IEP goals for identifying emotions
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
An identifying emotions IEP goal names whose emotion (the student's own or someone else's), the clues the student uses and how accuracy is counted. Example: given 10 short video clips, Noah will name the likely emotion and point out one clue from the face, voice or situation in 8 of 10 clips across 3 sessions.
Identifying emotions covers two related skills. One is naming your own feelings: noticing a body signal and putting a word to it. The other is reading other people's feelings from faces, voices, body language and the situation. Both are taught, both can be measured, and they often need separate goals.
The 20 goals below are grouped by sub-skill, each with a fictional baseline and a template link. The numbers are illustrations. For the wider area, see the social-emotional IEP goals pillar. Using emotion words to cope in the moment belongs to emotional regulation goal examples.
A note on how students show and read emotion
People express emotion in different ways. Many autistic students, for example, show feelings with less facial movement or in different ways from their peers, and may read emotion more easily from words or situations than from faces. That is a difference, not a deficit to train away. Goals in this area should help the student understand others and be understood, without requiring eye contact or a particular facial expression.
Two practical rules follow:
- Accept any clear way of naming an emotion. Words, signs, a feelings chart, a device or pointing to a picture all count.
- Teach the situation as a clue, not just the face. "His dog is lost, so he is probably sad" is a skill that works when faces are hard to read. It is also how most people check their guesses.
CASEL lists recognizing one's own emotions under self-awareness and understanding others' emotions under social awareness.[1] For students whose difficulty sits in social communication more broadly, the SLP may lead these goals.[2]
How to choose an identifying emotions goal
| What the team sees | Sub-skill | How to measure |
|---|---|---|
| Student says "fine" or "bad" for every feeling | Naming own emotions | Opportunities at check-ins |
| Student misreads peers' faces in play | Reading faces | Percent accuracy on photos or clips |
| Student misses sarcasm, annoyance or a rushed tone | Reading voice and body language | Percent accuracy on audio or video |
| Student guesses emotion from faces only | Reading the situation | Accuracy on story or video scenarios |
| Student notices emotion but does not respond | Responding to others' emotions | Opportunities in real settings |
Goals for naming own emotions
These goals start with a short vocabulary and expand it. "Happy, sad, mad" is a fine starting set. "Disappointed, nervous, embarrassed, proud" comes later.
- At morning and afternoon check-ins, Noah will choose a precise feeling word from a 12-word chart, such as "nervous" rather than "bad", on 8 of 10 check-ins per week. Baseline: 2 of 10. Template.
- Once calm after an upset, Ivy will name the emotion she had and one thing that caused it on 4 of 5 debriefs. Baseline: says "I don't know" on 4 of 5. Template.
- When upset, Kai will show what is wrong by touching a feelings picture and a cause picture on his board in 4 of 5 episodes. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
- When asked how his body feels during an upset, Kai will point to where his body shows it, such as stomach or hands, on a body outline in 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: 0 of 5. Template.
Weak: "Noah will identify his feelings." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It names the setting, the tool and how often.
Goals for reading faces
Use photos of real people of different ages and backgrounds, not cartoons alone. Move from posed, exaggerated faces to everyday ones.
- Given 10 photos of people showing happy, sad, angry, scared or surprised, Mila will name the emotion in 9 of 10 photos across 3 sessions. Baseline: 5 of 10. Template.
- Given 8 photos of faces, Mila will name the emotion and point out 2 face clues, such as raised eyebrows and an open mouth, in 7 of 8 photos. Baseline: 2 of 8. Template.
- Given 10 photos or clips showing quieter expressions, such as bored, confused or annoyed, Noah will name the likely emotion in 7 of 10. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
- Given 6 pictures where the person's face is hidden, Ivy will name the likely emotion from the situation alone in 5 of 6 pictures. Baseline: 1 of 6. Template.
Weak: "Mila will recognize emotions in others with 80% accuracy." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It says what materials, which emotions and what counts as correct, with a denominator.
Goals for reading voice and body language
Tone of voice carries a lot of meaning, and it is often harder than faces. Recorded sentences said in different tones make good practice material.
- Given 10 recorded sentences said in a happy, sad, angry or calm voice, Leo will name the emotion he hears in 8 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
- After hearing a short recorded phrase, Kai will match the voice to one of 4 emotion pictures in 8 of 10 trials. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
- When a speaker sounds annoyed or rushed during a conversation, Noah will respond to the tone, such as by shortening his message or asking "Is now a bad time?", in 3 of 4 observed opportunities. Baseline: 0 of 4. Template.
- Given 8 short video clips, Leo will describe one body language clue and one context clue for each person's emotion in 6 of 8 clips. Baseline: 2 of 8. Template.
Weak: "Leo will understand nonverbal communication." Measurable: Goal 1 above. Recorded tones are the same every session, so scores can be compared.
Goals for reading the situation
These goals teach the student to use what is happening as a clue. Many students find this more reliable than faces.
