Social skills IEP goal examples
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A strong social skills IEP goal names one skill the student will use with peers, the setting where it counts, and a criterion from baseline data. Count what the student does, not how peers respond. Example: during recess, the student will join an ongoing peer game by asking or offering a role in 3 of 4 observed opportunities across 4 weeks.
Social skills goals work when they target skills the student wants and can use with real peers. They go wrong when they target looking typical: forced eye contact, sitting still, or scripts the student does not understand. A student who joins a game in their own way and has fun has met the point of the goal.
The 16 goals below are grouped into four areas. Each has a fictional baseline so you can see where the criterion came from. For the wider set of social-emotional areas, including self-awareness and self-advocacy, see the pillar on social-emotional IEP goals.
Before you write the goal
Three checks save a lot of rewriting.
- Ask the student. What do they want to do with peers? A goal built on their interest, such as joining a Minecraft club, gets practiced.
- Look at the setting. If peers rarely play together at recess, a joining goal has few chances to happen. Set up structured chances first.
- Count opportunities. Many social goals depend on situations. Record the chances, then the student's response, so the denominator is real.
Avoid goals that require eye contact or a set facial expression. Many autistic people say they listen better without eye contact. Target the purpose instead: showing the speaker you are listening, by orienting, nodding or responding.
How to choose a social skills goal
| Student profile | Sub-skill | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Rarely starts or joins peer activities | Starting and joining interactions | Frequency, or opportunities at recess and lunch |
| Conversations stall after one turn | Conversation skills | Turns per conversation |
| Struggles to share, take turns or contribute in groups | Cooperation and group work | Opportunities, group checklist |
| Disagreements end in shutdowns or arguments | Handling disagreements | Opportunities, rubric |
Starting and joining interactions
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| During recess, the student will join an ongoing group activity by asking to play or offering a role in 3 of 4 observed opportunities across 4 weeks. | 0 of 4 | Opportunities |
| When a peer greets, asks a question or invites them to play, the student will respond to the peer within 5 seconds with words, a sign, a gesture or AAC in 8 of 10 opportunities. | 4 of 10 | Opportunities |
| When meeting a new peer in class or a club, the student will introduce themselves with their name and one question in 4 of 5 opportunities. | 1 of 5 | Opportunities |
| Before speaking to a peer, the student will get the peer's attention by saying their name or tapping their shoulder, in 4 of 5 observed initiations. | 1 of 5 | Opportunities |
Weak: "The student will interact appropriately with peers."
Measurable: "During recess, the student will join an ongoing group activity by asking to play or offering a role in 3 of 4 observed opportunities."
Conversation skills
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| During lunch with a peer, the student will keep a conversation going for at least 5 back-and-forth turns on the peer's or a shared topic in 4 of 5 conversations. | 2 turns | Turns per conversation |
| During conversation, the student will ask the partner about their interests at least once per conversation in 4 of 5 conversations. | 0 of 5 | Opportunities |
| When ready to stop talking, the student will end the conversation with a closing phrase ("I'm going to go, see you later") in 4 of 5 conversations. | 1 of 5 | Opportunities |
| When a listener looks confused or asks "what?", the student will repair the message by repeating, rephrasing or showing in 4 of 5 breakdowns. | 2 of 5 | Opportunities |
Weak: "The student will improve conversation skills."
Measurable: "During lunch with a peer, the student will keep a conversation going for at least 5 back-and-forth turns in 4 of 5 conversations."
An SLP often leads these goals. The pragmatic language goal templates have more.
Cooperation and group work
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| During board or card games with peers, the student will take turns, waiting for their turn and passing the materials, in 4 of 5 games. | 2 of 5 | Opportunities |
| During cooperative group work, the student will contribute to the group task by sharing at least 2 ideas or completing an assigned part in 4 of 5 group sessions. | 1 of 5 | Opportunities |
| At a table group, the student will share materials when a peer asks, or offer them, in 8 of 10 opportunities. | 5 of 10 | Opportunities |
| During group projects, the student will ask group members for their ideas at least once per session in 4 of 5 sessions. | 0 of 5 | Opportunities |
Weak: "The student will work well in a group."
