IEP goals for figurative language and idioms: 24 examples

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

A figurative language IEP goal names the type of expression, the context it appears in and what the student must do with it. Example: given 10 idioms used in short spoken or written stories, Eli will explain what each means in the story, with 8 of 10 correct on 3 consecutive sessions. Always test idioms in context, not on a list.

Figurative language says one thing and means another. It includes similes ("as quiet as a mouse"), metaphors ("the classroom was a zoo"), idioms ("break a leg"), hyperbole, personification, sarcasm and jokes that play on words. Students who take language literally miss the meaning in books, in class directions and in conversation with peers.

The 24 goals below cover the main types, from telling literal and nonliteral apart to explaining how a device shapes a poem. Each has a condition, a baseline, a criterion with a denominator and a template link. Numbers are illustrations. A later section covers teaching idioms to students with autism. For the comprehension pillar, see reading comprehension strategies. Figurative meanings often have to be inferred from context, so context clues goals pair well with these.

How to choose a figurative language goal

Give the student 10 sentences: 5 literal and 5 figurative, in short contexts. Ask what each one means. Then try 3 spoken examples in conversation, including one sarcastic comment.

What the student does	Sub-skill to target	Measurement method
Treats every sentence as literal	Literal vs nonliteral	Sentences sorted, out of 10
Explains similes but not metaphors	Similes and metaphors	Explanations correct, out of 8 to 10
Explains idioms from a list but not in stories	Idioms in context	Explanations correct, out of 10
Misses sarcasm, jokes and teasing	Social nonliteral language	Correct judgments with the cue, out of 8
Can label devices but not explain their effect	Literary devices and effect	Rubric with evidence

Literal vs nonliteral (grades 1 to 4)

Given 10 short sentences in context, Eli will sort each as literal (means exactly what it says) or nonliteral, with 9 of 10 correct on 3 consecutive sessions. Baseline: 5 of 10. Template.
Given 8 pictures showing the literal meaning of a figurative phrase, Eli will explain why the picture is funny and what the phrase really means, with 6 of 8 correct across 3 sessions. Baseline: 2 of 8. Template.
Given 10 spoken sentences, Rina will spot the one that is silly or impossible and say why, with 8 of 10 correct on 3 sessions. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
Given 8 multiple-meaning words in sentences, Rina will explain both meanings and tell which one the sentence uses, with 7 of 8 correct on 3 probes. Baseline: 3 of 8. Template.

Weak: "Eli will understand figurative language." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It names the sentence set, the choice and the criterion.

Similes and metaphors (grades 2 to 6)

Given 10 sentences with a simile or metaphor, Tess will label the device and name the two things compared, with 9 of 10 correct on 3 probes. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
After reading a grade 4 passage, Tess will explain what 4 similes or metaphors mean in the passage, with 3 of 4 correct in 4 of 5 passages. Baseline: 1 of 4. Template.
Given a metaphor ("her words were knives"), Sami will explain how the two things are alike, with a reasonable link for 8 of 10 metaphors on 3 sessions. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
Given a plain sentence ("the room was very loud"), Sami will rewrite it with a simile or metaphor that fits, with 4 of 5 fitting in 3 sessions. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.

Weak: "Tess will know similes and metaphors." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It ties the skill to real passages and counts explanations.

Idioms in context (grades 3 to 8)

Given 10 idioms used in short spoken or written stories, Eli will explain what each means in the story, with 8 of 10 correct on 3 consecutive sessions. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
During a read-aloud of a grade 5 chapter book, Jonah will explain the idioms met in the chapter, with 4 of 5 correct across 3 chapters. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
When a peer or adult uses an idiom in conversation, Jonah will respond to the intended meaning or ask what it means, in 4 of 5 opportunities across 2 weeks. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
Given a story with 6 idioms, Lia will use the context to choose the meaning of each from 3 options, with 5 of 6 correct on 3 probes. Baseline: 2 of 6. Template.

Weak: "Jonah will learn 20 idioms." Measurable: Goal 1 above. Learning a list does not show understanding in context; this goal tests context.

