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I’m excited to share with you today my articulation goals, which are an essential part of the speech therapy progress for those wanting to improve their articulation skills.
The speech goals I’ve outlined below involve addressing specific phonemes, or speech sounds, that an individual has difficulty pronouncing. The goal is to help your student or client to develop clear and intelligible speech.
You as the Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) play a crucial role in identifying, assessing, and creating personalized articulation goals for individuals with speech disorders.
It is important to keep in mind that articulation disorders are when a student has difficulty with a specific consonant or vowel sound, unlike phonological disorders which are when the student is having broader issues affecting whole words or phrases.
By working closely with an SLP, individuals can receive tailored therapeutic approaches, such as auditory and tactile cueing or modeling techniques, to address their unique articulation needs.
As your students make progress, articulation goals should be adjusted to continually demonstrate growth and improvement in your student’s speech sound production.
Before diving into articulation goals, you should understand the first step in articulation therapy.
The purpose of articulation goals is to improve communication skills for individuals who face challenges in pronouncing words or sounds. These goals are what help guide your students’ speech therapy sessions to ensure the student or client actually makes progress toward their articulation skills.
When creating articulation goals, speech therapists should consider various aspects, such as the phonemes involved, the position of the sounds within words (initial, medial, or final), and the student’s age-appropriateness to be working on those particular goals.
Articulation goals usually include:
The success of articulation therapy relies on consistent practice, feedback, and the development of personalized goals that best address the student’s unique needs.
As a speech language pathologist (SLP), your primary focus is on implementing a best practice approach to treat articulation disorders. This approach involves prevention, identification, assessment, intervention, monitoring, and follow-up of speech sound disorders. By staying up-to-date with current research and utilizing evidence-based practices, you can ensure that your clients receive the most effective treatment possible.
Your best practice should involve:
Developing a well-structured treatment plan is essential for how we can best address our student’s articulation goals. As an SLP, we need to create individualized treatment plans that cater to the unique needs of your clients and students.
An effective treatment plan should:
By following best practices and designing tailored treatment plans for your clients, you can confidently and effectively address your students or clients’ articulation goals.
Depending on the standardized test results, screenings, language samples, and parent or guardian information therapy may be articulation-focused, phonological-focused, or a combination of both.
This will depend on the individual student or client and based on their testing results.
The following information focuses on an articulation focused therapy plan.
Articulation disorders can be characterized by difficulties in producing specific speech sounds.
Children struggling with this type of disorder may have trouble with certain consonants or vowels.
It’s essential to identify and address these issues early on, as they can impact a child’s overall speech and communication abilities.
Examples of speech sound challenges are mispronouncing any of the following sounds /p, b, t, d, k, g, f, v, m, n, w, r, l, s, z, ch, sh, th, j, h, zh, ng, y/.
It is important to note that phonological processes refer to the patterns of speech errors observed in children that are rule-based and predictable errors.
Instead of articulation errors of individual sounds these patterns involve a systematic simplification of more than one sound, such as:
However, identifying and addressing these phonological processes can help improve a child’s overall speech and articulation abilities.
Auditory bombardment is when the speech pathologist says a list of words containing the sound(s) the student is working on. This allows the child to hear the correct pronunciation of their sound or sounds.
For example, if the student was working on the /t/ sound the therapist would read a list of words containing the /t/ sound for the child to be exposed to the correct production of that sound.
When working with young children you could also send a list of words home for different family members to read the list of words aloud to provide the child with even more auditory bombardment at home.
The Isolation level is when the specific sound is produced at just the sound level. For example, if the student is working on the /b/ sound then they would practice saying /b/.
The syllable level is when the specific sound is produced at just the syllable level. For example, if the student is working on the /f/ sound then they would practice the syllable “fa-” in the word “fa-ther”.
The word level is when the specific sound is produced in single words. For example, if the student is working on the /v/ sound they would practice the words “van”, “vroom”, “vest”.
The phrase level is when the specific sound is produced in a phrase. For example, if the student was working on the /k/ sound they could practice the phrase, “fast cat” or “orange cat”.
The sentence level is when the specific sound is produced in a sentence. For example, if the student was working on the /p/ sound they could practice the sentence, “The pancake is fluffy.” or “The pen has black ink.”
The reading level is when the child is given a reading passage or short story and produces their different articulation sounds while reading.
A primary goal of articulation therapy is to improve functional communication, which refers to your ability to convey thoughts and ideas effectively in various daily situations.
Incorporating functional communication activities within your therapy sessions can boost your students’ confidence and motivation to apply their newly acquired speech skills in real-life contexts.
Examples of functional speech tasks include role-playing, using targeted sounds in socially relevant conversations, and practicing greetings or introductions.
Incorporating expressive language tasks into your articulation therapy sessions can enhance your student’s ability to target their speech sound goals.
You may work on activities such as storytelling, sentence building, and word formations.
Utilize age-appropriate materials and engage in conversations that are meaningful and motivating for the client.
