Reading Comprehension Strategies IEP goals
28 templates across 2 skills: reading comprehension, science skills. Open any goal to set the baseline and target from your own data, then print the matching data sheet.
28 templates · 2 skills · K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Reading Comprehension Reading
Retell a story with key elements
Narrative retell
By the annual IEP review date, after reading an unpracticed instructional-level narrative passage, the student will retell the story orally in sequence, including the characters, setting, problem, key events, and resolution without looking back at the text, earning a score of at least 8 out of 10 on a 5-element story retell rubric scored 0–2 per element, on 3 of 4 consecutive scored retells, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Identify the main idea of informational text
Main idea and details
By the annual IEP review date, given 5 unpracticed informational paragraphs at the student's instructional level in which the main idea is not directly stated, the student will state or write the main idea of each paragraph in a sentence and name one supporting detail independently with at least 80% accuracy on main idea and supporting detail responses, on 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Paraphrase sections at planned stopping points
Comprehension monitoring and paraphrasing
By the annual IEP review date, while reading an instructional-level informational text with 5 marked stopping points, the student will stop at each marked point and paraphrase the section's main idea and one detail in their own words independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Identify the cause and effect of an event
Cause and effect
By the annual IEP review date, after reading an unpracticed instructional-level passage, given 5 questions that each ask for the cause or the effect of a named event, the student will state the cause or the effect asked for in each question independently with at least 80% accuracy on cause-and-effect items, on 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Make a prediction and check it after reading
Predicting
By the annual IEP review date, while reading an unpracticed instructional-level story with 5 marked stopping points, the student will state a prediction based on what has happened so far and, after reading on, say whether it was confirmed independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Say what a nonfiction book is mostly about
Main topic
By the annual IEP review date, after reading or hearing a short informational book, the student will state the main topic of the book in a phrase or sentence independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 3 of 4 consecutive weeks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Science Skills Science, Social Studies & Digital Literacy
Find answers in science captions and diagrams
Reading science text features
By the annual IEP review date, given a two-page science textbook section with captions, a diagram and a labeled photo, and 6 questions answered only by those features, the student will answer each question and mark the caption, diagram or label where the answer was found independently with at least 83% accuracy on text feature questions, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.
Reading comprehension strategy goals come from comprehension, vocabulary, and listening comprehension. They teach the student a strategy to use while reading, such as finding the main idea, summarizing, making an inference with evidence, asking questions, or using text structure. Good goals name the strategy, the text level, and how the student shows it: speaking, writing, signing, or using a graphic organizer. Answers to questions are measured with percent accuracy, and summaries or written responses are scored with a rubric. Keep the text level steady across probes, and use text the student can decode or allow read-aloud so the goal measures understanding, not decoding. Teach one strategy at a time.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 10 goals here
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 9 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 9 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a comprehension strategy goal?
Name the strategy and the product. For example: after reading an instructional-level passage, the student will write a summary with the main idea and two key details, scoring at least 6 of 8 on a summary rubric in 3 of 4 samples.
Should comprehension goals allow read-aloud?
Yes, when decoding is not the target and the student will use read-aloud or text-to-speech in class. Name it in the condition so the data are clear.
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