Writing Functional Language Goals for Life Beyond High School

As Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) working with secondary students, we recognize the pivotal role communication plays in shaping their future. Our students’ ability to effectively use language directly impacts their success beyond the classroom; whether it’s excelling in a job interview, navigating higher education, or managing everyday social interactions. This makes writing functional language goals essential. Here’s why these goals matter and how we can ensure they are meaningful and applicable.

Why Functional Language Goals Matter

Functional language goals prepare students for real-world communication demands. Instead of focusing solely on academic skills, these goals emphasize:

Practicality: Skills that students will use in post-secondary settings; whether at work, in college, or in the community.
Generalization: Language abilities that transfer across environments, such as initiating conversations, advocating for needs, or interpreting social cues.
Independence: Building confidence in students so they can navigate the world without constant support.

Writing Meaningful Goals

When developing functional language goals, we need to consider the unique strengths and challenges for each student. Here are key areas to focus on:

Job-Related Communication
- Many students will enter the workforce after high school. Practicing workplace communication skills helps them feel prepared and confident.
- Potential Goal: The student will use appropriate verbal and/or non-verbal communication skills (e.g. greeting coworkers, asking for help, etc.) in the workplace.
Self-Advocacy Skills
- Being able to advocate for oneself is crucial, whether asking a professor for extra help or clarifying expectations with a manager.
- Potential Goal: The student will ask for clarification when unsure about instructions and/or expectations.
Social Pragmatics
- Navigating social situations is vital for forming relationships and avoiding misunderstandings.
- Potential Goal: The student will differentiate between sarcastic comments and non-sarcastic comments in role-playing scenarios in different contexts.
Executive Functioning in Communication
- Strong executive functioning skills support both academic and workplace communication tasks, such as task initiation or time management.
- Potential Goal: The student will manage multiple tasks of varying deadlines by estimating the time required for each task over a period of time (e.g. day, week, month).

Collaborating for Success

To make these goals impactful, collaboration is key:

Involve the Student: Empower students by involving them in goal-setting. What are their interests and where do they see themselves after high school?
Partner with Stakeholders: Work closely with parents, teachers, and vocational counselors to ensure goals align with the student’s transition plan.

Use Realistic Contexts: Incorporate scenarios that students are likely to encounter. Role-playing a job interview or practicing conversations with a professor makes learning relevant and engaging.

As SLPs, our role extends beyond helping students achieve academic success. By crafting functional language goals that address real-world skills, we are setting our students up for lifelong success. These goals become the bridge between their current abilities and the communication demands they will face after graduation. Together, we can help our students not just survive but thrive in the world beyond high school.