Page 87 - Literacy Based Speech Language Therapy Activities Digital Version

Assessing What to Work on, Choosing Goals, and Taking Data

Connecting Teachers, Students, Parents, and Speech Therapy

Through Goal Writing

Writing speech therapy goals is a relatively small part of what we do. I wouldn’t go as far as to say
that they are an afterthought, but they garner a small amount of our attention compared to the

amount of time we put into evaluating, writing reports, and conducting therapy. Yet goals, despite
their small stature, are the ties that bind together everyone that influences the progress of a child.

Goals help teachers understand the academic impact of

communication
We know that our goals are written to support the curriculum. But do our teachers? A teacher’s job

is to demonstrate learning. If a child answers incorrectly, is it because 1) they do not know 2) or
because they can’t communicate their knowledge? This is where we come in. When we explain goals
to teachers we need to use a big fancy word: “because.”

“Chad will follow 2‐step directions with minimal cues BECAUSE when you are trying to get him in

line and he is running around, it is BECAUSE he can only follow 1‐step directions right now.”

Students need to know what they are working on

Students can’t improve if they don’t know what they are working on. It makes them more
accountable and if everyone in the group knows, it’s a great way to build rapport. Every day, as they
enter, clean up, fill in their chart, or get their stickers, students should tell you (in their own words)
what they are working on.

Goals tell parents why a child is in speech therapy
Sometimes parents don’t understand why a child is in speech therapy. The home environment

requires very basic interpersonal communication that is largely repetitious. Academic vocabulary is
another story. When we explain goals to parents we need to 1) explain the academic importance and
2) give an example from the home so that the parents can participate.

“John uses single words when he speaks and we want him to say two‐words together so he can

let Ms. Crosby know when he needs help. At home, if he uses one word, “water” use 2‐3 words
to give him a bigger example of what to say: “I want water.”

We are not required to translate IEP paperwork but parents benefit from reading goals in their home

language. Again, check out our Speech Therapy Goal Bank because it is in Spanish and English:
https://bilinguistics.com/speech-therapy-goals/.

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www.bilinguistics.com