Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE) IEP goals for Down Syndrome
114 motor & sensory skills (OT, PT & adapted PE) templates across 6 skills: gross motor skills, fine motor skills, visual-motor & visual-perceptual skills, feeding & mealtime skills, physical fitness & PE participation, handwriting. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
114 templates · 6 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.
Gross Motor Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Balance on one foot during classroom and PE activities
Static balance
By the annual IEP review date, when asked to stand on one foot on a flat floor during PE or a therapy session, the student will independently stand on one foot without the other foot touching the floor and without holding on, with arms free for at least 8 seconds, on 3 consecutive weekly trials on each foot, as measured by duration recording collected weekly during PE or therapy.
Walk along a line or low balance beam
Dynamic balance
By the annual IEP review date, given a 10-foot taped line on the floor, the student will walk the full length with no more than one step off independently with arms free in at least 4 of 5 trials, across 3 consecutive weekly sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly during PE or therapy.
Fine Motor Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Hold a crayon or pencil with a tripod grasp
Pencil and crayon grasp
By the annual IEP review date, during a coloring, drawing, or writing activity lasting at least 5 minutes, the student will hold the writing tool with a tripod grasp (thumb, index, and middle finger) and an open web space for the whole activity independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly observations, as measured by direct observation collected weekly during a classroom writing or coloring activity.
Move small objects from palm to fingertips
In-hand manipulation
By the annual IEP review date, given five coins or counters placed in the palm of the dominant hand, the student will independently move the objects one at a time from the palm to the fingertips and place each in a container without using the other hand or the table in at least 4 of 5 trials, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly during OT or a math manipulatives activity.
Visual-Motor & Visual-Perceptual Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Copy basic shapes from a printed model
Copying basic shapes
By the annual IEP review date, given a printed model of a circle, square, triangle, and cross and a pencil, the student will independently copy each shape so that it is closed, has the correct number of sides and corners, and is recognizable without the model with at least 85% accuracy on shapes copied correctly, on 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly during a writing center or OT session.
Build a block structure to match a model
Block and construction models
By the annual IEP review date, given a built model of 5 blocks and a matching set of blocks, the student will build a structure that matches the model in the number, position, and orientation of blocks independently in at least 4 of 5 trials, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly during a block center or OT session.
Feeding & Mealtime Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Scoop soft food with a spoon
Spoon and fork use
By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, given a food that holds on a spoon (such as yogurt, applesauce or mashed food) in a bowl, the student will scoop the food with the spoon and bring it to the mouth, keeping most of the food on the spoon with no adult hands on the spoon in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
Spear bite-size pieces with a fork
Spoon and fork use
By the annual IEP review date, during lunch, given bite-size pieces of a firm food such as fruit, cooked vegetables or pasta, the student will spear a piece of food with the fork and bring it to the mouth without the piece falling off, with no adult help in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
Physical Fitness & PE Participation Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Walk or jog continuously for a set number of minutes
Cardiovascular endurance
By the annual IEP review date, during the PE warm-up on the track or gym floor, the student will independently continue walking or jogging without stopping or sitting down for at least 10 minutes, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly sessions, as measured by duration recording collected weekly during PE.
Perform curl-ups in one minute
Core strength
By the annual IEP review date, given a mat and a 1-minute timing during the PE fitness unit, the student will perform curl-ups with the shoulder blades lifting off the mat and returning each time independently at least 15 times per 1-minute timing, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly timings, as measured by frequency recording collected weekly during PE.
Handwriting Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Copy pre-writing strokes and shapes
Pre-writing strokes
By the annual IEP review date, given a printed model of a vertical line, horizontal line, circle, cross, and square and a crayon, the student will copy each stroke so that it is recognizable and has the correct orientation independently with at least 80% accuracy on strokes copied recognizably, on 3 consecutive weekly work samples, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly during a writing center or OT session.
Write first name with correctly formed letters
Name writing
By the annual IEP review date, given a blank name line at the top of a worksheet, the student will write the first name with each letter formed correctly, in order, and facing the right direction independently with 100% accuracy on letters in the name formed correctly, on 4 of 5 consecutive daily work samples, as measured by work-sample analysis collected daily from the name line on class work, reviewed weekly.
Fine motor, handwriting, visual-motor, gross motor, fitness, functional mobility, feeding, and sensory processing skills. Down syndrome is not an IDEA category on its own; students are usually served under Intellectual Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, or Developmental Delay. The goals below are the ones teams most often write: speech intelligibility, expressive language, fine and gross motor skills, and daily living routines.
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 56 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 19 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 12 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 8 goals here
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 13 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 6 goals here
Frequently asked questions
Which eligibility category applies to a student with Down syndrome?
The evaluation team decides based on the student's needs. Common categories are Intellectual Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, and, for young children, Developmental Delay. The category does not limit which goals can be written.
How are intelligibility goals measured?
Usually by percent of words understood by an unfamiliar listener in a short sample, or by accuracy on target sounds in words and phrases. The SLP picks the measure that matches the student's speech profile.
Which motor goals are common for students with Down syndrome?
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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Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.