SAMPLE IEP GOALS FOR LISTENING COMPREHENSION
AND ORAL EXPRESSION
Sally, the fourth grade student from our sample eligibility qualifies in SLD listening
comprehension and oral expression.
The common core is used to determine what skills the student should have in the areas of
speaking and listening (oral expression/listening comprehension).
Language testing is used to see Sally’s specific areas of deficit as it relates back to the
core. Goals are then written to help Sally meet the core standard for a fourth grade
student.
Common Core:
1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher- led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material;
explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to
explore ideas under discussion.
b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
c. Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information,
and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of
others.
d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding
in light of the discussion.
2. Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and
formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
3. Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.
4. Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner,
using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes;
speak clearly at an understandable pace.
5. Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance
the development of main ideas or themes.
6. Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and
situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use
formal English when appropriate to task and situation. (See grade 4 Language standards 1
on pages 28 and 29 for specific expectations.)
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SLD Guidance March 2012
Possible goals for Sally:
When reporting on a topic, Sally will verbalize grammatically correct 5-7 word
sentences containing at least 3 descriptive details on 8 out of 10 opportunities over 5
consecutive weekly trials measured by data probes.
Sally will correctly sequence a 5-step story or event from a passage read aloud on 8 out
of 10 opportunities over 3 consecutive weekly trials measured by task assessments.
Sally will identify the main idea and 3 relevant details from a story read aloud on 8 out of
10 opportunities over 5 consecutive weekly trials measured by task assessments.
During classroom discussions, Sally will use 4-6 word grammatically correct sentences
that relate to the topic of discussion on 4 out of 5 opportunities over 5 consecutive weekly
trials measured by data probes.
During classroom discussions, Sally will demonstrate appropriate listening skills by
waiting her turn to talk and by using sentences that link to what was previously stated in
the discussion on 9 out of 10 opportunities over 3 consecutive weekly trials measured by
data probes.
Given 10 opportunities, Sally will accurately follow 2 step directions presented orally
with no verbal repetitions with 80% accuracy over 3 consecutive weekly trials measured
by data probes.
Although the common core does not have a specific standard for following
directions, this is often a great area of concern for students with listening comprehension
difficulties. This skill is a pre-requisite for being able to do many of the core standards
and is essential to classroom success.
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SLD Guidance March 2012