SH sound IEP goals: 24 examples for sh, ch and j

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

An sh sound IEP goal names the sound (sh, ch or j), the position, the level and a criterion with a denominator. Example: given 20 untrained words with sh in all positions, Kayla will round her lips and say sh with central airflow, not /s/ or a slushy lateral sound, in 17 of 20 words across 2 probes.

"sh," "ch" and "j" share one tongue position, just behind the ridge above the top teeth, with the lips pushed forward. Students with errors on one often have errors on all three. The usual errors are /s/ for sh ("sip" for ship), a slushy lateral sound with air escaping over the sides of the tongue, and "sh" for ch ("shair" for chair). This page has 24 goals across the three sounds. Each has a condition, a baseline, a criterion and a template link. The numbers are illustrations.

The articulation goals examples pillar has two goals for this sound family. For /s/ and lisps, see the /s/ and lisp topic page.

When sh errors need a goal

In a large review of US studies, most children produced sh, ch and j by about 4 years, 11 months, using a 90% criterion.^[1] ASHA's speech sound page draws on the same review.^[2] An error in a 4-year-old may resolve on its own. An error after age 5 is a reasonable target, and a lateral sh at any age deserves a closer look, because lateral airflow is not a usual step in development.

Find out which error you are dealing with before you pick a goal:

/s/ for sh. The tongue is too far forward and the lips are spread. Teach lip rounding and a slightly retracted tongue.
Lateral sh, ch and j. Air comes out the side. Teach central airflow first, often with a straw along the middle of the tongue. If /s/ is lateral too, treat the two together.
sh for ch, or "zh" for j. The stop part of the affricate is missing. This is deaffrication, which can be a phonological pattern in younger children.

How to choose the right sh goal

What you see now	Sub-skill to target	Measurement method
Lateral or slushy sh, ch and j	Placement and central airflow	Opportunities: 20 trials in syllables
/s/ for sh with spread lips	sh in words by position	Percent of 20 untrained words
sh correct, "shair" for chair	ch and j	Percent of 20 words
Mixes up sip and ship	Contrasting /s/ and sh	Opportunities: 10 minimal pairs
Correct in words, not in sentences or reading	Sentences and reading	Percent of target words
Correct in the therapy room only	Conversation, class and home	Percent of target words in a 3-minute sample

Placement and airflow goals

With a straw placed along the middle of the tongue, Kayla will say sh with central airflow in isolation and syllables in 16 of 20 trials across 3 sessions. Baseline: 3 of 20. Template.
Given 20 words with sh, ch or j, Kayla will keep the air in the center of her tongue with no lateral escape in 16 of 20 words across 3 sessions. Baseline: 5 of 20. Template.
When asked, Noor will explain and show how sh is made (lips forward, tongue back from /s/, air down the middle), scoring 3 of 3 parts on 4 of 5 checks. Baseline: 1 of 3. Template.
When the SLP says 10 sh words, some with a lateral sound, Kayla will judge each as clear or slushy in 9 of 10 across 2 sessions. Baseline: 5 of 10. Template.

Weak: "Kayla will reduce lateral airflow." Measurable: The second goal in this section. It names the sounds, the level and what counts as correct.

sh in words by position

Given 20 untrained words with sh in all positions, Kayla will round her lips and say sh with central airflow, not /s/ or a lateral sound, in 17 of 20 words across 2 probes. Baseline: 6 of 20. Template.
After a model, Noor will imitate 20 words with initial sh (such as shoe and shark) correctly in 18 of 20. Baseline: 10 of 20. Template.
Given 20 words ending in sh (such as fish, brush and wash), Noor will say final sh correctly in 16 of 20 words across 3 sessions. Baseline: 6 of 20. Template.
Given 15 longer words with sh (such as machine, vacation and station), Ari will say sh correctly in 12 of 15 words. Baseline: 5 of 15. Template.

Weak: "Noor will produce sh in all positions with 80% accuracy." Measurable: The first goal in this section. It adds the error to replace, the word count and untrained words.

ch and j goals

Given 20 short phrases with ch or j (such as "chew the gum" and "jump high"), Ari will say the target sound correctly in 17 of 20 phrases. Baseline: 7 of 20. Template.
Given 20 words starting with ch or j, Ari will say the full sound with its stop part, not sh or "zh," in 16 of 20 words across 3 sessions. Baseline: 6 of 20. Template.
Given 20 words ending in ch or j (such as watch, beach and page), Mila will say the final sound correctly in 16 of 20 words. Baseline: 5 of 20. Template.
Given 20 made-up words with ch and j (such as "chabe" and "jeep-oh"), Mila will say the target sound correctly in 16 of 20. Baseline: 8 of 20. Template.

