Writing goals should be simple.

But if you're an SLP in private practice or schools, you know the reality: goal-writing often becomes a frustrating loop of tweaking wording, second-guessing measurability, and wondering if the goal will actually help the child progress.

Whether you're writing IEP goals, private practice treatment plans, or insurance-based justifications, great goals do three things:

1. They're measurable and specific.
2. They're tied to functional change.
3. They give you clarity in sessions — not just paperwork.

Here's how to consistently write speech therapy goals that move the needle for your clients and make documentation easier.

The Problem with Most Goals

Let's be honest — many goals fall into one of three traps:

• Too vague: "Will improve expressive language." Okay… but how?
• Too technical: "Will reduce mean length of utterance variance with 80% accuracy." Accurate, sure. But will you track that consistently?
• Too copy-paste: Pulled from a goal bank with no adjustment for age, setting, or baseline skills.

A good goal doesn't just check a box. It gives you and the caregiver a clear map of progress.

Start with a Realistic Baseline

Before you write anything, ask yourself:

• What does this client do right now?
• What's the next logical step?
• What matters most to them (or their caregivers)?

Example: If a 6-year-old with autism currently uses one-word requests, a great goal might be:

"The client will produce 2–3 word functional phrases to request items during structured play with minimal prompts, in 4 out of 5 opportunities."

This is better than:

"Will increase MLU to age-appropriate levels."

Why? Because the first goal is functional, trackable, and tied to the child's real-world context.

Make It SMART (But Keep It Simple)

You know the acronym:

• ✅ Specific
• ✅ Measurable
• ✅ Attainable
• ✅ Relevant
• ✅ Time-bound

But here's the twist: you don't need to force every goal into a robotic template. Keep it human.

Instead of:

"The client will improve pragmatic language with 80% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions."

Try:

"The client will initiate greetings and appropriate comments during play-based interaction with peers, in 3 of 4 observed opportunities."

It's still SMART — but it reads like something a person would say. And it's easier to visualize what success looks like.

Use Context-Rich Language

Whether you work in schools or private practice, your goals should fit the client's world.

School example:

"Student will follow 2-step verbal directions during classroom routines (e.g., unpack backpack and sit at desk) with fading visual supports."

Private practice example:

"Child will describe familiar routines (e.g., making a sandwich, bedtime) using temporal words (first, next, last) with 70% accuracy."

Why this works: It builds generalization into the goal from day one.

Embed Functional Outcomes

If your goal doesn't clearly link to an outcome someone cares about (client, caregiver, teacher), it's unlikely to be meaningful.

Functional goal starters:

• "To increase independence…"
• "To participate in group learning…"
• "To express needs and avoid frustration…"

Always ask: Why does this goal matter? Then write that into the goal.

Track Progress Without Losing Your Mind

The best goals are ones you can track in-session without needing a clipboard in one hand and a stopwatch in the other.

Tips:

• Write goals around behaviors you already observe
• Use frequency ("in 4 out of 5 opportunities") instead of precision scores
• Reserve percent accuracy for structured tasks — not conversation or play

Let SLP Score Do the Heavy Lifting

With SLP Score, you can:

• Auto-generate individualized goals based on your assessment results
• Select from age-appropriate templates written in plain, functional language
• Customize with just a few clicks — and export to Word or Google Docs

Private practice SLPs love it for time-saving; school SLPs love it for compliance and clarity.

Want your goals to write themselves (almost)? Sign up for SLP Score today →