Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE) IEP goals for Anxiety
20 motor & sensory skills (OT, PT & adapted PE) templates across 2 skills: sensory processing & regulation, feeding & mealtime skills. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
20 templates · 2 skills · Pre-K, K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Sensory Processing & Regulation Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Request a sensory break with a card
Requesting a sensory tool or break
By the annual IEP review date, during whole-group lessons or independent work, when the student shows the early signs listed in their sensory plan (such as covering ears, moving more or going quiet), the student will request a sensory break using words, a break card, a sign or a device, and go to the agreed break spot with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by frequency recording collected daily.
Put on headphones before a loud event
Using noise-reducing headphones in loud places
By the annual IEP review date, before going into a scheduled loud event such as an assembly, a pep rally, gym class or a class party, the student will get their headphones from the agreed spot and put them on before entering the loud space with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected at each scheduled loud event.
Attend an assembly with a sensory plan
Taking part in assemblies and cafeteria with a plan
By the annual IEP review date, during a school assembly, with the student's plan in place (an end-of-row seat, headphones and an exit pass), the student will remain at the assembly using the parts of the plan they choose, such as headphones, the end seat or a short exit break with no adult prompts for at least 25 minutes, on 3 consecutive assemblies, as measured by duration recording collected at each assembly.
Eat in the cafeteria with a sensory plan
Taking part in assemblies and cafeteria with a plan
By the annual IEP review date, during lunch in the cafeteria, with the student's plan in place (a seat at the end of a table away from the dish return, headphones and an exit option), the student will remain at the cafeteria table and eat with peers, using the parts of the plan they choose with no adult prompts for at least 15 minutes, on 4 of 5 observed lunches, as measured by duration recording collected three lunches a week.
Match a strategy to their alertness rating
Rating own alertness level
By the annual IEP review date, after rating their alertness at a scheduled check-in during the school day, the student will choose and use a strategy from their personal list that fits the rating, such as a movement strategy when low or a heavy-work or quiet strategy when high with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected at five check-ins a week.
Self-check alertness at the start of each class
Rating own alertness level
By the annual IEP review date, at the start of each class period, with a private rating on a phone app, card or notebook, the student will record a private alertness rating and use one planned strategy if the rating is low or high with no adult prompts in at least 5 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly from the self-check log.
Feeding & Mealtime Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Choose and rate a try-menu food
Exploring a new food at the student's own pace
By the annual IEP review date, during a weekly tasting time, given a menu of three new foods the student helped choose, the student will choose one food from the try menu, explore it in a chosen way, and rate it on a three-point scale (like it, okay, not for me) with no adult prompts in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 4 consecutive weeks, as measured by direct observation collected weekly at tasting time.
Fine motor, handwriting, visual-motor, gross motor, fitness, functional mobility, feeding, and sensory processing skills. Anxiety is not an IDEA eligibility category. Students whose anxiety affects school are usually served under other health impairment or emotional disturbance (called emotional disability in some states), or with a Section 504 plan, and the goals that follow teach coping strategies, asking for support, attendance, and starting and finishing work.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 13 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 3 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 1 goal here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 2 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
Can a student get an IEP for anxiety?
Anxiety is not its own IDEA category. A student may qualify under other health impairment or emotional disturbance when anxiety affects educational performance and the student needs specially designed instruction. Many students are served with a Section 504 plan instead, and the evaluation team decides.
What IEP goals help students with anxiety?
Goals often teach a coping strategy and when to use it, asking for a break or for help, starting work with a first-step plan, and attending class with a check-in. They name a skill the student uses, never "will not be anxious".
Which motor goals are common for students with anxiety?
Fine motor and handwriting goals for classroom tasks, visual-motor skills for copying and organization, and gross motor goals for mobility and PE participation, usually written with the OT, PT, or adapted PE teacher.
How are motor goals measured?
With task-analysis steps, accuracy on a set number of trials, rubric scores for handwriting legibility, or duration and distance for mobility and participation, with equipment named in the condition.
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