IEP goals for Childhood Apraxia of Speech
101 templates across 22 skills in 6 areas, led by speech & language, reading, and social-emotional & communication. Open any goal to set the baseline and target from your own data, then print the matching data sheet.
101 templates · 22 skills · Pre-K, K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Top skills
The 8 most relevant skills, with sample goals. Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Motor Speech (Apraxia & Dysarthria) Speech & Language
Say CV words such as me and go
CV syllable shapes
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 functional consonant-vowel words from the student's practice set, presented in random order with a picture or object for each, the student will say each consonant-vowel word with the correct consonant and vowel in the correct order independently with at least 70% accuracy on consonant-vowel word productions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected each therapy session.
Keep vowels clear in simple words
Vowel accuracy
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 one-syllable practice words that contrast 3 target vowels (such as "bee", "ba", "boo"), in random order with pictures, the student will say each word with the target vowel clear enough that the listener can tell which word was said independently with at least 75% accuracy on target vowels in practice words, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected each therapy session.
AAC & Augmentative Communication Speech & Language
Request items and actions with a speech-generating device
Requesting with a speech-generating device
By the annual IEP review date, during snack, play, or a preferred activity with the device within reach and the needed symbols available, the student will request an item, action, or more of an activity by selecting the symbol or symbols on the device independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three times weekly.
Use core words such as go, more, stop, and help across activities
Core words across activities
By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute classroom activity with the core board or device within reach and adults modeling core words, the student will use a core word on their board or device for a communicative purpose (such as "go" to start, "stop" to end, "help" to get assistance) independently at least 10 times per 20-minute activity, across 3 consecutive weekly observations, as measured by frequency recording collected weekly.
Phonological Processes Speech & Language
Produce final consonants in words
Final consonant deletion
By the annual IEP review date, given 20 pictures of CVC words that end in a consonant the student can produce (such as cat, bed, soap), the student will produce the final consonant in each word independently with at least 80% accuracy on final consonants in single words, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Produce /k/ and /g/ in words without fronting
Velar fronting
By the annual IEP review date, given 20 picture cards of words that contain /k/ or /g/ in the initial or final position, the student will independently produce /k/ and /g/ in each target word instead of substituting /t/ or /d/ with at least 80% accuracy on velar sound productions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Articulation Speech & Language
Produce the target sound correctly in single words
Target sound in single words
By the annual IEP review date, given 20 picture or word cards containing To choose for the student: the target sound (such as /r/) in the initial, medial, and final word positions, the student will produce the target sound correctly in single words independently with at least 80% accuracy on target-sound productions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Produce the target sound correctly in phrases and sentences
Target sound in phrases and sentences
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 target words containing To choose for the student: the target sound (such as /r/), each used in a phrase or a student-generated sentence, the student will produce the target sound correctly in phrases and sentences independently with at least 80% accuracy on target-sound occurrences, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Functional Communication Social-Emotional & Communication
Request preferred items or activities with two-symbol messages
Requesting with multi-symbol messages in classroom routines (AAC)
By the annual IEP review date, with access to their communication device during snack, play, and choice routines, the student will request a preferred item or activity by combining two symbols (such as "want bubbles," "more music," "go swing") independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three times per week.
Repair a message when a listener doesn't follow it
Repairing communication breakdowns
By the annual IEP review date, when a communication partner signals they did not understand (such as "What?", "Show me," a confused look paired with a question), the student will repair the message by repeating, rephrasing, adding a gesture or sign, showing the item, or using their communication device independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Expressive Language Speech & Language
Imitate words and short phrases during play
Verbal imitation
By the annual IEP review date, during play when an adult models a single word for the toy or action and pauses, the student will imitate the modeled word or two-word phrase within 5 seconds independently after the model in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Answer wh- questions with a communication device
Expressive language through AAC
By the annual IEP review date, during a shared book reading when an adult asks who, what, or where questions and models answers on the student's device, the student will answer the question on their communication device with a word or symbol of the type the question asks for (a person, a thing or action, or a place) independently in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session and once weekly in class.
Phonological Awareness Reading
Tell whether two spoken words are the same or different (phonological awareness)
Auditory discrimination
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 pairs of spoken one-syllable words, half identical and half differing by one sound, the student will say or sign same or different for each pair independently with at least 90% accuracy on same-different pairs, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Point to the picture of a word spoken in sounds
Receptive blending
By the annual IEP review date, given a word spoken one sound at a time and a choice of 3 pictures, the student will point to the picture of the word independently with at least 85% accuracy on receptive blending items, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Early Communication Speech & Language
Imitate a sound a partner makes
Vocal imitation of sounds
By the annual IEP review date, during play with animal or vehicle toys, when the partner makes a play sound (such as "moo", "beep", "vroom") and pauses, the student will imitate the partner's sound or a close version of it independently in at least 6 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected each therapy session.
Copy single words in play routines
Imitating single words
By the annual IEP review date, during a play routine with 5 to 8 practiced target words, when the partner says a target word while acting on the toy and pauses, the student will imitate the target word or a consistent word approximation independently in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected each therapy session.
All 22 skills
Every skill with goals for this group, by area. The number is how many of its goals are tagged here.
Speech & Language
Reading
Social-Emotional & Communication
Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Goals for motor speech planning: syllable shapes, intelligibility, and AAC when needed. Childhood apraxia of speech affects planning the movements for speech, so goals focus on syllable shapes, word length, and consistency of production rather than single sounds in isolation. Many students also use AAC while speech develops, and goals can cover both.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 47 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 39 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 1 goal here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 9 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 5 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How do apraxia goals differ from articulation goals?
Articulation goals target one sound at a time. Apraxia goals usually target movement sequences: consonant-vowel shapes, multisyllabic words, or phrases of a set length, with accuracy measured across repeated productions.
Should an AAC goal be written alongside a speech goal?
Often, yes. An AAC goal makes sure the student can communicate now, and a speech goal works on intelligibility. The two are measured separately so progress in one does not hide a lack of progress in the other.
What data sheet fits motor speech goals?
The opportunity (trial-by-trial) sheet for a set number of productions per session, or the accuracy sheet when the goal is percent correct on a word list.
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