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Narrative Language & Retelling IEP goals

Narrative language goals target how a student organizes connected talk: putting events in order, retelling a story, telling about their own experiences, inventing a story, and explaining a process or a cause and effect. A good goal names the kind of discourse (retell, personal narrative, summary), the parts that must be present, and the task that elicits it, and it uses a new story or event for every probe. Narratives are the bridge between conversation and academic language, so these goals support reading comprehension, writing, and class discussion as well as speech.

40 templates · How we write and review goals

Sample narrative language & retelling goals

Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline (how templates are made).

  • PK, K-2Percent accuracy

    Put three pictures in order and tell what happens

    Three-picture sequencing

    By the annual IEP review date, given 10 sets of three picture cards showing a familiar sequence in mixed order, the student will arrange the pictures in order and say what happens in each one independently with at least 80% accuracy on three-picture sequences, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.

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  • K-2, 3-5Opportunities

    Narrate a picture sequence using sequence words

    Sequencing with temporal words

    By the annual IEP review date, given a four- to six-picture sequence showing a familiar event, the student will narrate the events in order using at least three different sequence words (such as first, next, then, after that, finally) 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.

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  • PKRubric score

    Retell a familiar story with props or pictures

    Retelling a familiar story with props

    By the annual IEP review date, given the pictures or props from a familiar classroom story read at least three times, the student will retell the story with a beginning, a middle event, and an ending, using the props or pictures independently, earning a score of at least 5 out of 6 on a 3-part beginning-middle-end retell rubric scored 0 to 2 per part, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.

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  • K-2, 3-5Percent accuracy

    Retell the key events of a story in order

    Retelling events in order

    By the annual IEP review date, after listening to an unfamiliar story with five or six key events read aloud once, the student will retell the key events of the story in the order they happened independently with at least 85% accuracy on key events retold in order, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.

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  • K-2, 3-5Rubric score

    Tell about a personal event with the main parts

    Personal narrative

    By the annual IEP review date, when asked to tell about a recent event (such as the weekend, a field trip, a time they got hurt), the student will tell about the event including who was there, where it happened, what happened in order, and how it ended independently, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 5-part personal narrative rubric scored 0 to 2 per part, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.

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  • 3-5, 6-8Rubric score

    Make up a story from a picture with story grammar parts

    Original story generation

    By the annual IEP review date, given a single picture scene that suggests a problem and asked to make up a story about it, the student will tell an original story that includes a character, a setting, a problem, an attempt to solve it, and an ending independently, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 5-part original story rubric scored 0 to 2 per part, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.

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  • 3-5, 6-8Opportunities

    Connect events with because, so, and other linking words

    Cohesive ties

    By the annual IEP review date, when retelling an unfamiliar story with a clear chain of causes and effects, the student will connect events using at least three different linking words that show cause, time, or contrast (such as because, so, when, after, but) independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.

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  • 3-5, 6-8Opportunities

    Include how characters feel and think in a story

    Character feelings and thoughts

    By the annual IEP review date, when retelling an unfamiliar story in which characters' feelings drive the events, the student will include at least two statements about a character's feelings, thoughts, or plans (such as "She was worried," "He decided to...") independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.

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  • K-2, 3-5Percent accuracy

    Name the characters, setting, problem, and solution of a story

    Identifying story elements

    By the annual IEP review date, after listening to an unfamiliar short story read aloud and being asked about each story element, the student will name the main character, the setting, the problem, and the solution when asked independently with at least 85% accuracy on story element questions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.

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  • 6-8, 9-12Rubric score

    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.

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  • 6-8, 9-12Rubric score

    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.

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  • 3-5, 6-8, 9-12Percent accuracy

    Explain a process or event series in order

    Explaining a process in order

    By the annual IEP review date, given a process or event series from a current science, social studies, or math unit and asked to explain it, the student will explain the steps of the process in the correct order using sequence words and the unit's vocabulary independently with at least 85% accuracy on process steps stated in order, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected every two weeks.

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28 more narrative language & retelling templates

Each opens in the builder with its sample goal, notes, objectives, and data sheet.

What narrative language & retelling involves

  • Sequencing pictures and events and marking order with first, next, and last
  • Retelling familiar and unfamiliar stories with the key events in order
  • Telling personal narratives and "time when" stories with a setting, problem, and ending
  • Making up original stories with story grammar parts and planning them with a map
  • Adding cohesion: linking words, character feelings, and clear connections between events
  • Expository discourse: summarizing, explaining a process, describing characters, and cause and effect

Baseline and measurement considerations

  • Use a new story or event for each probe, matched for length, number of events, and familiarity.
  • List the key events or story parts before the probe so scoring is consistent between sessions and scorers.
  • Rubrics with 0 to 2 per part work well; record parts given only after a prompt at a lower score.
  • Record retells so a second scorer can check agreement and the student can self-review.
  • Separate recall from language: a student may remember the story and still be unable to organize it, or the reverse.
  • Accept any mode, including picture sequencing with narration, AAC, and written retells, and record which was used.

Progress-monitoring methods used in these templates

  • Opportunity (trial) recording: Each planned or naturally occurring opportunity is recorded as correct/independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.
  • Rubric scoring: Work or performance is scored against written criteria with defined score levels.
  • Task-analysis checklist: A routine is broken into ordered steps; each step is recorded as independent, supported, or not completed.
  • Work-sample analysis: Scoring completed student work (permanent products) against a defined answer key or checklist.
  • Direct observation: An adult observes and records the defined behavior during a specified activity.

How each measure works

Matching data sheets

Each template links to a blank sheet built for its measure. You can also download these sheets on their own:

  • Accuracy tracker: Number correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.
  • Opportunity tracker: Records each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.
  • Rubric tracker: Scores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.
  • Task-analysis checklist: Marks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.

Common mistakes when writing narrative language & retelling goals

  • Writing "will retell a story" without listing the parts that count.
  • Reusing the same practiced story for progress data.
  • Choosing stories above the student's listening level, so memory and vocabulary drive the score.
  • Scoring only story grammar and ignoring order, cohesion, or feelings when those are the real gap.
  • Treating a different cultural narrative style as disorganization.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write an IEP goal for story retelling?

State the condition (after listening to an unfamiliar story with five or six key events), the behavior (retell the key events in order, or retell including character, setting, problem, events, and ending), and the measure (percent of key events in order, or a rubric score). Add a mastery rule across probes and use a new story each time.

What is the difference between a retell goal and a narrative language goal?

A retell is one kind of narrative task. Narrative language also covers personal stories, original stories, sequencing, cohesion, and expository explanations such as summaries and processes. Choose the task the student needs most; many students need a retell goal first and a personal narrative or summary goal later.

What is a good narrative goal for preschool?

Ordering three pictures and telling what happens, adding the next event in a shared retell, retelling a very familiar story with props, and telling three things that happened today are typical preschool targets. Keep stories short and familiar and accept actions, signs, or AAC along with words.

How often should I collect data on narrative goals?

Rubric-scored retells and personal narratives are usually probed every two weeks, because each probe needs a new story and takes several minutes to score. Shorter tasks such as sequencing or story element questions can be probed every session.

Can narrative goals be measured with written stories?

Yes, when the student writes more easily than they speak, but record the mode and keep it consistent. Spoken narratives are usually the target for SLPs because writing adds spelling and handwriting demands; coordinate with the writing goals in the student's IEP.

Do expository goals such as summarizing belong under narrative language?

They are included here because they measure the same skill of organizing connected language, and because middle and high school students need expository discourse more than stories. If a student's need is mainly reading comprehension, look at the reading comprehension skill as well.

References

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