Speech & Language IEP goals for Traumatic Brain Injury
47 speech & language templates across 9 skills: motor speech (apraxia & dysarthria), listening comprehension & auditory processing, expressive language, narrative language & retelling, vocabulary & semantics, grammar, syntax & morphology, pragmatic language, receptive language, AAC & augmentative communication. Each opens in the builder with a matching data sheet.
47 templates · 9 skills · Pre-K, K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Top skills
The 8 most relevant skills, with sample goals. Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Motor Speech (Apraxia & Dysarthria) Speech & Language
Switch to a device when speech breaks down
Switching to AAC when not understood
By the annual IEP review date, during class, lunch, or specials with the device or app within reach, when a listener does not understand a spoken message after one repeat, the student will switch to the device or app and type, select, or show the message until the listener can act on it or repeat it independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by direct observation collected twice weekly.
Tap a pacing board to slow down
Rate control with a pacing board
By the annual IEP review date, during sharing time or a small-group answer, when the student starts a message of 3 or more words with the pacing board on the desk, the student will tap one dot of the pacing board for each word or syllable while speaking the message independently in at least 4 of 6 opportunities, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by direct observation collected twice weekly.
Listening Comprehension & Auditory Processing Speech & Language
Follow three- and four-step oral directions given once
Three- and four-step oral directions
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 three-step oral directions spoken once, using classroom materials, the student will carry out all steps of the direction in the order given independently with at least 80% accuracy on multi-step directions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Retell heard information in the order it was given
Restating information in order
By the annual IEP review date, after listening to 3 to 5 pieces of information in sequence (such as the steps of a simple recipe or the order of events in a short account), the student will retell the items in the order they were given independently with at least 85% accuracy on items retold in the correct position, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
See all 40 listening comprehension & auditory processing goals
Expressive Language Speech & Language
Use a word-finding strategy when a word is hard to retrieve
Word-finding strategies
By the annual IEP review date, when unable to retrieve a known word during a structured naming or describing task, the student will use To choose for the student: the taught word-finding strategy (such as describing the word's category, function, or first sound, or using a synonym) to get the message across independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Use specific words instead of thing, stuff, and it
Specific word choice
By the annual IEP review date, during a 5-minute explanation of a game, process, or event to the SLP, the student will reduce nonspecific words (thing, stuff, it, do, go) used when the object or action has not been named to no more than 3 times per 5-minute sample, across 3 consecutive weekly samples, as measured by frequency recording collected weekly.
Narrative Language & Retelling Speech & Language
Retell a story with more than one episode
Multi-episode retell
By the annual IEP review date, after listening to or reading an unfamiliar story with two or three episodes, the student will retell the story, including for each episode the problem, what the character did, and the outcome, in order independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 3-row multi-episode retell rubric scored 0 to 3 per row, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Summarize an informational text aloud
Oral summary of informational text
By the annual IEP review date, after listening to a short informational passage or video (3 to 5 minutes) from a current class, the student will summarize the text in three to five sentences that state the main idea and two or three key details independently, earning a score of at least 6 out of 8 on a 4-row oral summary rubric scored 0 to 2 per row, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Vocabulary & Semantics Speech & Language
Name category members in one minute
Category naming fluency
By the annual IEP review date, given a spoken category name (such as animals, foods, things in a kitchen) and one minute, the student will name different members of the category independently at a rate of at least 10 correct category members per minute, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by timed probes collected weekly.
Compare and contrast two curriculum concepts
Comparing curriculum concepts
By the annual IEP review date, given two related concepts from a current science, social studies, or math unit, the student will state at least two ways the concepts are alike and two ways they are different, using the unit's vocabulary independently, earning a score of at least 6 out of 8 on a 4-row concept comparison rubric scored 0 to 2 per row, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Grammar, Syntax & Morphology Speech & Language
Build complex sentences in academic explanations
Complex sentences in academic talk
By the annual IEP review date, when asked to explain a concept from the current unit (such as a cause of a historical event or how a process works) in a 1- to 2-minute recorded response, the student will give a spoken explanation that uses complex sentences, precise connectives, and complete clauses independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 8 on a 4-row spoken sentence structure rubric scored 0 to 2 per row, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Keep verb tense consistent when retelling past events
Verb tense consistency
By the annual IEP review date, during 5 recorded retells of short past events (such as a field trip, a game, or a video watched last class), the student will retell the event keeping the main verbs in past tense from start to finish independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, in 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected every two weeks.
Pragmatic Language Speech & Language
Signal a change of topic before switching
Signaling a topic change
By the annual IEP review date, during a 5-minute conversation with a peer or adult, the student will introduce a new topic with a transition phrase (such as "That reminds me," "Can I tell you about something else?", "Changing the subject") before switching independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Tell when a speaker is being sarcastic
Nonliteral language: sarcasm
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 short video or audio clips of everyday conversations, some with sarcastic comments and some sincere, the student will say whether the comment was sarcastic or sincere and name the clue they used (the situation, the words, or the tone) independently with at least 80% accuracy on sarcastic and sincere comments judged, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected every two weeks.
Receptive Language Speech & Language
Follow spoken instructions with technical vocabulary in a lab or work task
Instructions in lab and work settings
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 spoken two- or three-step instructions using vocabulary from a current science lab, shop, or culinary class, the student will carry out each instruction with the correct materials and steps in order independently with at least 85% accuracy on technical instructions, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
All 9 skills
Every skill with goals for this group, by area. The number is how many of its goals are tagged here.
Articulation, phonology, expressive and receptive language, pragmatics, fluency, and voice. After a brain injury, the skills most affected at school are often memory, attention, organization, processing speed, and regulation, and they can change quickly during recovery. Goals here use strategies the student can learn and data that can be reviewed often.
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 11 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 2 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 18 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 16 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How often should goals be reviewed after a brain injury?
Recovery can be faster than the annual IEP cycle. Teams often set shorter review points and reconvene when data shows the goal is met or no longer fits. IDEA allows the IEP to be revised at any time (34 CFR 300.324(b)).
What goals are common for students with TBI?
Working memory strategies, task initiation, following multi-step directions, organization with checklists or planners, sustained attention, and emotional regulation. Academic goals target the specific skills the injury affected.
What speech and language goals are common for students with traumatic brain injury?
Expressive and receptive language, pragmatics, articulation or intelligibility, and AAC, depending on the evaluation. Goals are measured trial by trial or by percent accuracy in a session, with a generalization step when needed.
Who writes the goal?
The speech-language pathologist drafts it from the evaluation and the IEP team adopts it. Teachers and families contribute information about communication outside therapy.
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.