school counselor when worry is strong.
- Baseline
- Talk through recent hard situations and what the student was thinking beforehand. Build a list of their own helpful thoughts.
- Tips
- Each planned situation is one opportunity; score correct when the student names both thoughts. Thoughts are the student's own words, not slogans. The goal is about speaking anyway, not about removing worry.
- Limits
- Relies on self-report. Persistent anxiety may need counseling support beyond speech services.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID sl-flu-031.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, before a planned speaking situation the student chose for the week, the student will name the unhelpful thought and say or write a helpful thought they chose (such as "Stuttering is okay. What I say matters.") before speaking independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 2 consecutive months, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Baseline: 1 of 5 opportunities.
- 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. Opportunities fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Opportunity (trial) recording gives opportunities 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 Speech Fluency (Stuttering).
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
- Speech & Language - Speech Fluency (Stuttering)
- Baseline
- 1 of 5 opportunities.
- Annual goal398 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, before a planned speaking situation the student chose for the week, the student will name the unhelpful thought and say or write a helpful thought they chose (such as "Stuttering is okay. What I say matters.") before speaking independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 2 consecutive months, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- Before a planned speaking situation the student chose for the week
- Behavior
- The student will name the unhelpful thought and say or write a helpful thought they chose (such as "Stuttering is okay. What I say matters.") before speaking independently
- Criteria
- In at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 2 consecutive months
- Evaluation method
- Opportunity-by-opportunity data
- Schedule
- Weekly
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Opportunity tracker. One box per opportunity in each session.
Opportunity tracker
Opportunities- Student label:
- Target:
- in at least 4 of 5 opportunities
- Mastery rule:
- across 2 consecutive months
- Collection schedule:
- weekly
- Method:
- Opportunity (trial) recording
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, before a planned speaking situation the student chose for the week, the student will name the unhelpful thought and say or write a helpful thought they chose (such as "Stuttering is okay. What I say matters.") before speaking independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 2 consecutive months, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Key: + demonstrated independently · P demonstrated with a prompt (note type) · − not demonstrated · NA no opportunity occurred
| Date | Activity / context | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | # + (of 5) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Record up to 5 opportunities per session, matching the goal's denominator.
- Define in advance what counts as an opportunity so every data collector records the same thing.
- Count only + marks toward the criterion unless the goal specifies prompted responses.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets, with formulas. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.