High School Vocabulary IEP Goals
These Common Core aligned vocabulary goals focus on helping students find the meaning of unknown words from context.
Vocabulary IEP Goals for High School
The Common Core has two relevant standards for this goal. We chose the first for the goal below but, given their similarities, you can easily swap standards for it.
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.4
Note that the Common Core combines grades 9 and 10 grades so this standard covers both grades.
There are a few ways to assess the student’s baseline for this goal. The challenge is that the goal is for unknown words–before assessing how well the student can use context clues to figure out what the word means, you first need to establish whether the student already knows the word.
- The easiest way is to ask them questions as they read. What does this word mean? How do you know? Are there clues in the text that can help you figure it out?
- You can also look for context clues worksheets– they vary a lot in how hard they are. This one is easy, this one relatively easy and this one is a bit more challenging– and this one is nicely varied.
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!
Susie is a very good at sounding out multisyllabic words. She struggles, however, when asked what the words mean. When she is prompted to go back to the text and look for clues, she needs significant support to deduce the meaning of the word.
For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!
- Given instruction in context clues and an unfamiliar passage with at least four unknown words, X will determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, choosing the correct definition for each word from four options with 75% accuracy as measured quarterly by a special educator using a curriculum-based measure CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4
For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!
- Add supports for the student
- Given a familiar passage,
- Given an unfamiliar passage,
- After listening to a passage,
- Given a passage on a topic of his/her interest,
- Give even more supports
- and given a graphic organizer,
- and given multiple choices,
- and given a copy of the text to look at,
- and given prompting questions,
- Change the accuracy or number of trials
- with 80% accuracy
- with 75% accuracy
- on two of three opportunities
- on three of four opportunities
- Change what the student is asked to do
- choose the correct definition of the word from two choices
- define the word
The Common Core has two good standards for this goal. We chose the first one for the goal below, but they are so similar that it is easy to swap them if you prefer the informational text focus!
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.) CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.4
Note that the Common Core combines grades 11 and 12 so this standard covers both grades.
There are a few ways to assess the student’s baseline for this goal. The challenge is that the goal is for unknown words–before assessing how well the student can use context clues to figure out what the word means, you first need to establish whether the student already knows the word.
- The easiest way is to ask them questions as they read. What does this word mean? How do you know? Are there clues in the text that can help you figure it out?
- You can also look for context clues worksheets– they vary a lot in how hard they are. This one is easy, this one relatively easy and this one is a bit more challenging– and this one is nicely varied.
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!
Jerome is a strong decoder but has weaker comprehension skills, in part because he has difficulty understanding words in the texts he reads. When he is asked for word definitions based on context, he will often guess a definition based on the topic of the overall passage and needs adult support to use more immediate clues to figure out the meaning of a word.
For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!
- Given instruction in context clues and an unfamiliar passage with at least four unknown words, X will determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, choosing the correct definition for each word from four options with 75% accuracy as measured quarterly by a special educator using a curriculum-based measure CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4
For more baseline ideas, check out the IEP Success Kit!
- Add supports for the student
- Given a familiar passage,
- Given an unfamiliar passage,
- After listening to a passage,
- Given a passage on a topic of his/her interest,
- Give even more supports
- and given a graphic organizer,
- and given multiple choices,
- and given a copy of the text to look at,
- and given prompting questions,
- Change the accuracy or number of trials
- with 80% accuracy
- with 75% accuracy
- on two of three opportunities
- on three of four opportunities
- Change what the student is asked to do
- choose the correct definition of the word from two choices
- define the word
