Loudness, pitch and breathy voice goals

Some students talk so softly that the teacher stops calling on them. Some sound breathy or hoarse by midday. Others speak on one flat pitch, or at a pitch that does not match their age and size. Each of these can be a voice problem, and each can affect how well a student is heard and understood in class.

This page covers the medical step that comes first, then gives 12 goals for loudness, breathy voice and pitch. Each has a condition, a baseline, a criterion and a template link. The numbers are illustrations. For articulation and fluency goals, see the articulation goals examples pillar.

Yelling and too-loud habits are covered in vocal hygiene IEP goals. Nasal-sounding speech is on resonance IEP goals.

Medical clearance before any voice goal

A soft, breathy or pitch-changed voice can come from a physical cause: nodules or other growths on the vocal folds, a vocal fold that does not move fully, a breathing problem, a hormonal change or a neurological condition. Therapy cannot fix those causes, and some need medical treatment first. ASHA's guidance on voice disorders includes a medical examination of the larynx as part of the evaluation.^[1]

Before writing a goal:

• Refer through the family to the student's doctor and an ear, nose and throat specialist. Ask for the findings and any recommendations in writing.
• Check hearing. A student who speaks too softly or too loudly may not hear their own voice well. Ask for a hearing screening if one is not recent.
• Wait for clearance. Start voice therapy only when the medical team says it is appropriate, and follow any limits they set, such as voice rest after surgery.
• Keep the report with the IEP file, and share progress back with the medical team.

A voice impairment can be part of a speech or language impairment under IDEA when it affects the student's education.^[2] The SLP's evaluation should show that link, such as a teacher who cannot hear the student's answers.

How to choose the right voice goal

Loudness goals

Measure loudness one of two ways. A sound level meter or a calibrated app held at a fixed distance, such as 3 feet, gives a number in decibels. A listener test asks whether a person at a set distance heard the words. Use the same method, distance and room every time.

1. Given 10 short sentences, Mia will say each at the target loudness the SLP modeled, reaching the target reading on the sound level meter at 3 feet, on 8 of 10 sentences across 3 sessions. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
2. Reading a 5-sentence passage aloud, Mia will be heard and understood by a listener 15 feet away on 4 of 5 sentences across 3 sessions. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
3. After hearing 10 recordings of her own voice, Mia will judge each as "soft" or "strong" and agree with the SLP on 9 of 10. Baseline: 5 of 10. Template.

Weak: "Mia will speak louder." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It names the task, the distance and the count.

Breathy voice and breath support goals

A breathy voice lets extra air escape, so the voice sounds weak or whispery. Goals here pair breath support with clear, steady voicing. Use a simple rating, such as 0 (clear), 1 (mildly breathy), 2 (breathy), scored by the same listener each time.

1. Given 10 sentences of 6 to 8 words, Leo will say each on one breath with a clear voice, rated 0 or 1, on 8 of 10 sentences. Baseline: 3 of 10; breathes mid-sentence and fades. Template.
2. During a structured reading of 10 sentences, Leo will keep voicing clear and steady to the end of each sentence, rated 0 or 1, on 8 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
3. Given 10 words that start with vowels, Ana will start each with an easy, clear onset rather than a breathy or hard start, rated by the SLP, on 8 of 10 words across 2 sessions. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.

Weak: "Leo will reduce breathiness." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It sets the sentence length, the rating and the count.

Pitch goals

Pitch goals fit students who speak on one flat pitch, students who cannot make pitch rise for a question, and some students whose pitch does not match their age after a medical team has cleared therapy.

1. Given 10 models from the SLP, Omar will produce a high, low, rising or falling pitch on a vowel or word to match the model on 8 of 10 trials. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
2. Reading 10 sentences, half questions and half statements, Omar will use rising pitch at the end of questions and falling pitch at the end of statements on 8 of 10 sentences. Baseline: 4 of 10; flat on all. Template.
3. During a 3-minute structured conversation, Sam will speak at the target pitch range set with the medical team on 4 of 5 sampled utterances across 3 sessions. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.

Weak: "Omar will improve his intonation." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It names the sentence types, the pitch pattern and the count.

Reading aloud with pitch that shows meaning, such as surprise or emphasis, is on the pitch variation template.

Loudness and voice in class

Voice that is strong in the therapy room often drops in a large classroom. These goals move the target voice into real speaking situations. Ask the teacher to tally on a card.

1. When answering questions in class, Mia will speak loudly enough for the teacher to hear without asking her to repeat on 8 of 10 answers, tallied by the teacher on 3 of 4 weeks. Baseline: 2 of 10. Template.
2. During a 2-minute class presentation, Leo will keep a strong, clear voice that the SLP rates 0 or 1 at the back of the room for the full talk on 2 of 3 presentations. Baseline: fades to a whisper after 30 seconds. Template.
3. During small-group work, Ana will use her target voice on 4 of 5 turns observed by the SLP during push-in, on 3 of 4 visits. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.

Weak: "Mia will use a louder voice in class." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It names the situation, who judges and the count.

How to measure loudness, pitch and breathy voice goals

• Sound level readings at a fixed distance, same room, same meter or app. Record the median of 10 sentences. Do not compare the student's numbers to a norm; compare to the student's own baseline and the target the SLP set.
• Listener judgments: a listener at a set distance writes what they heard, or marks heard or not heard.
• Perceptual ratings for breathiness and voice quality on a 3- or 4-point scale. The same listener should rate each probe, ideally from a recording.
• Correct pitch patterns out of 10 for pitch and intonation goals.
• Class tallies by the teacher for carryover.

Record a short sample each month and keep it with the data. Recordings let you compare across months and share progress with the medical team. The guide on voice therapy data collection shows a full measurement plan, and the opportunity data sheet works for counts out of 10.

Adapting voice goals by age

Older students can rate their own voice from recordings and compare with the SLP; self-rating builds carryover. Template wording for every voice goal is on voice goals, and voice disorder is defined in the glossary. Paste your draft into the goal checker to catch a missing criterion.

Frequently asked questions

Use it in IEP Atlas

• Voice goals (speech language)
• Voice disorder in the IEP glossary
• IEP goal checker

Related guides

• Articulation goals examples: sound by sound, with data methods
• Voice therapy data collection: how to measure voice goals
• Resonance IEP goals: 16 examples for hypernasality and nasal emission
• Vocal hygiene IEP goals: 16 examples, plus vocal hygiene for kids

Sources

1. Voice Disorders, ASHA
2. 34 CFR §300.8: Child with a disability, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.