By doing so, you can actively practice targeted sounds while simultaneously addressing your student’s language therapy, vocabulary words, and overall communication.
In the school setting, speech and language therapists will work closely with the student’s classroom teachers, staff, and parents to support the student’s communication needs.
In order to address the diverse requirements of students with different backgrounds and abilities, it is essential to establish clear, concise, and achievable goals.
If you are a parent it is important to collaborate with your child’s speech therapist to develop articulation goals that align with their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan.
It is also important to encourage the school staff to provide consistent support for your child, such as implementing accommodations, providing specialized instruction, or offering speech therapy sessions.
Establishing clear speech therapy goals is essential for setting a roadmap for your progress in articulation therapy.
Using the SMART goal words, described below, are helpful tools to help you get started writing IEP goals.
Goals should be SMART:
For example, “By the end of the quarter, given 20 words or pictures and verbal prompts, STUDENT will articulate the /vocalic r/ sound at the word level with 80% accuracy over three consecutive sessions.”
For example, “By the end of the quarter, given 20 words or pictures and verbal prompts, STUDENT will articulate the /vocalic r/ sound at the word level with 80% accuracy over three consecutive sessions.”
For example, “By the end of the quarter, given 20 words or pictures and verbal prompts, STUDENT will articulate the /vocalic r/ sound at the word level with 80% accuracy over three consecutive sessions.”
For example, “By the end of the quarter, given 20 words or pictures and verbal prompts, STUDENT will articulate the /vocalic r/ sound at the word level with 80% accuracy over three consecutive sessions.”
For example, “By the end of the quarter, given 20 words or pictures and verbal prompts, STUDENT will articulate the /vocalic r/ sound at the word level with 80% accuracy over three consecutive sessions.”
It is helpful to break down your student’s goals into smaller objectives, focusing on particular speech sounds, and tracking progress over time.
For example, a goal could be “By the end of the quarter, given 10 words or pictures and carrier phrases, STUDENT will articulate the /s/ sound at the sentence level with 80% accuracy over three consecutive sessions.”
As your student achieves their short-term goals, you can work towards them mastering more complex articulation tasks, such as using their targeted speech sounds in connected speech.
Regularly reviewing your student’s goals helps to ensure their therapy sessions remain focused and tailored to their individual needs.
A goal bank is a comprehensive collection of pre-written objectives tailored to various speech and language difficulties.
For example, if a student’s speech sound disorder includes both the /r/ and /b/ sound you would begin with the /b/ sound first because it is developmentally developed by the age 2 or early while the /r/ sound is developed around age 6.
A goal bank is a comprehensive collection of pre-written objectives tailored to various speech and language difficulties.
Utilizing a goal bank allows you to easily reference and customize goals for your child’s ability and specific needs, saving time and ensuring the objectives are achievable and relevant.
For example, you may find goals targeting the production of specific sounds in the initial, medial, or final positions in words, phrases, or sentences. (see below)
Goal banks can be an invaluable resource when creating plans for early intervention, school settings, or home-based therapy, as they provide a clear framework for tracking progress and ensuring consistency in treatment.
Given 10 words, STUDENT will recognize the differences between the same or different words with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a word broken down into isolated sounds, STUDENT will combine the isolated sounds together to form words with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 sounds and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will articulate the sound(s) of / / at the isolation level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 sounds, STUDENT will independently articulate the sound(s) of / / at the isolation level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will articulate the sound(s) of / / at the syllable level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently articulate the sound(s) of / / at the syllable level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the phrase level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the phrase level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the sentence level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the sentence level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the reading level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a reading passage, STUDENT will independently articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the reading level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a reading passage, STUDENT will independently retell the story by articulating the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the conversational level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a reading passage, STUDENT will independently answer WH questions by articulating the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the conversational level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a structured activity, STUDENT will independently articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the conversational level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a conversational topic, STUDENT will independently articulate the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the conversational level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will decrease the substitution of the / / sound for the / / sound in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will decrease the substitution of the / / sound in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently decrease the substitution of the / / sound for the / / sound in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently decrease the substitution of the / / sound in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will decrease distortions of the / / sound in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently decrease distortions of the / / sound in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will decrease omissions of the / / sound in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently decrease omissions of the / / sound in all positions of words at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures and a verbal prompt or model, STUDENT will decrease additions of the / / sound in words (such as, ) at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently decrease additions of the / / sound in words (such as, ) at the word level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a conversational topic, STUDENT will self-monitor articulation of the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the reading level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a conversational topic, STUDENT will self-monitor articulation of the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the conversational level with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a classroom discourse, STUDENT will generalize articulation of the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the conversational level outside of the therapy setting with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
Given a community outing, STUDENT will generalize articulation of the sound(s) of / / in all positions of words at the conversational level outside of the therapy setting with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
I know every district has different ways it requires their objectives to be written, but typically my district wanted us to reduce either the number required or the percentage of achievement.
Here are a few examples to help get you started.
