Punctuate dialogue with quotation marks and commas
When to use this goal
For students who write dialogue in stories but run it into the narration with no quotation marks, or who place marks around the whole sentence including the tag. Present levels should show the student writes dialogue; this goal pairs with the narrative dialogue template.
- Baseline
- Give two probes of 10 lines with the tag before the quotation in some and after in others. Score a line correct only when all required marks are present and placed correctly. Record which element is missed most (opening marks, closing marks, comma, capital); the closing comma is usually last to be learned.
- Tips
- Underlining the spoken words first makes the task concrete. Teach one pattern (tag first) until reliable, then the other. Use the student's own stories as the third condition and score dialogue content separately with the narrative template.
- Limits
- Dialogue punctuation has several parts, so one mistake fails the line; a part-by-part tally shows progress the percent hides. Split quotations and new-paragraph-per-speaker rules are beyond this goal. Prepared lines are easier than own writing.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID wr-mec-008.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 lines of dialogue with speaker tags, written without quotation marks or commas, the student will punctuate each line of dialogue with quotation marks around the spoken words, a comma or end mark inside the closing marks, and a capital at the start of the quotation independently with at least 80% accuracy on lines of dialogue, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Baseline: 20% accuracy.
- 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. Percent accuracy fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Work-sample analysis gives percent accuracy 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 Capitalization, Punctuation & Grammar.
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
- Writing - Capitalization, Punctuation & Grammar
- Baseline
- 20% accuracy.
- Annual goal458 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, given 10 lines of dialogue with speaker tags, written without quotation marks or commas, the student will punctuate each line of dialogue with quotation marks around the spoken words, a comma or end mark inside the closing marks, and a capital at the start of the quotation independently with at least 80% accuracy on lines of dialogue, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- Given 10 lines of dialogue with speaker tags, written without quotation marks or commas
- Behavior
- The student will punctuate each line of dialogue with quotation marks around the spoken words, a comma or end mark inside the closing marks, and a capital at the start of the quotation independently
- Criteria
- With at least 80% accuracy on lines of dialogue, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes
- Evaluation method
- Work-sample analysis
- Schedule
- Weekly
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Accuracy tracker. Records number correct and number attempted.
Accuracy tracker
Percent accuracy- Student label:
- Target:
- with at least 80% accuracy on lines of dialogue
- Mastery rule:
- in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes
- Collection schedule:
- weekly
- Method:
- Work-sample analysis
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, given 10 lines of dialogue with speaker tags, written without quotation marks or commas, the student will punctuate each line of dialogue with quotation marks around the spoken words, a comma or end mark inside the closing marks, and a capital at the start of the quotation independently with at least 80% accuracy on lines of dialogue, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
| 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. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.