Full Goal

Given auditory presentation only (no print) across four tasks: rhyme detection (does ‘cat’ rhyme with ‘hat’?), rhyme generation (give me a word that rhymes with ‘pig’), compound segmentation (cowboy → ‘cow’ + ‘boy’), and syllable segmentation (butterfly → ‘but-ter-fly’ with finger tap or manipulative per syllable), [Student] will perform each task type at age-appropriate criterion with 80% accuracy on rhyme detection, 60% on rhyme generation, 80% on compound segmentation, and 80% on syllable segmentation for 2- and 3-syllable words, across 3 consecutive probes per task, as measured by SLP administration with separate scoring for each task type, using 10-item probes per task.

Individualization Guidance

Before using this goal, verify:

• Hierarchy of phonological awareness. The general developmental hierarchy: word awareness → syllable → onset-rime → phoneme. Within this, detection precedes production (rhyme detection before rhyme generation), and larger units precede smaller ones. Skipping levels to target phoneme segmentation before rhyme and syllable are established is a common error that produces stalled progress.
• Why separate criteria per task. Rhyme generation is harder than rhyme detection because it requires accessing the phonological lexicon. Compound segmentation is easier than syllable segmentation because compound boundaries are also semantic. Conflating them into one “80% phonological awareness” goal hides the profile.
• Auditory-only presentation is essential. Print converts these tasks into decoding. The goal targets phonological representations of language — keep print out of the probe.
• Manipulatives and finger taps are scaffolding for syllable segmentation. External counting reduces working memory load. The next-step goal removes the manipulative.
• Multilingual considerations. Phonological awareness transfers across languages. A bilingual child who has rhyme awareness in Spanish has it in English even before vocabulary develops — assess in both languages when possible. Do not require English-specific phonological awareness as a literacy prerequisite if the child has it in their dominant language.
• Dyslexia screening implications. Persistent deficits in rhyme and syllable awareness in kindergarten or first grade are an early red flag for reading disability. Document this goal’s data carefully — it will inform later eligibility decisions if a learning disability is suspected.
• SLP scope. SLPs are within scope to target phonological awareness as a literacy precursor per ASHA’s 2001 position statement. If school culture pushes back, cite the position statement.

Clinical Notes

The four-task structure is the active feature of this goal. A child who can detect rhyme but not generate it, who can segment compounds but not syllables, has a profile that points to specific next-step instruction. Single-percentage phonological awareness goals lose this resolution.

The 60% threshold for rhyme generation reflects published developmental norms — even typically developing 4-5 year olds show inconsistent rhyme generation. Setting an 80% target on rhyme generation produces apparent failure on a normal developmental pattern.

Syllable segmentation criteria specify 2- and 3-syllable words because difficulty rises sharply at 4+ syllables. Sample at both 2 and 3 syllables; don’t let a high 2-syllable score hide 3-syllable struggle.

Phonological awareness has the most robust evidence base of any pre-literacy skill. Targeting it in the K-1 window is one of the highest-leverage uses of SLP time for children at risk for reading disability or DLD with co-occurring literacy concerns.

The transition from this goal to phoneme-level segmentation should be gradual and overlap. Don’t discontinue rhyme and syllable work the moment phoneme segmentation begins — they continue to scaffold word-level reading in early grades.

Related Goals

• Phoneme Segmentation in CVC Words — successor goal at the phoneme level