Goal Bank for Social Skills/Pragmatics

Important Note: Goals/objectives need to be individualized and it is important to adapt elements of these goals/objectives to meet the specific needs of your
students. These are examples to give you ideas when you are writing your IEPs.

Long Term Goals:

1. Given a structured social activity “Student” will use language in an age appropriate manner to
communicate with peers and teachers without conflict and with the opportunity to have all ideas
conveyed accurately.
2. “Student” will understand and follow rules for expected behavior in the classroom environment.
3. “Student” will demonstrate modification of impulsiveness to interrupt, answer for others and not
participate in turn taking.
Short Term Objectives/Benchmarks:
1. “Student” will monitor the content of spoken language, remaining on topic for three conversational turns
within a structured social language opportunity.
2. Given a visual cue, “Student” will identify instances where the conversation has strayed from a topic
with 80% accuracy.
3. “Student” will initiate two conversations during one, thirty minute structured inclusion setting with
typical peers.
4. “Student” will monitor eye contact, body language, and tone of voice during conversation.
5. “Student” will practice and utilize register shift during conversations with adults and peers with 80%
accuracy.
6. “Student” will use novel statements to enter into play activities in two out of three opportunities when
provided with faded models and/or cues.
7. “Student” will stay on topic while engaged in a conversation with one or more peers in two out of three
language activities when provided with faded models and/or cues.
8. “Student” will engage in two novel topics of conversation with one or more peers when provided with
faded models and/or cues.
9. “Student” will make requests using polite language (e.g., "Can you help me?") in two out of three
language activities when provided with faded models and/or cues.
10. Given a class setting, “Student” will initiate interactions with another student in one activity throughout
the day.
11. Given a class setting, “Student” will join a small group of students in one activity throughout the day.
12. “Student” will exhibit the pragmatic skills of active listening, commenting, asking questions, and
appropriately entering and exiting conversations.
13. “Student” will ask a peer a question in 3 out of 5 opportunities following faded models and cues.
14. “Student” will respond to a peer's question or statement in 3 out of 4 opportunities maintaining focus on
the question.
15. “Student” will utilize politeness markers (e.g. please, thank you, excuse me).
16. “Student” will change communication style depending on listener and situation.
17. “Student” will ask questions appropriate to the conversation or discussion.
18. “Student” will participate in discussions and role-plays to resolve difficult social situations (e.g.
disagreements, assertiveness).
19. “Student” will ask for clarification when directions are unclear.
20. Given instruction, “Student” will take into perspective the conversational partner through using specific
language during structured activities with fading cues.
21. “Student” will identify facial expressions to emotions with 85% accuracy in three out of four observable
opportunities as measured over nine weeks.
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Long Term Goals:
1. Demonstrate the ability to create (selecting relevant criteria) preparatory tools (i.e., spread sheets,
bullets, flow charts) to facilitate natural speech (formulate a conversation and remain on task).
2. Demonstrate the ability to provide sufficient contextual information to be clearly or easily understood.
3. Demonstrate the ability to plan and follow through with social pragmatic language tasks.
4. Demonstrate the ability to comment on a conversation being discussed.
5. Demonstrate the ability to utilize a contextual reciprocal response in given situations.
6. Demonstrate the ability to repair communication breakdowns when expressing ideas (e.g., revision
behaviors).
7. Demonstrate the ability to incorporate new content area curriculum vocabulary and phrases in
conversation.
Short Term Objectives/Benchmarks:
1. “Student” will demonstrate 3 appropriate verbalizations during game play (i.e., simple board or bingo
game) with at least one other peer.
2. When greeted by peers and adults “Student” will appropriately respond within 3 seconds.
3. “Student” will respond to her name by saying "what" while localizing the adult or peer calling her name
Student will imitate peer movements during group activities without an adult directive (i.e., line up, sit
down, get a pencil).
4. “Student” will demonstrate the ability to request a desired item from a peer (i.e., “I need _____” or “Can
I have the _____?”).
5. Given a verbal label of a category, “Student” will begin to name 5 familiar items that belong to that
category within 3 seconds.
6. Given an orthographic cue “Student” will demonstrate the ability to verbalize what she/he needs help
with (i.e. “I need help with/to/for __________).
7. “Student” will use modeling and scripts to express anger and frustration during structured activities.
8. “Student” will use scripted language to introduce a topic with a peer and maintain two more
conversational turns.
9. “Student” will infer the feelings and ideas of others during role-play activities.
10. “Student” will adjust language style and choice of topics for different conversation partners (e.g., peers,
authority figures, girls, etc.).
11. Given an oral or gesture cue, “Student” will respect personal space and adult conversations in various
settings by stepping back, saying “excuse me,” and waiting for the listener to acknowledge him.
12. “Student” will keep his hands and feet to himself when interacting with peers in informal situations,
given verbal or gestural cues.
13. Given modeling and scripts, “Student” will use language to express frustration, problems, and
disagreements.
14. Given modeling and scripts, “Student” will role-play cause-effect problem solving for difficult social
situations (e.g., sarcasm, choices, frustration/failure, etc.).

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Long Term Goal:
“Student” will demonstrate understanding and use of variety of strategies for effective comprehension and
expression of language in social situations with 90% accuracy.

Short Term Objectives/Benchmarks:

1. “Student” will correctly identify and label emotions and related non-verbal, tone of voice and situational
cues using role play and videos in 8/10 trials.
2. “Student” will demonstrate the correct use of at least 5 relaxation techniques given situational and role-
playing clues with 90% accuracy.

Long Term Goal:

“Student” will demonstrate appropriate use of conversational manners.

Short Term Objectives/Benchmarks:

1. “Student” will maintain conversations by staying on topic and/or making appropriate topic transitions
for up to 6 exchanges with both peers and adults in 4/5 opportunities.
2. “Student” will demonstrate appropriate turn-taking in conversations given a verbal cue and/or visual
prompt with 90% accuracy.
3. “Student” will demonstrate appropriate turn-taking in conversations given a verbal cue and/or visual
prompt with 90% accuracy.
4. “Student” will demonstrate understanding and use of appropriate tone of voice and volume with 90%
accuracy given role playing and situational cues.