If we take a sample goal:
“Given 20 words or pictures, STUDENT will independently articulate the /r/ sound in all positions of words at the sentence level with 80% accuracy over 3 out of 4 consecutive sessions.”
(Meaning out of 4 therapy sessions in a row 2 out of the 4 or 50% of the time they met their goal in order to mark that goal mastered.)
As the speech pathologist, you are the specialist and you know your students and child’s ability best though, so just take the goals and simplify them into achievable steps for your child’s specific articulation weaknesses.
Visual prompts or visual cues are an effective way to help you improve your student’s articulation skills.
These prompts may include a picture cue, picture card illustrations, or diagrams that represent the target sound or word.
You can use common objects like a mirror to help your student or client to observe their mouth movements while practicing their sounds.
When you incorporate visual aids into your practice it can make therapy more engaging and help your students master their articulation goals faster.
Another great idea for using visual prompts is to create flashcards with images representing the target sounds. This can be a fun and interactive way for your students to practice their articulation skills.
You can also use apps or software designed specifically for speech therapy, which often include visual prompts as part of their features.
Remember to practice regularly and consistently for the best results.
Verbal prompts are another essential method for achieving your articulation goals.
These prompts may involve spoken instructions, cues, or examples that demonstrate the proper production of a sound.
When providing your students with a verbal prompt or verbal cue, you can focus on specific aspects of the sounds, such as their placement, manner, or voicing.
For example, to effectively use verbal prompts, you can have your student or client try repeating target sounds or words after you or a recorded model. This will help your students become more familiar with the correct production of the sound.
Additionally, try breaking down complex sounds into smaller components, focusing on perfecting each part before attempting the full sound. This step-by-step approach can be helpful in improving your students’ articulation skills.
Remember that consistent practice is crucial for progress. Incorporating both visual and verbal prompts into your routine will help your students reach their articulation goals more effectively.
In order to know if your student is making progress it is essential that you as the therapist are measuring your student’s progress through data collection.
It is by consistently tracking your child or student’s progress that you can make informed decisions about therapy and more effectively communicate with other professionals or parents.
To ensure that you have the right measurable goals, focus on creating goals that are objectively measurable and specific to the individual’s needs. (see goals above)
Another useful tool to gauge progress in articulation goals is by using rating scales.
Rating scales can help you monitor the individual’s self-awareness of their speech production and provide you with qualitative data points to supplement the quantitative data collected.
To effectively use rating scales, ensure that they are tailored to the target skills and can be easily understood by the individual.
This will enable them to self-monitor their speech accuracy and provide feedback for improvement.
Using Google Forms is another tool that provides a systematic way to track and monitor an individual’s progress toward their articulation goals.
By using Google Forms, you can record speech data, set measurable goals, and track progress in a single, organized system.
Additionally, using a Google Form allows for you to easily collaborate with other professionals and helps you evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy provided.
Watch this short video showing you exactly how to implement using Google Forms for your data collection.
Short-term goals for articulation typically involve working on specific speech sounds that the child is struggling with.
These goals might include mastering the production of a specific sound in isolation, improving accuracy in syllables, and increasing clarity in words and phrases. (see goal bank above)
For young children aged 4 or 5, articulation goals should be appropriate for their developmental level and learning style.
Goals may include working on producing age-appropriate sounds, understanding and using vocabulary, or participating in simple conversational exchanges.
Therapy activities should be engaging, interactive, and use multiple modes of learning to help young children progress toward their goals.
A typical Individualized Education Program (IEP) articulation goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
The goal should outline the targeted skill and the criteria for success, and it should be tailored to the individual needs of the child.
Please see the goal bank outlined above for specific examples of functional articulation IEP goals.
Here are two examples of SMART goals in speech therapy:
These goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, which helps track progress and adjust treatment plans as needed.
Goals to improve speech intelligibility often focus on addressing the production of specific sounds, reducing compensatory patterns, and increasing the clarity of words and phrases.
Speech-language pathologists typically use standardized assessments, observation, and input from caregivers and teachers to identify areas in need of improvement.
Goals should be tailored to the child’s needs and progress, considering the developmental progression of speech skills.
Here are a few great ideas of effective strategies for the carryover of articulation goals into various settings include:
I hope you found this list of articulation goals helpful!
Feel free to spend less time creating your own articulation goals and copy and paste the goals above.
If you’re a family member wondering if your child has an articulation disorder then be sure to reach out to a local Speech-Language Pathologist to receive more formal testing.
Be sure to check out our most popular posts below!
DeVeney, S. L., Cabbage, K., & Mourey, T. (2020). Target Selection Considerations for Speech Sound Disorder Intervention in Schools. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 5(6), 1722–1734.
Krueger, B. I. (2019). Eligibility and Speech Sound Disorders: Assessment of Social Impact. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 4(1), 85–90.
McLeod, S., & Crowe, K. (2018). Children’s Consonant Acquisition in 27 Languages: A Cross-Linguistic Review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 27(4), 1546–1571.
