Phonics & Decoding IEP goals for middle school (grades 6 to 8)
32 of the phonics & decoding templates in the library are written for middle school (grades 6 to 8). Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
32 templates · 1 skill · 6–8 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Phonics & Decoding Reading
Read vowel-team and r-controlled words on a timed list
Vowel teams and r-controlled vowels
By the annual IEP review date, given a 1-minute timed list of unfamiliar one-syllable words with vowel teams (ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, ow) and r-controlled vowels (ar, or, er, ir, ur), the student will read the words aloud in order independently at a rate of at least 45 words read correctly per minute, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by timed probes collected weekly.
Decode multisyllabic words using syllable types
Multisyllabic word decoding
By the annual IEP review date, given 15 unfamiliar two- and three-syllable words containing closed, open, silent-e, vowel-team, and r-controlled syllables, the student will read each word aloud independently with at least 85% accuracy on multisyllabic words, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by curriculum-based measurement probes collected weekly.
Apply a decoding routine to unfamiliar words
Decoding strategy use
By the annual IEP review date, when encountering an unfamiliar word during oral reading of instructional-level text, before asking for help, the student will apply the taught decoding routine (look for known patterns, say the sounds or chunks, blend, and reread the sentence) independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Read words with diphthongs and other vowel teams
Diphthongs and variant vowels
By the annual IEP review date, given a list of 20 unfamiliar one-syllable words with the vowel teams oi, oy, ou, ow, au, aw, and oo, the student will read each word aloud independently with at least 85% accuracy on vowel-team words, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by curriculum-based measurement probes collected weekly.
Read words with soft c, soft g, and silent letters
Soft c and g and silent letters
By the annual IEP review date, given a list of 20 unfamiliar words mixing soft c and g, hard c and g, and silent-letter patterns, the student will read each word aloud independently with at least 90% accuracy on target-pattern words, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by curriculum-based measurement probes collected weekly.
Read words with prefixes and suffixes
Affixed words
By the annual IEP review date, given a list of 20 unfamiliar words with taught prefixes (un-, re-, pre-, dis-, mis-) added to known base words, the student will read each word aloud independently with at least 90% accuracy on affixed words, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by curriculum-based measurement probes collected weekly.
Middle school phonics & decoding goals account for multiple teachers, changing classes, and more independent work. They often pair the skill with a strategy or tool, and the data can be collected across settings by different staff or by the student.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 6 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 15 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 11 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How are phonics & decoding goals measured across several middle school classes?
By defining the task and the observation period so any teacher can use the same sheet, or by work samples collected from more than one class. Student self-monitoring with a weekly check is common.
Should middle school goals include study skills?
When assessment shows that organization, planning, or test preparation limits the student's progress, yes. Those goals are measured with task-analysis checklists and percent of assignments completed.
When does transition planning start?
The IEP in effect when the student turns 16 must include postsecondary goals and transition services, and many states start at 14. Middle school goals can build the self-advocacy and independence those plans rely on.
IEP Atlas Pro
Turn these goals into progress reports
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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.