Functional reading word lists (signs, labels, menus)
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A functional reading words list holds the words a student needs to act safely and independently: safety signs, restroom and building signs, food and medicine labels, menu words, store and transit words, job words and form words. Pick 10 to 20 words from the settings the student uses, teach them in context, and measure reading and the correct action.
Functional reading is reading for action. The goal is not to read a passage aloud but to see EXIT and walk toward it, see POISON and leave the bottle alone, see "Sold out" on a menu board and pick something else. A functional word list is a short, chosen set of those words, taken from the places the student really goes.
Below are 24 annotated word lists, grouped by setting. Each note says what makes the list strong. After the lists are side-by-side weak and strong lists with the data behind them, and functional reading IEP goals with templates. The life skills IEP goals pillar covers the wider life skills domain.
How to build a strong list
Strong lists share four features:
- Drawn from the student's settings. Walk the school, the bus route and the stores the student uses, and write down the words that are there.
- Short. 10 to 20 words per list. More than that and the list stops being a teaching set.
- Ranked by risk and frequency. Safety words first, then the words the student meets every day.
- Taught with the action. Reading STOP is half the skill. Stopping is the other half.
Safety lists
| # | List | Words | What makes it strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Survival signs | STOP, EXIT, DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, POISON, KEEP OUT, WARNING, FIRE ESCAPE | Each word has one clear action, so reading and responding can be scored together |
| 2 | Hazard words | HOT, SHARP, FLAMMABLE, HIGH VOLTAGE, WET FLOOR, CAUTION, BIOHAZARD | Matches signs the student sees at school and job sites, not a generic textbook set |
| 3 | Traffic and street | WALK, DON'T WALK, YIELD, ONE WAY, NO PEDESTRIANS, CROSSWALK | Pairs with street crossing goals, so practice happens on real walks |
| 4 | Emergency words | 911, EMERGENCY, ALARM, PULL, EXIT ROUTE, FIRST AID, AED | Ties to the fire drill map and the emergency card the student carries |
The safety signs goal hub collects templates for these lists.
Building and restroom lists
| # | List | Words | What makes it strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Restroom words | MEN, WOMEN, RESTROOM, ALL GENDER, FAMILY, OCCUPIED, VACANT | Includes the newer signs students meet in public places, not just MEN and WOMEN |
| 6 | Door words | PUSH, PULL, IN, OUT, ENTRANCE, EMPLOYEES ONLY, PRIVATE | Short, high-frequency, and each one is tested many times a day |
| 7 | Building directions | OFFICE, NURSE, ELEVATOR, STAIRS, FLOOR, ROOM, INFORMATION | Built from a walk of the student's own school |
| 8 | Open and closed | OPEN, CLOSED, HOURS, BACK IN 5 MINUTES, OUT OF ORDER | Each word changes what the student does next, which makes it worth teaching |
Food and kitchen lists
| # | List | Words | What makes it strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Food label basics | INGREDIENTS, SERVING SIZE, CALORIES, SUGAR, SODIUM | Matches the nutrition label format, so the student finds words by position too |
| 10 | Allergen words | CONTAINS, MAY CONTAIN, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, MILK, EGG, WHEAT, SOY | Written for a student's own allergy plan; the list changes with the student |
| 11 | Dates and storage | USE BY, BEST BY, SELL BY, KEEP REFRIGERATED, FREEZE, AFTER OPENING | Pairs with an expiration date template |
| 12 | Recipe verbs | STIR, MIX, POUR, BAKE, BOIL, MICROWAVE, CHOP, PREHEAT | Each verb is acted out during cooking, so reading is checked by doing |
Menu and restaurant lists
| # | List | Words | What makes it strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Menu sections | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DRINKS, SIDES, DESSERT, KIDS, COMBO | Organizes a menu, so the student scans the right part first |
| 14 | Ordering words | SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE, ADD, NO, EXTRA, FOR HERE, TO GO | Matches what a cashier asks, so reading prepares the spoken order |
| 15 | Restaurant signs | ORDER HERE, PICK UP, WAIT TO BE SEATED, SELF-SERVE, TRAY RETURN | Taught on the restaurant goals trips |
Store and money lists
| # | List | Words | What makes it strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Aisle words | DAIRY, PRODUCE, BAKERY, FROZEN, CEREAL, CANNED GOODS, HEALTH | Taken from the store the class visits, matched to its real aisle signs |
| 17 | Price words | SALE, PRICE, EACH, PER POUND, 2 FOR $5, TOTAL, CHANGE | Connects to money goals; the student acts on each word at checkout |
| 18 | Checkout words | CASH, CARD, INSERT, TAP, ENTER PIN, RECEIPT, BAG | Matches card readers and self-checkout screens the student uses |
The grocery shopping goals page uses lists 16 to 18.
