Phonological Awareness IEP goals for kindergarten to grade 2
44 of the phonological awareness templates in the library are written for kindergarten to grade 2. Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
44 templates · 1 skill · K–2 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Phonological Awareness Reading
Segment spoken words into phonemes (timed)
Phoneme segmentation
By the annual IEP review date, given a 1-minute oral probe of spoken one-syllable words with two to four phonemes, the student will say each individual sound in each spoken word independently at a rate of at least 35 sounds correct per minute, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by timed probes collected weekly.
Blend spoken phonemes into words
Phoneme blending
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 words presented orally as separate phonemes with about a one-second pause between sounds, the student will blend the sounds and say the whole word aloud independently with at least 80% accuracy on oral blending items, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Produce a rhyming word
Rhyme production
By the annual IEP review date, given a spoken one-syllable word during a small-group phonological lesson, the student will say a real or made-up word that rhymes with the spoken word independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during small-group instruction at least twice weekly.
Segment spoken words into syllables
Syllable segmentation
By the annual IEP review date, given a spoken two- to four-syllable word, the student will say each syllable of the word while tapping once per syllable, then state the number of syllables independently in at least 9 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Delete and substitute phonemes in spoken words
Phoneme manipulation
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 spoken one-syllable words, each with an oral direction to delete or change one named phoneme, the student will say the new word that results from deleting or substituting the named sound independently with at least 80% accuracy on phoneme manipulation items, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Isolate the middle sound in spoken words
Phoneme isolation
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 spoken CVC words and the question "What is the middle sound?", the student will say the sound in the named position of each word independently with at least 90% accuracy on sound isolation items, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
In kindergarten through grade 2, phonological awareness goals target foundational skills and are measured with short probes, word lists, or direct observation that fit a young student's attention span. Criteria usually use small item sets and frequent checks.
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 3 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 19 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 22 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How are phonological awareness goals measured in the early grades?
With brief, repeatable measures: a one-minute probe, a 10-item set, or a few observed opportunities per day. The goal's mastery rule states how many measurements must meet the criterion.
Should early-grade goals be tied to grade-level standards?
Goals come from the student's present levels and should enable progress in the general curriculum, but the criterion is set from baseline data, not copied from a standard. The standard can inform what skill to target.
How many goals should a K-2 student have?
One per area of need identified in the evaluation. Young students often have goals across several areas (communication, early literacy, self-regulation), so keeping each goal to one measure keeps data collection realistic.
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