Measurable: "During cooperative group work, the student will share at least 2 ideas or complete an assigned part in 4 of 5 group sessions."
Handling disagreements
| Goal | Baseline | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| When a peer declines an invitation, the student will accept the refusal with a neutral response ("okay") and choose another activity in 4 of 5 opportunities. | 1 of 5 | Opportunities |
| When disagreeing with a peer, the student will state their view respectfully using a taught frame ("I see it differently because...") in 4 of 5 disagreements. | 1 of 5 | Opportunities |
| When two students want different things, the student will suggest or accept a compromise in 3 of 4 observed conflicts. | 0 of 4 | Opportunities |
| During games with peers, when a rule is disputed, the student will settle the dispute using a fair-decision strategy (take turns, flip a coin, ask an adult) in 4 of 5 disputes. | 1 of 5 | Opportunities |
Weak: "The student will get along with others."
Measurable: "When a peer declines an invitation, the student will respond neutrally and choose another activity in 4 of 5 opportunities."
More wording is in the peer interaction goal templates and the social skills goal hub.
How to measure social skills goals
Most social skills goals depend on opportunities: a peer greets the student, a game starts, a disagreement happens. Count each opportunity and whether the student used the skill.
- Record chances and responses on the opportunity data sheet. The opportunities measurement guide shows how.
- For initiations, which have no set opportunity, count them during a set period with the frequency data sheet.
- For multi-step skills such as group work, use a short checklist and the rubric scoring data sheet.
Observe in the real setting, such as lunch, recess or a club, at least twice a week. If the skill only shows up in the social skills group, plan for generalization: practice with peers, in new places, with less adult help.
Short-term objectives for social skills goals
For the joining goal:
- In a structured game set up by an adult, the student will ask to join with a script card in 3 of 4 opportunities.
- At recess, with an adult nearby and a verbal cue, the student will ask to join in 3 of 4 opportunities.
- At recess, with no cue, the student will join an ongoing activity in 3 of 4 opportunities.
Adapting by grade
| Grade band | Typical focus | Example adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool and K-2 | Responding to peers, turn-taking in play | Picture cue for "my turn," adult-set play |
| Grades 3-5 | Joining games, sharing ideas, accepting no | Script card, structured recess games |
| Middle school | Conversation, group work, disagreeing | Lunch groups, interest clubs |
| High school | Group projects, workplace interaction | Team roles, coworker greetings |
Students with autism often benefit from goals built around shared interests. The guide to IEP goals for autism has examples. For regulation during social conflict, see emotional regulation goal examples. Paste any draft into the goal checker.
The IEP must include measurable annual goals and describe how progress will be measured.[1] CASEL lists relationship skills as one of five core social and emotional competencies.[2]
Frequently asked questions
What are good social skills goals for an IEP?
Goals that target skills the student needs and wants to use with real peers: joining activities, keeping a conversation going, taking turns, contributing to group work and handling disagreements. Each should name the setting and count what the student does.
Should social skills goals require eye contact?
No. Many students, especially autistic students, listen better without eye contact, and forcing it can make interaction harder. Target the purpose instead, such as showing interest by responding, nodding or asking a question.
How do I measure a social skills goal fairly?
Count opportunities. Record each time the situation came up and whether the student used the skill. That way a week with few chances does not look like failure, and the goal does not depend on how peers behave.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Peer interaction goals (social emotional)
- Social skills goal hub
- Opportunities measurement guide
- Opportunity data sheet
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- Social-emotional IEP goals: examples you can actually measure
- Emotional regulation and self-regulation IEP goals
- IEP goals for autism: examples by area and age
- IEP goals for autistic students in middle and high school
- How to measure social skills in natural settings
- Social skills groups: goals and data
- IEP progress report comments for social skills goals
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- CASEL: Social and emotional learning, CASEL
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.