Functional & Independence Skills IEP goals for Deaf or Hard of Hearing
8 functional & independence skills templates across 4 skills: preschool & kindergarten readiness, community & safety skills, functional routines, functional academics. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
8 templates · 4 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.
Preschool & Kindergarten Readiness Functional & Independence Skills
Respond when name is called
Responding to own name
By the annual IEP review date, when an adult calls the child's name once from within 3 feet during play, the student will respond in a way that shows they heard (pausing, turning toward the adult, vocalizing, signing, or a device message) within 3 seconds independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily, five planned trials.
Follow one-step directions given to the group
Following group directions
By the annual IEP review date, when the teacher gives a one-step direction to the whole class during circle or a transition (stand up, get your coat, come to the carpet), the student will follow the group direction within 10 seconds independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by direct observation collected daily, across the first five group directions.
Community & Safety Skills Functional & Independence Skills
Leave the house when the smoke alarm sounds
Home fire safety
By the annual IEP review date, during a family home fire drill with the smoke alarm test button, as reported by the family, the student will leave by the planned exit, go to the outside meeting spot, and stay there until an adult says it is safe, performing all 6 steps independently, across 3 consecutive drills, as measured by direct observation collected monthly, during drills.
Tell a first responder about communication needs
Interacting with police and first responders
By the annual IEP review date, during a role-play with a staff member or officer acting as a first responder at an accident scene, the student will show the communication card or play the AAC message that explains how the student communicates independently in 5 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive role-play sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected monthly, during role-plays.
Functional Routines Functional & Independence Skills
Stay with the class through a school assembly
Assemblies and large events
By the annual IEP review date, during a school assembly in the gym or auditorium, seated at the end of the class row, the student will stay with the class in the seating area during the assembly with noise-reducing headphones or another tool the student chose for at least 25 minutes, across 3 consecutive assemblies or practice sessions, as measured by duration recording collected at every assembly, plus one practice session per month.
Functional Academics Functional & Independence Skills
Write a phone message with all the parts
Taking a phone message
By the annual IEP review date, during a recorded practice call of about one minute, given a message pad, the student will write a message with the caller's name, number, who it is for, the reason, and the time of the call independently, earning a score of at least 9 out of 10 on a 5-part phone message rubric, on 3 consecutive weekly practice calls, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected weekly.
Routines, daily living, functional academics, community safety, toileting, health, and leisure skills. Goals for students who are deaf or hard of hearing cover listening and spoken language, sign language, self-advocacy about access (checking equipment, asking for repetition), and language skills that hearing loss can affect. The communication mode in each goal should match the student's IEP communication plan.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Duration trackerTimes how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.Used by 1 goal here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 1 goal here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 1 goal here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 5 goals here
Frequently asked questions
What areas do goals for deaf or hard of hearing students usually address?
Listening and auditory skills, receptive and expressive language in the student's communication mode, vocabulary, self-advocacy about access and equipment, and sometimes reading and writing when language delays affect them.
Should self-advocacy be an IEP goal?
Often, yes. Reporting a dead battery, asking for a repeat, or choosing a seat with a clear view of the speaker are observable, countable skills, and they matter more as the student moves toward independence.
What functional skill goals fit students with Deaf or hard of hearing?
Daily living routines, school independence (arrival, materials, transitions), functional academics (money, time, schedules), community safety, and vocational readiness for older students, measured with task-analysis checklists and opportunity data.
How do I write a routine as a goal?
Break the routine into ordered steps, record which steps the student completes independently, and set the criterion as a number of steps across several sessions.
IEP Atlas Pro
Turn these goals into progress reports
Pro tracks every goal on your caseload and drafts the report for you. Free for 14 days.
Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.