- Given 10 simple story situations, such as "Her ice cream fell on the ground," Mila will match the most likely emotion in 9 of 10. Baseline: 6 of 10. Template.
- While reading a picture book or short story, Ivy will name a character's emotion and the text or picture clue that shows it on 4 of 5 questions. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
- Given 8 scenarios where a person's words and the situation do not match, such as "Great, it's raining again," Noah will say what the person probably feels in 6 of 8. Baseline: 1 of 8. Template.
- Given 10 sample text messages or posts, Leo will explain the likely tone and one clue, such as punctuation or word choice, in 8 of 10. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
Weak: "Ivy will make inferences about feelings." Measurable: Goal 2 above. Naming the clue shows the reasoning, not just a lucky guess.
Understanding why a character feels something leads into perspective taking; see teaching perspective taking.
Goals for responding to others' emotions
Naming emotions in photos matters most when it changes what the student does with real people. These goals move the skill into the classroom and playground.
- When a classmate is crying or hurt, Kai will notice and tell an adult or bring a tissue in 3 of 4 observed opportunities. Baseline: 0 of 4. Template.
- When he notices a peer seems upset, Noah will check his guess by asking, such as "Are you okay?" or "You look frustrated," in 3 of 4 opportunities. Baseline: 0 of 4. Template.
- When a classmate seems upset at recess, Mila will go over and check on them or invite them to play in 3 of 4 opportunities across 4 weeks. Baseline: 1 of 4. Template.
- When a peer is upset during group work, Ivy will offer a kind statement or help, such as "Do you want to use my eraser?", in 3 of 4 opportunities. Baseline: 0 of 4. Template.
Weak: "Kai will show empathy." Measurable: Goal 1 above. Noticing and acting is countable, and the student can respond in their own way.
Teaching emotions to students
A short teaching routine makes these goals reachable. It works in a speech room, a counseling group or a resource class.
- Pick 4 to 6 emotions to start. Teach the clues for each: face, voice, body and typical situations.
- Link each emotion to the student's own life. "When did you feel proud?" connects the word to a memory.
- Practice with real photos, audio and short clips. Start with clear examples, then mix in subtle ones.
- Teach the check. Guessing is fine; asking "Are you okay?" is the safety net when unsure.
- Use it during the day. Name emotions in read-alouds, in games and in real conflicts, briefly and kindly.
Give students who use AAC the emotion words on their device from the start. A student cannot name a feeling the device does not have.
How to measure identifying emotions goals
Structured goals, such as naming emotions in photos, use percent accuracy on a set number of items. Keep the item set the same size every session so scores can be compared, and swap in new pictures so the student is not memorizing. The accuracy data sheet works well.
Real-setting goals, such as checking on an upset peer, use opportunities. Count each time the chance comes up and whether the student responded. The opportunity data sheet fits. The IEP must say how progress on each goal will be measured,[3] so name the method in the goal.
| Goal type | Example criterion | Data sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Photos or clips | 8 of 10 items across 3 sessions | Accuracy |
| Check-ins | 8 of 10 check-ins per week | Opportunity |
| Real moments | 3 of 4 observed opportunities | Opportunity |
Adapting by grade
| Grade band | Typical focus | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool and K | Happy, sad, mad, scared; pointing to pictures | Photo cards, songs, puppets |
| Grades 1 to 3 | Feelings chart with 8 to 12 words; story characters | Picture books, short clips |
| Grades 4 to 5 | Subtle emotions, tone of voice, mixed feelings | Audio clips, video, peer scenarios |
| Middle school | Sarcasm, text tone, checking a guess | Texts, posts, short videos |
| High school | Coworker and customer emotions, tone in email | Work scenarios, role-play |
The social awareness goals page has full wording for the reading-others goals, and the social emotional goal area lists every skill. Related guides: social skills IEP goal examples and social-emotional goals for high school. Check finished goals with the goal checker.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write an IEP goal for identifying emotions?
Say whose emotion, which clues and what materials, then give a criterion with a denominator. For example, given 10 photos of real people, the student will name the emotion and one face clue in 8 of 10 photos across 3 sessions.
Should students have to make eye contact to read emotions?
No. Eye contact is not needed to read emotion, and requiring it can be uncomfortable for many students. Teach face, voice, body and situation clues, and let the student choose where to look.
Who usually works on emotion identification goals?
A school psychologist or counselor often leads goals about naming one's own feelings. An SLP often leads goals about reading others' cues as part of social communication. Classroom staff record use in real moments.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Social awareness goals (social emotional)
- Social emotional IEP goals
- Emotional regulation goals (social emotional)
- Accuracy data sheet
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- Social-emotional IEP goals: examples you can actually measure
- Teaching perspective taking
- Social skills IEP goal examples
- Social-emotional IEP goals for high school students
- Emotional regulation and self-regulation IEP goals
Sources
- CASEL: Social and emotional learning, CASEL
- Social Communication Disorder, ASHA
- 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.