Reading IEP goals for Down Syndrome
31 reading templates across 8 skills: sight word recognition, letter names & sounds, print concepts & early literacy, reading fluency, reading comprehension, phonics & decoding, vocabulary, phonological awareness. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
31 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.
Sight Word Recognition Reading
Read a set of high-frequency words
High-frequency word recognition
By the annual IEP review date, given a set of 25 high-frequency words from the student's current instructional word list, presented one at a time on cards in random order, the student will read each word aloud within 3 seconds of seeing it independently with at least 90% accuracy on the word set, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Read functional and safety words
Functional and community words
By the annual IEP review date, given 15 functional words and phrases (for example, EXIT, STOP, RESTROOM, DANGER, OPEN, CLOSED) shown in photographs of real signs and labels, the student will read each word or phrase aloud and say or show what to do independently with at least 85% accuracy on functional sign words, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Letter Names & Sounds Reading
Name uppercase letters shown in random order
Uppercase letter naming
By the annual IEP review date, given 26 uppercase letter cards shown one at a time in random order, the student will say the name of each letter independently with at least 90% accuracy on uppercase letters, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Name lowercase letters shown in random order
Lowercase letter naming
By the annual IEP review date, given 26 lowercase letter cards shown one at a time in random order, the student will say the name of each letter independently with at least 90% accuracy on lowercase letters, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Print Concepts & Early Literacy Reading
Handle a book from front to back
Book handling
By the annual IEP review date, during independent book time, given an unfamiliar picture book handed to the student closed and upside down, the student will look through the book from the front cover to the back cover following the book handling steps, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Sweep a finger left to right under print
Left-to-right and return sweep
By the annual IEP review date, during shared reading of a book with one line of print per page, when the adult reads a line and asks the student to show how the words go, the student will sweep a finger under the line of print from left to right while the adult reads it independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Reading Fluency Reading
Read a recipe or set of work instructions aloud (words correct per minute)
Fluency with functional documents
By the annual IEP review date, given an unpracticed recipe, work checklist, or set of assembly directions written at the student's instructional level, the student will read the document aloud for 1 minute independently at a rate of at least 70 words correct per minute, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by timed probes collected weekly.
Adapted news story fluency
Fluency for emerging readers with significant support needs
By the annual IEP review date, given an unpracticed 40- to 60-word adapted news story built from the student's known words, with a photo, the student will read the story aloud for 1 minute independently at a rate of at least 30 words correct per minute, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by timed probes collected weekly.
Reading Comprehension Reading
Answer questions about a schedule, menu, or timetable
Functional texts
By the annual IEP review date, given a bus or train timetable and 5 questions about times and routes, the student will state the answer to each question and point to where it was found independently with at least 85% accuracy on functional text questions, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Read a recipe and gather what it lists
Functional texts: recipes
By the annual IEP review date, given a simple recipe with 4 to 6 ingredients and 2 or 3 tools, in a classroom kitchen, the student will read the ingredients and tools lists and gather each item listed independently with at least 90% accuracy on recipe items gathered correctly, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Phonics & Decoding Reading
Sound out and read CVC words
CVC blending
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 printed CVC words made only of taught letters, the student will say each sound and then read the whole word independently with at least 90% accuracy on CVC words, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Read short sentences made of taught words
Sentence-level decoding
By the annual IEP review date, given 5 printed sentences of 3 to 6 words made only of taught CVC words and taught high-frequency words, the student will read each sentence aloud independently with at least 90% accuracy on words in the sentences, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Vocabulary Reading
Match community and job words to photos
Functional vocabulary with photos
By the annual IEP review date, given a spoken community or job word from a taught set of 12 and a field of 4 real photos, the student will point to, touch, or select the photo or object that matches the word independently with at least 80% accuracy on community and job words matched to photos, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Phonological Awareness Reading
Blend and split spoken compound words
Compound words
By the annual IEP review date, given two spoken words that form a compound word (for example, sun and flower) with a one-second pause between them, the student will say the compound word formed by the two parts, or say the two parts of the compound word independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. 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:
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 18 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 6 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 3 goals here
- Reading fluency trackerWords attempted, errors, words correct per minute, and accuracy for each probe.Used by 2 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 2 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.
How are reading goals measured for students with Down syndrome?
With the same measures as any reading goal: accuracy on word lists for decoding, words correct per minute on an unpracticed passage for fluency, and percent of questions answered or a rubric for comprehension. The disability informs the supports and conditions, not the measure.
Which reading skill should the goal target first?
The one the evaluation shows is limiting progress. Foundational skills (phonological awareness, decoding) usually come before fluency, and fluency before comprehension goals that depend on it, but assessment, not sequence, decides.
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