Social-Emotional & Communication IEP goals for Developmental Delay
107 social-emotional & communication templates across 8 skills: play & social participation, functional communication, social awareness & perspective taking, emotional regulation, requesting help, peer interaction, self-advocacy, conflict resolution. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
107 templates · 8 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.
Play & Social Participation Social-Emotional & Communication
Play with a toy the way it is designed for several minutes
Functional play with toys
By the annual IEP review date, during free play with a set of 3 familiar toys that have a clear action (such as a car, a shape sorter, a toy phone), the student will play with a toy using its designed action (such as rolling the car, putting shapes in the sorter, holding the phone to an ear) independently for at least 5 minutes, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by duration recording collected three times per week during free play.
Play next to peers with similar materials
Parallel play near peers
By the annual IEP review date, during centers when peers are playing with the same type of materials (such as blocks, playdough, cars), the student will play within arm's reach of a peer using similar materials independently for at least 6 minutes, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by duration recording collected three times per week during centers.
Functional Communication Social-Emotional & Communication
Make spontaneous comments during shared activities
Commenting during shared activities
By the annual IEP review date, during a 15-minute shared book reading or structured play activity with an adult or peers, the student will make spontaneous comments (such as "look," "uh oh," "my turn," "I like it," "funny") using speech, sign, AAC, or gestures independently at least 5 times per 15-minute shared activity, across 3 consecutive observed sessions, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.
Ask questions to get information
Asking questions to get information
By the annual IEP review date, during a 30-minute block of classroom routines and activities, the student will ask wh-questions to get information (such as "Where is my bag?", "What's next?", "Who is that?") using speech, sign, or their communication device independently at least 4 times per 30-minute observation, across 3 consecutive observed sessions, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.
Social Awareness & Perspective Taking Social-Emotional & Communication
Name basic emotions in photos of people
Naming basic emotions in others
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 photos of children in everyday situations showing happy, sad, mad, or scared, and a choice board of 4 emotion symbols, the student will name or point to the emotion that fits the person in each photo independently with at least 80% accuracy on emotion photos, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Notice when a classmate is sad or hurt
Noticing a peer who is upset
By the annual IEP review date, during free play, centers, or the playground, when a nearby peer cries, falls, or shows they are upset, the student will respond to the upset peer by going over, asking "Okay?", bringing a comfort item, or telling an adult independently in at least 3 of 5 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by direct observation collected 3 times per week.
Emotional Regulation Social-Emotional & Communication
Report their current emotion and intensity on a visual scale
Identifying and reporting emotional state
By the annual IEP review date, at scheduled check-ins during the school day using a visual emotion and intensity scale, the student will identify their current emotion and intensity level by pointing to, naming, signing, or selecting it on the visual scale independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily at 5 scheduled check-ins.
Wait for a preferred item or activity using a waiting strategy
Waiting and tolerating delay
By the annual IEP review date, when a preferred item or activity is delayed (such as "computer in a few minutes"), the student will wait for the item or activity while using a waiting strategy (such as holding a wait card, counting, using a fidget, looking at a book) independently for at least 5 minutes, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by duration recording collected daily.
Requesting Help Social-Emotional & Communication
Request help with a functional task using any communication mode
Requesting help with functional tasks (including AAC)
By the annual IEP review date, with access to their communication device or system when they need adult help with a task during snack, arrival, or art (such as a closed container, a material out of reach), the student will request help by selecting HELP on their communication device, signing HELP, handing a help card to an adult, or saying "help" independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily during snack and arrival routines.
Ask a peer for help with a toy or material during play
Asking a peer for help during play
By the annual IEP review date, during centers or free play when they cannot complete a play action alone (such as opening a container, connecting pieces, reaching a shelf) and a peer is nearby, the student will ask a nearby peer for help by name, by tapping and showing the item, or with a word, sign, or device message (such as "help," "open," "can you hold this?") independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three times per week during centers and outdoor play.
Peer Interaction Social-Emotional & Communication
Initiate interactions with peers during recess
Initiating interactions with peers
By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute recess period, the student will initiate an interaction with a peer (such as greeting, inviting to play, commenting, showing or offering an item) using speech, sign, AAC, or gesture independently at least 3 times per 20-minute recess period, across 3 consecutive observed recess periods, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.
Respond to peers' greetings, questions, and invitations
Responding to peer initiations
By the annual IEP review date, when a peer greets them, asks a question, or invites them to play during unstructured times, the student will respond to the peer with a related word, sign, gesture, device message, or action (such as waving back, answering, joining the activity) independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive observed sessions, as measured by direct observation collected twice weekly.
Self-Advocacy Social-Emotional & Communication
State a preference or decline an offer
Stating preferences and declining
By the annual IEP review date, when offered a choice of activities, materials, or foods during a structured routine, the student will state a preference or decline the offer using a respectful protest form (such as "no thank you," "I want something else," shaking the head, or a "stop/no" symbol) independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly during choice, snack, and play routines.
Tell an adult about a physical need such as bathroom, hunger, or pain
Communicating physical needs
By the annual IEP review date, when they need the bathroom, are hungry or thirsty, are hurt, or are too hot or cold during the school day, the student will tell a familiar adult what they need by saying, signing, pointing to a symbol, or selecting it on their device (such as "potty," "drink," "hurt") independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily across snack, outdoor play, and bathroom routines.
Conflict Resolution Social-Emotional & Communication
Use a fair-decision strategy when peers want the same thing
Using fair-decision strategies
By the annual IEP review date, when they and a peer both want the same item, turn, or role during play or centers, the student will suggest or agree to a fair-decision strategy (such as take turns, set a timer, rock-paper-scissors, share, or choose something else) independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly during play, centers, and games.
Say my turn or get an adult when a peer takes their item
Early conflict: responding when a peer takes an item
By the annual IEP review date, when a peer takes an item they are using during centers or free play, the student will say, sign, or select "my turn" or "stop" to the peer, or go to an adult for help, instead of hitting, grabbing, or screaming independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily during centers and free play.
Self-advocacy, requesting help, peer interaction, conflict resolution, and regulation. Developmental Delay is a category states may use for young children, generally ages 3 through 9, when a delay in one or more areas calls for special education. The goals below are preschool and early elementary goals across communication, motor, social, adaptive, and readiness skills.
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 68 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 7 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 5 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 17 goals here
- Latency trackerTimes the gap between a cue and the start of the response.Used by 8 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 2 goals here
Frequently asked questions
Until what age can a child be eligible under Developmental Delay?
IDEA lets states use the category for children ages 3 through 9, and each state sets its own age range within that. After the state's cutoff the child is reevaluated under another category.
What do preschool IEP goals look like?
They name a skill in a classroom routine, such as following a two-step direction during cleanup or requesting a turn during play, and measure it with opportunities or task-analysis steps. Numbers are small and sessions are short.
How are social-emotional goals measured for students with developmental delay?
By opportunities in which the student used a taught skill, frequency of a behavior during a period, latency to use a strategy after a cue, or a rubric for multi-part skills. The behavior is defined so two observers would agree.
Should the goal name the strategy?
Yes, when the strategy is observable: 'request a break using a card' or 'state the problem and one solution'. That makes the goal countable and tells staff what to teach.
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