Weak: "Ari will work on ch." Measurable: The second goal in this section. It names the error to replace and the count.

Goals for contrasting /s/ and sh

When a student says "sip" for ship and "sell" for shell, the error changes meaning. Minimal pairs make that visible.

When the SLP says 10 pairs such as "sip" and "ship," Mila will point to the right picture in 9 of 10 trials across 2 sessions. Baseline: 6 of 10. Template.
During a minimal-pair game with 10 pairs, Mila will say each word so the listener picks the right picture in 8 of 10 turns. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
Given 10 sentences with both /s/ and sh (such as "Sam has a shell"), Noor will say both sounds correctly in 8 of 10 sentences. Baseline: 2 of 10. Template.
After listening to a recording of 10 of his own sh words, Ari will rate each as right or wrong and agree with the SLP on 8 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.

Weak: "Mila will discriminate /s/ and sh." Measurable: The first goal in this section, with a count of 10 pairs.

Sentence and reading goals

When describing 20 pictures in a short sentence each, Kayla will say sh, ch and j correctly in 16 of 20 sentences across 3 sessions. Baseline: 6 of 20. Template.
During a short story retell with 10 target words, Noor will say the sounds correctly in 8 of 10 target words on 3 consecutive retells. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
During class read-aloud turns, Ari will say sh correctly in 8 of 10 marked words, scored by the SLP during push-in on 3 of 4 visits. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
When asked to think of words with sh, Mila will name 8 words in 1 minute and say sh correctly in 7 of 8. Baseline: 4 words, 2 correct. Template.

Weak: "Kayla will use sh in sentences." Measurable: The first goal in this section. It names the sounds, the task and the denominator.

Conversation, class and home goals

During a 3-minute conversation about a chosen topic, Kayla will say sh, ch and j correctly in 80% of target words on 2 of 3 monthly samples. Baseline: 30%. Template.
When answering in class, Noor will say target sounds correctly in 4 of 5 target words noted by the teacher, on 3 of 4 weekly checks. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
The teacher will rate Ari's sh use during class answers on a 3-point scale, and Ari will earn a 2 or 3 on 4 of 5 weekly ratings. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
During daily family routines (such as washing dishes or putting on shoes), Mila will say 5 sh words correctly on 4 of 5 days, logged by a parent. Baseline: no log. Template.

Weak: "Kayla will use correct sh in conversation." Measurable: The first goal in this section. It sets the sample length, the topic and the schedule.

How to measure sh goals

Code each target word: C for correct, S for /s/, L for lateral, D for deaffricated (sh for ch), or X for other. Only C counts toward the goal. Separate codes show whether a lateral sound is fading or turning into a frontal /s/ substitute, which is a step closer.

Probe 20 untrained items every 2 weeks at the start of the session. The opportunity trial data sheet fits a 20-item probe, and the opportunities measurement guide explains how to score prompted trials. For conversation, record 3 minutes, count every sh, ch and j word, and report the percent correct of those words.

One series for the untrained word goal: 6 of 20 in September with 11 lateral, 10 of 20 in November with 5 lateral, 14 of 20 in January with 2 lateral. The lateral count is the clearest sign that placement is changing.

Adapting by grade

Grade band	Typical focus	Example change
Pre-K	Usually monitor unless lateral or hurting intelligibility	Play-based probes, 10 words
K to 2	sh in words, ch and j, /s/ and sh contrast	Picture cards, minimal pairs, phonics words with sh and ch
Grades 3 to 5	Sentences, reading aloud, class answers	Marked passages, teacher rating
Middle and high school	Residual lateral sounds, self-monitoring	Self-rating, recordings, presentations

For voiced and voiceless th, see th sound IEP goals. For /f/ and /v/, see IEP goals for /f/ and /v/. Templates are on the articulation goals page, and the goal checker catches a missing level or criterion.

Frequently asked questions

At what age should a child say sh correctly?

Most children say sh, ch and j by about age 5. Errors in a 4-year-old may still resolve. A lateral sh, with air escaping over the side of the tongue, is worth a closer look at any age.

Should I target sh and /s/ together?

If both are lateral, yes: the same central airflow fixes both. If only sh is off and /s/ is fine, start with sh alone and add /s/ and sh minimal pairs once sh is steady in words.

Is "shair" for chair a phonological process?

It can be. Dropping the stop part of ch or j is called deaffrication. In a young child with other patterns, treat it as part of a phonological plan. In an older child with no other errors, treat it as an articulation target.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

Children's English Consonant Acquisition in the United States: A Review (Crowe and McLeod, 2020), American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, via PubMed
Speech Sound Disorders: Articulation and Phonology, ASHA

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.