Transition & Postsecondary Skills IEP goals for Speech or Language Impairment
27 transition & postsecondary skills templates across 8 skills: job seeking & applications, vocational & work readiness, community access & travel, career exploration, transition-related skills, self-determination, independent living, personal finance & money management. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
27 templates · 8 skills · 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.
Job Seeking & Applications Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Give a short personal pitch to an employer
Interview answers
By the annual IEP review date, when a mock interviewer opens with tell me about yourself, the student will give a short personal pitch that names own interest in the job, a strength with an example and a recent experience independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 8 on a 4-row personal pitch rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 3 consecutive practice or real conversations, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected weekly during interview practice.
Answer interview questions with a real example
Interview answers
By the annual IEP review date, during a mock interview with an unfamiliar adult who asks example-based questions about teamwork, problem solving and reliability, the student will answer each example-based question by describing the situation, what the student did and what happened independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 3-row example answer rubric (0 to 3 per row), on 3 consecutive interview practice sessions, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Vocational & Work Readiness Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Ask for the next task when finished
Requesting the next task
By the annual IEP review date, when the assigned task is finished during a school-based job with a supervisor in the room, the student will tell the supervisor the task is done and ask for the next task independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection periods, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily during work periods, summarized every five opportunities.
Ask for clarification on unclear directions
Asking for clarification
By the annual IEP review date, when given a work direction that is missing information (a location, a quantity, or a tool) during a school-based job, the student will ask the supervisor a question that gets the missing information before starting independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection periods, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected one planned unclear direction per work period, summarized every five.
Community Access & Travel Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Tell a server a meal order
Ordering at restaurants
By the annual IEP review date, when a server asks for the order at a restaurant on a class or family outing, with the menu or a picture menu, the student will give the server the food and drink order independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive outings, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected on each restaurant outing.
Ask a librarian for help finding an item
Public library
By the annual IEP review date, at the public library on a class trip or family visit, when the student wants a book, movie, or game they cannot find, the student will ask the librarian for the item by title or topic and follow the directions given independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive library visits, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at each library visit.
Career Exploration Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Ask prepared questions on a workplace tour
Workplace visits
By the annual IEP review date, during a class workplace tour, with own prepared question card, the student will ask a prepared question of a worker or tour guide and record the answer independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive visits, as measured by direct observation collected at each workplace tour or visit, about monthly.
Interview a family member about their work
Family career interviews
By the annual IEP review date, as a home assignment, given a family work interview sheet and a week to complete it, the student will ask the interview questions, record the answers and write how the job compares with own interests independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 8 on a 4-row family interview rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 2 consecutive interviews, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected monthly during the career unit.
Transition-Related Skills Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Answer common questions in a mock job interview
Mock job interview
By the annual IEP review date, during a mock interview with a staff member who asks five common interview questions, the student will answer the interview questions in the mock interview independently, earning a score of at least 10 out of 12 on a 6-row mock interview rubric (0 to 2 per row), on 3 consecutive mock interviews, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Make a phone call to request information
Phone calls to request information
By the annual IEP review date, given a script and a real reason to call a business or program, such as asking about hours or how to apply, the student will complete the phone call and record the answer received, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, on 3 consecutive calls, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected at each call, at least twice monthly.
Self-Determination Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Decline an option and choose another
Declining and redirecting a choice
By the annual IEP review date, when offered an option the student does not want, such as a food, task or activity, at a planned choice point, the student will decline the option with a word, sign, gesture or device message and choose another from the choices shown independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily at planned choice points, summarized weekly.
State own preference during a group decision
Stating preferences in a group
By the annual IEP review date, during a small-group decision in class or a club, such as choosing a project topic or an outing, the student will state own preference with a reason and say whether they can go along with the group's final choice independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection periods, as measured by direct observation collected weekly during planned group decisions.
Independent Living Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Schedule an appointment by phone
Making and keeping appointments
By the annual IEP review date, during a practice call to a staff member acting as a receptionist, with a script card and the student's calendar, the student will make the call, set a time that fits the schedule, and save the appointment in the calendar, performing at least 7 of 8 steps independently, on 3 consecutive calls, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected every two weeks.
Phone the property manager about a repair
Reporting a repair to a landlord
By the annual IEP review date, during a role-play call with a staff member acting as the property manager, given a repair scenario card, the student will call the property manager and give the facts of the repair, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, on 3 consecutive calls, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected every two weeks.
Personal Finance & Money Management Transition & Postsecondary Skills
Make a deposit at the bank counter
Bank account basics
By the annual IEP review date, on a community trip to the student's bank or credit union, with cash or a check and a family-approved plan, the student will fill out the deposit slip, hand it to the teller with the money, and check the receipt, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, on 3 consecutive deposits, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected every two weeks.
Self-determination, career exploration, employment, postsecondary education, independent living, and community access for students 14 to 21. Speech or Language Impairment is one of the largest IDEA categories, and most of these goals are written and monitored by the speech-language pathologist. Articulation and phonology goals count sounds in words; language goals count utterances, responses, or steps, usually in trial-by-trial data.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 5 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 8 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 14 goals here
Frequently asked questions
Who writes speech and language IEP goals?
The speech-language pathologist usually drafts them from the evaluation, and the IEP team adopts them. Teachers and families contribute present-level information, especially about how communication works outside the therapy room.
How are articulation goals measured?
By percent accuracy for a target sound at a level (isolation, syllable, word, sentence, conversation), scored from a set number of productions. Goals often step up through levels as the student masters each one.
What transition goals fit students with speech or language impairment?
Career exploration, job seeking, postsecondary education, independent living, personal finance, community access, and self-determination goals, chosen from age-appropriate transition assessments and the student's own goals. Each annual goal should build toward a measurable postsecondary goal.
How are transition goals measured?
With task-analysis steps for routines like applications and bus routes, rubrics for products like resumes and career profiles, and opportunities for skills practiced in the community. The disability informs supports, not the measure.
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