Wh- Questions IEP goals
32 templates across 15 skills: receptive language, expressive language, AAC & augmentative communication, functional communication, reading comprehension, sign language & visual communication, listening comprehension & auditory processing, preschool & kindergarten readiness, math problem solving, grammar, syntax & morphology, vocabulary & semantics, science skills, social studies skills, auditory skills (Deaf & hard of hearing), classroom expectations & routines. Open any goal to set the baseline and target from your own data, then print the matching data sheet.
32 templates · 15 skills · Pre-K, K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 · How we write and review goals
Top skills
The 8 most relevant skills, with sample goals. Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Receptive Language Speech & Language
Answer wh- questions about a passage read aloud
Answering wh- questions about a heard passage
By the annual IEP review date, after listening to a short passage or story read aloud at their listening comprehension level, the student will answer wh- questions about the passage aloud, in writing, or by pointing to a picture choice independently with at least 80% accuracy on questions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Match a question word to the kind of answer it needs
Understanding question words
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 spoken wh- questions about a picture and a field of three answer pictures (a person, a place, a time or object), for each question, the student will select the answer picture that gives the kind of information the question word asks for independently with at least 85% accuracy on question word items, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Expressive Language Speech & Language
Answer who, what, and where questions about a picture
Answering wh- questions about pictures
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 picture scenes and asked one who, what, or where question about each, the student will answer each question with the kind of information the question word asks for (a person for who, an action or object for what, a place for where) independently with at least 85% accuracy on wh- questions about pictures, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Answer why questions with a reason
Answering why questions
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 pictures or short scenarios with an obvious cause and asked a why question about each, the student will answer each why question with a reason that fits, using because or an equivalent independently with at least 80% accuracy on why questions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
AAC & Augmentative Communication Speech & Language
Ask a question using the device
Asking questions
By the annual IEP review date, during a 20-minute conversation or group activity with the device open to a page containing question words (who, what, where, when, why, can I), the student will ask a question on the device (such as "what that", "where go", "can I turn") that fits the situation independently at least 4 times per 20-minute activity, across 3 consecutive weekly observations, as measured by frequency recording collected weekly.
Ask where or who to find something missing
Linguistic: asking where and who questions
By the annual IEP review date, during an activity set up with 5 missing items or absent people (such as a missing puzzle piece or a classmate who left the room), the student will ask a where or who question on the device about the missing item or person (such as "where ball?" or "who gone?") independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Functional Communication Social-Emotional & Communication
Ask questions to get information
Asking questions to get information
By the annual IEP review date, during a 30-minute block of classroom routines and activities, the student will ask wh-questions to get information (such as "Where is my bag?", "What's next?", "Who is that?") using speech, sign, or their communication device independently at least 4 times per 30-minute observation, across 3 consecutive observed sessions, as measured by frequency recording collected twice weekly.
Answer simple questions about themselves
Answering questions about themselves
By the annual IEP review date, when a familiar adult or peer asks a question about them (such as name, age, a favorite food, a pet), the student will answer the question with true information about themselves by saying, signing, gesturing, or selecting it on their device independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily during morning greeting.
Reading Comprehension Reading
Answer literal questions about a passage
Literal questions
By the annual IEP review date, after reading an unpracticed instructional-level passage and given 10 literal questions about it, with the passage available for look-backs, the student will answer who, what, where, when, and why questions about details stated in the passage independently with at least 80% accuracy on literal comprehension questions, on 3 of 4 consecutive weekly passages, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Point to pictures to answer questions about a story read aloud
Listening comprehension with pictures
By the annual IEP review date, after listening to a short picture book read aloud, given 5 who, what, and where questions with a choice of 3 pictures for each, the student will point to the picture that answers each question independently with at least 85% accuracy on picture-choice questions, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected twice weekly.
Sign Language & Visual Communication Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Answer questions during a signed story
Signed stories
By the annual IEP review date, during a signed story told by a Deaf adult or signing teacher, with questions asked in ASL at the end of each page or part, the student will answer each who, what, or where question in sign or by pointing to the picture independently with at least 80% accuracy on story questions, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Listening Comprehension & Auditory Processing Speech & Language
Answer questions about a short science video
Listening to recorded lectures and videos
By the annual IEP review date, after watching a 2- to 3-minute informational video clip from the class science or social studies unit, the student will answer spoken questions about facts from the video independently with at least 80% accuracy on video comprehension questions, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
See all 40 listening comprehension & auditory processing goals
Preschool & Kindergarten Readiness Functional & Independence Skills
Answer a simple question about the story at circle time
Answering questions at circle
By the annual IEP review date, after a picture book is read at circle, when asked a what or who question with the picture shown, the student will answer the question with a word, sign, picture, or device independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive data collection days, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected daily at circle time, one question per day, summarized every five.
All 15 skills
Every skill with goals for this group, by area. The number is how many of its goals are tagged here.
Speech & Language
Social-Emotional & Communication
Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Reading
Functional & Independence Skills
Science, Social Studies & Digital Literacy
Behavior & Classroom Expectations
Wh- question goals cover answering and asking who, what, where, when, why, and how questions, and they come from receptive language, expressive language, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension. Good goals name the question types, the material (a picture, a short story read aloud, a passage), and how the student answers: speech, sign, AAC, pointing to a picture, or writing. Most are measured with percent accuracy on a fixed set of questions, and asking questions is often counted as opportunities. Teams usually start with concrete who, what, and where questions about pictures, then move to when, why, and how questions about stories. Keep the question types and the text level steady across probes so the data compare.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 20 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 10 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 2 goals here
Frequently asked questions
What order should wh- questions be taught in?
Many SLPs start with what, who, and where, since the answers are concrete and can be seen in a picture. When, why, and how come later because they need time concepts and reasoning. The student's baseline decides the order.
How do I measure a wh- question goal?
Ask a fixed set of questions, often 10, about a picture or short text at the student's level, and score percent correct. Name the question types and the support, such as picture choices, in the condition.
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