Given 8 recorded statements, Owen will tell whether the speaker is sarcastic and name the cue (tone, facial expression or context), with 7 of 8 correct on 3 sessions. Baseline: 3 of 8. Template.
Given 8 jokes or puns, Owen will explain why each is funny, naming the double meaning, with 6 of 8 correct across 3 sessions. Baseline: 2 of 8. Template.
Given 8 riddles that play on a multiple-meaning word, Ada will explain the double meaning, with 6 of 8 correct on 3 sessions. Baseline: 2 of 8. Template.
Given 10 short social scenarios with a hint or indirect request, Ada will explain what the speaker means, with 8 of 10 correct on 3 sessions. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.

Weak: "Owen will understand sarcasm." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It names the materials, the cue and the count.

Literary devices and their effect (grades 6 to 12)

Given 10 sentences from literature, Kai will name the device (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, alliteration), with 9 of 10 correct on 3 probes. Baseline: 5 of 10. Template.
After reading a passage rich in imagery, Kai will explain how 2 images set the mood, with a quote for each, scoring 3 of 4 rubric points on 3 probes. Baseline: 1 of 4. Template.
After reading a poem, Mara will paraphrase each stanza and explain one figurative line, scoring 4 of 5 rubric points on 3 probes. Baseline: 2 of 5. Template.
After reading a short story, Mara will explain how one symbol or figurative image connects to the theme, scoring 3 of 4 rubric points on 3 of 4 probes. Baseline: 1 of 4. Template.

Weak: "Kai will analyze figurative language in literature." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It asks for the effect, with quotes, on a rubric.

Teaching idioms to students with autism

Many students with autism process language literally and find nonliteral language and social inference hard, which is why idioms and sarcasm show up so often on their IEPs.^[1] What works in practice:

Teach idioms in context, not in lists. A list of 50 idioms with definitions builds a memory task. A short story where the idiom appears, with a question about what it means there, builds the skill.
Show the literal and the real meaning side by side. A drawing of "raining cats and dogs" next to a photo of a storm makes the gap visible. Then ask which one the speaker meant.
Teach a routine for unknown expressions. "Does this make sense if I take it word for word? If not, what would make sense here? If I still don't know, I ask." The third step is a social skill worth its own goal (goal 3 in the idioms section).
Pick idioms the student will meet. Use phrases from the class novel, the teacher's directions ("hit the books," "wrap it up") and peer talk. Ask the general education teacher for a list.
Plan for carryover. Practice in the therapy room does not guarantee understanding in the lunchroom. Measure at least some probes in real settings.

The IEP goals for autism page and the pragmatic language goals page have more templates. For SLP goals across the whole social language area, see speech therapy goals for autism.

How to measure figurative language goals

Test in context. Each item should appear in a sentence, story or conversation, not as a bare phrase.
Use new items on probes. If the student practiced "spill the beans" all week, it is not a fair probe item. Keep a probe bank separate from the teaching list.
Score explanations with a rule. 2 points for the meaning in context, 1 for a partial or literal-plus-guess answer, 0 for a literal answer. Count 2-point answers toward the criterion.
Record on one sheet. The accuracy data sheet for item sets; the rubric scoring data sheet for device and effect goals.

Probe every 2 weeks; repeated measures over time show the trend.^[2] The IEP must describe how each goal's progress is measured and reported.^[3]

Adapting by grade and support level

Grade band or need	Typical focus	Example change
Grades 1 to 3	Literal vs nonliteral, silly sentences	Pictures of literal meanings
Grades 3 to 5	Similes, common idioms in stories	Read-alouds, chapter books
Middle school	Metaphors, sarcasm, idioms with peers	Conversation probes, novels
High school	Device and effect, symbolism	Poems, short stories, rubric
Access needs	Choose the meaning from pictures	Visual supports, AAC

The vocabulary goals page and the literary analysis goals page hold the rest of the templates. For a sibling skill that also hides meaning in the context, see IEP goals for inferencing. Run a draft through the goal checker.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good figurative language IEP goal?

One that names the type of expression, the context and the response. For example: given 10 idioms used in short stories, the student will explain what each means in the story, with 8 of 10 correct on 3 consecutive sessions.

Should idiom goals use a list of idioms?

Teaching can start with a few idioms at a time, but probes should use idioms in context that the student has not practiced. Explaining a memorized list measures memory, not the skill of working out meaning.

Who should write figurative language goals, the SLP or the teacher?

Either, or both together. Figurative language in books often sits with the reading teacher. Sarcasm, jokes and idioms in conversation often sit with the SLP. Share one data sheet if both work on the same goal.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASHA
Progress Monitoring: Data & Goal Setting, National Center on Intensive Intervention
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.