High School Descriptive Language Goals

Browse CCS-aligned IEP goals and objectives for use of language in writing; goals that help students elevate their writing from boring to gripping.

Description & Voice Goals

Paragraph & Essay Goals

Spelling Goals

Grammar & Editing Goals

Narrative & Story Goals

Writing Stamina & Fluency Goals

High School Language & Word Choice Goals

While other goals focus on what students write these focus on how they write. Is the writing interesting and engaging with good word choice and rich details? If not, these goals might be useful for your students! Also check out our elementary school, middle school, and high school IEP goals for descriptive language!
  • Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.D
  • Least time: This is typically a goal you choose if you are looking at a student’s writing and thinking, “Wow. This is kinda boring.” It might be repeated words, noticeably below grade level vocabulary, or really simplistic sentences. If that’s the case, pull a sample of the student’s writing (pre-teacher editing) and write down what you notice. 
  • More of an assessment: Have the student rewrite a boring sentence to make it more interesting. You can focus on action verbs, sensory details, or general description– but it gives you a really good baseline of what they can do with a sentence when they are focused (and makes for REALLY easy progress monitoring too!). There are a few options for this here. This site has a slightly different approach, asking students to focus on sensory language. 
  • Use our stuff: We also sell an intervention for descriptive writing. Basically, it’s just a ton of boring sentences for the students to rewrite– but it’s easy to work into intervention groups because it is quick and it also works for a baseline.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

In her essays and stories, Sue Ellen often has really strong ideas and mechanics, but she needs teacher support to incorporate grade level vocabulary and to move past simple sentence structures like, “Crows are really interesting. They are very smart and use tools.” 

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  • Given five simple sentences to revise, Name will add at least five precise words and phrases, telling details, or sensory language to convey a vivid picture, as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.D
  • Focus on the student’s own writing
    • Given a sample of his/her own writing to revise, Name will add at least five precise words and phrases, telling details, or sensory language to convey a vivid picture, as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.D
    • When given time to edit his/her own writing and a multi-sentence writing sample, Name will add at least five precise words and phrases, telling details, or sensory language to convey a vivid picture, as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-103.D
    • When given a writing prompt, Name will write a brief story that includes at least five precise words and phrases, telling details, or sensory language to convey a vivid picture, as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.D
  • Focus on one component of the standard
    • Given a sample of his/her own writing to revise, Name will add at least two examples of sensory language to convey a vivid picture as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.D
  • Change the number of examples of you want to see in the final product
  • Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3.D
  • Least time: This is typically a goal you choose if you are looking at a student’s writing and thinking, “Wow. This is kinda boring.” It might be repeated words, noticeably below grade level vocabulary, or really simplistic sentences. If that’s the case, pull a sample of the student’s writing (pre-teacher editing) and write down what you notice. 
  • More of an assessment: Have the student rewrite a boring sentence to make it more interesting. You can focus on action verbs, sensory details, or general description– but it gives you a really good baseline of what they can do with a sentence when they are focused (and makes for REALLY easy progress monitoring too!). There are a few options for this here. This site has a slightly different approach, asking students to focus on sensory language. 
  • Use our stuff: We also sell an intervention for descriptive writing. Basically, it’s just a ton of boring sentences for the students to rewrite– but it’s easy to work into intervention groups because it is quick and it also works for a baseline.

Looking for easy-to-use assessment resources or support with turning assessments into goals and present levels? Check out the IEP Success Kit in the store!

In classroom writing activities, Jay tends to write brief, basic sentences that convey meaning without incorporating the vocabulary that he has learned or sensory details that help show not tell his message. When Jay is asked to edit a simple sentence to make it more interesting, he will often add a single adjective, for example describing the sky as blue or the girl as smart. 

For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!

  • Given five simple sentences to revise, Name will add at least five precise words and phrases, telling details, or sensory language to convey a vivid picture, as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3.D
  • Focus on the student’s own writing
    • Given a sample of his/her own writing to revise, Name will add at least five precise words and phrases, telling details, or sensory language to convey a vivid picture, as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3.D
    • When given time to edit his/her own writing and a multi-sentence writing sample, Name will add at least five precise words and phrases, telling details, or sensory language to convey a vivid picture, as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3.D
    • When given a writing prompt, Name will write a brief story that includes at least five precise words and phrases, telling details, or sensory language to convey a vivid picture, as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3.D
  • Focus on one component of the standard
    • Given a sample of his/her own writing to revise, Name will add at least two examples of sensory language to convey a vivid picture as measured by teacher records and observations CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3.D
  • Change the number of examples of you want to see in the final product

Need teaching resources or downloadable Present Levels templates and assessments? Check out the store!