Transit and community lists
| # | List | Words | What makes it strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Bus and train | BUS STOP, ROUTE, NEXT STOP, PLATFORM, ARRIVAL, DEPARTURE, TRANSFER | Built from the student's actual route signs and app screens |
| 20 | Community places | LIBRARY, POST OFFICE, BANK, PHARMACY, CLINIC, POLICE | Pairs with community trips, so each word has a place attached |
Medicine and health lists
| # | List | Words | What makes it strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Medicine label words | TAKE, DAILY, TWICE, WITH FOOD, DO NOT, DOSE, PHARMACY, REFILL | Taught for recognition and to ask an adult, never as a reason to dose without the nurse or family |
Work and form lists
| # | List | Words | What makes it strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Job site words | CLOCK IN, BREAK, SUPERVISOR, SCHEDULE, SHIFT, EMPLOYEES MUST WASH HANDS | Taken from the student's work-based learning site |
| 23 | Form words | NAME, FIRST, LAST, ADDRESS, PHONE, DATE OF BIRTH, SIGNATURE, EMERGENCY CONTACT | Paired with the student's own personal information card |
| 24 | Phone and app words | CALL, TEXT, SEND, DELETE, SETTINGS, PASSWORD, ACCEPT, DECLINE | Matches the screens the student already taps; includes safety words like DECLINE |
The personal information goal hub has templates for list 23.
Weak and strong lists side by side
| Weak list | Strong list | The data behind the difference |
|---|---|---|
| 50 words from a published "survival words" sheet | 12 words photographed on the student's own bus route and school halls | The student read 4 of 12 route words in September; all 12 appear every day, so practice is built in |
| Words taught on flashcards only | Words taught on flashcards, then on the real sign with the action | Flashcard accuracy was 10 of 10, but the student stopped at only 3 of 6 real STOP signs; the action needs its own data |
| Same list for the whole class | Lists picked per student from a 4-setting walk | One student needed allergen words, another job words; shared lists wasted half the teaching time |
| No order to the words | Safety words first, then daily words | POISON and DANGER were read correctly before menu words, which matched the family's priority |
Functional reading IEP goals
Measure two things: reading the word, and doing the right thing. Use percent accuracy for reading and the opportunities method for acting on signs in real settings.
| Goal | Baseline (illustrative) | Measure | Template |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Given photos of 10 safety signs from the school and community, the student will read each sign and state or show the action with 10 of 10 correct on 3 consecutive probes. | 5 of 10 | Accuracy | Template |
| 2. On community walks, the student will follow the direction on posted signs (EXIT, DO NOT ENTER, WET FLOOR) on 9 of 10 opportunities. | 4 of 10 | Opportunities | Template |
| 3. Given 12 product labels, the student will sort safe-to-touch and unsafe items using label words with 12 of 12 correct on 2 probes. | 7 of 12 | Accuracy | Template |
| 4. Given 15 workplace and household words on cards and on site, the student will read 14 of 15 correctly on 3 probes. | 6 of 15 | Accuracy | Template |
| 5. Given a simple form, the student will fill in name, address, phone and date in the right boxes with 4 of 4 correct on 3 forms. | 2 of 4 | Accuracy | Template |
| 6. Given 10 familiar store and restaurant logos and signs, the student will name the place or item on 9 of 10 trials. | 5 of 10 | Accuracy | Template |
Weak: "The student will read functional words."
Measurable: "Given photos of 10 safety signs from the school and community, the student will read each sign and state or show the action with 10 of 10 correct on 3 consecutive probes, measured by accuracy."
Safety sign goals should aim for 100% before the criterion is met, because a missed DANGER sign is not a small error. For everyday words, 90% is often enough. See IEP mastery criteria for how to choose.
How to measure
Keep each list on the accuracy data sheet, one row per word and one column per probe. Probe weekly with photos, and monthly in the real setting. Graph percent correct. When a word reaches 3 correct probes in a row, move it to a maintenance list checked monthly and add a new word.
More templates are on the functional academics goals page (70 templates). The functional math entry covers the matching money and number skills. For broader reading goals, see reading IEP goal examples. Paste each goal into the goal checker.
Present levels should describe the student's reading in functional settings when it affects daily life, and the goals should follow from it.[1]
Frequently asked questions
How many words should a functional reading list have?
Between 10 and 20 words per list works for most students. Teach a few at a time, move mastered words to a maintenance list, and add new words as the student meets new settings.
Should functional words be taught with flashcards?
Flashcards are a fine start, but the word must also be practiced on the real sign or label, with the action. A student who reads STOP on a card but walks past a real stop sign has not learned the functional skill.
What words should come first?
Safety words such as STOP, EXIT, DANGER and POISON, followed by the words the student meets every day, such as restroom signs, door words and the student's own name and address on forms.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Functional academics goals (functional skills)
- Safety signs goal hub
- Functional math in the IEP glossary
- Accuracy data sheet
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- Life skills IEP goals: the complete map by domain
- Functional IEP goal examples for independence at school, home and work
- IEP goals for ordering at a restaurant
- IEP goals for grocery shopping
- Functional academics explained
- Safety signs IEP goals
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, 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.