Produce the contrast in minimal pairs so a listener picks the right word
Live goal preview
By the annual IEP review date, given a set of 20 minimal-pair picture cards that contrast the student's error pattern with the target (e.g., tea/key, bow/boat, sun/ton), the student will name the picture the listener should select, producing the target contrast so the listener selects the intended picture independently with at least 80% accuracy on minimal-pair productions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Baseline: 40% accuracy.
- Condition
- Observable behavior
- Criterion
- Measurement method
Measurability check10 of 10 met
All structural checks are met.
Met: Observable behavior. The behavior is stated as an action.
Met: Condition. The goal states when or under what conditions the behavior occurs.
Met: Unit fits the behavior. Percent accuracy is a reasonable way to quantify this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. The success criterion is stated with a number and unit.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Mastery rule and collection schedule are stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Opportunity (trial) recording can produce percent accuracy data.
Met: Review timeframe. The goal includes a timeframe.
Met: Baseline and target compatible. Baseline and target use the same unit and show change in the intended direction.
Met: Aligned with area of need. The wording still relates to Phonological Processes.
Met: Level of support. The level of support is defined.
What this checks: the goal's structure and wording, using fixed rules: observable behavior, condition, criterion, method, mastery rule, timeframe, baseline/target consistency, and support. It can't judge whether the goal is appropriate, ambitious enough, or legally sufficient for a particular student. That requires assessment data and the IEP team.
About this template
- Level guidance
- For young students whose phonological pattern makes words sound the same ("tea" and "key"). Present levels and the SLP's phonological analysis, not grade, decide fit and which minimal pairs to use.
- Baseline considerations
- Present 20 minimal-pair items in random order and record whether the listener could tell which word was intended. Also check whether the student can point to the correct picture when the SLP says each word.
- Usage notes
- Score correct when the production contains the target contrast, so an unfamiliar listener would select the intended picture. The listener (an adult or peer) should respond to what they heard, which lets the student experience why the contrast matters. Individualize the pairs to the student's error pattern (fronting, stopping, final consonant deletion, cluster reduction).
- Known limitations
- Measures the contrast in single words in a structured game, not intelligibility in conversation. Listener familiarity affects scoring; use the same scorer for probes. The template does not prescribe a specific therapy approach.
- Source
- Original IEP Atlas draft (AI-assisted) based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. Template ID
sl-phon-005.
Short-term objectives (optional)
When are objectives required?Federal IDEA regulations require benchmarks or short-term objectives only for students who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate academic achievement standards (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)). Your state or district may require them more broadly.
Matching data sheet
Accuracy tracker. Your goal is scored as percent correct, so the sheet records number correct and number attempted.
Accuracy tracker
Percent accuracy- Student label:
- Target:
- with at least 80% accuracy on minimal-pair productions
- Mastery rule:
- across 3 consecutive therapy sessions
- Collection schedule:
- during each therapy session
- Method:
- Opportunity (trial) recording
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, given a set of 20 minimal-pair picture cards that contrast the student's error pattern with the target (e.g., tea/key, bow/boat, sun/ton), the student will name the picture the listener should select, producing the target contrast so the listener selects the intended picture independently with at least 80% accuracy on minimal-pair productions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
| Date | Task / materials | # correct | # attempted | % accuracycorrect ÷ attempted × 100 | Support levele.g., independent, 1 verbal prompt | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Score only items the student attempted unless the goal defines a fixed set of items. Use the same denominator every session.
- Percent = numerator ÷ denominator × 100. Round to one decimal place.
- Record the support actually provided, even if the goal is independent performance.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets with formulas for the calculated columns. Sheets are blank: IEP Atlas doesn't store student data.