Print Concepts & Early Literacy IEP goals for kindergarten to grade 2
21 of the print concepts & early literacy 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.
21 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.
Print Concepts & Early Literacy Reading
Handle a book from front to back
Book handling
By the annual IEP review date, during independent book time, given an unfamiliar picture book handed to the student closed and upside down, the student will look through the book from the front cover to the back cover following the book handling steps, performing at least 6 of 7 steps independently, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected weekly.
Show where to start reading on a page
Left-to-right and return sweep
By the annual IEP review date, during shared reading of an unfamiliar picture book, when the adult asks show me where I start reading on 8 pages, the student will point to the first word in the top left of the print on each page independently with at least 88% accuracy on start-of-print questions, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Sweep a finger left to right under print
Left-to-right and return sweep
By the annual IEP review date, during shared reading of a book with one line of print per page, when the adult reads a line and asks the student to show how the words go, the student will sweep a finger under the line of print from left to right while the adult reads it independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Make the return sweep to the next line
Left-to-right and return sweep
By the annual IEP review date, during shared reading of a book with 2 to 3 lines of print per page, the student will move a finger from the end of one line to the start of the next line down independently in at least 9 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Point to each word as an adult reads
Word boundaries and pointing to each word
By the annual IEP review date, during shared reading of an unfamiliar patterned book with 4 to 8 words per line, the student will touch each printed word as the adult reads it, ending the line on the last word as the adult says it independently in at least 8 of 10 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Tell one letter from one word
Letters versus words
By the annual IEP review date, during a concepts-of-print check with an unfamiliar book, when the adult asks show me one letter or show me one word on 10 items, the student will frame one letter or one word, as asked, with two fingers or a word window independently with at least 90% accuracy on letter and word items, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
In kindergarten through grade 2, print concepts & early literacy 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:
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 4 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 10 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 7 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How are print concepts & early literacy 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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