Use early-intervention language for this age
For your child, parents are usually talking about early intervention or an IFSP, not a school IEP. The same functional idea still matters: a goal for increasing requesting should describe what communication looks like, what support is allowed, and where it happens.
Sample goal shape
Given natural routines and appropriate supports, the child will practice increasing requesting for a useful purpose such as requesting, protesting, choosing, commenting, or asking for help across repeated opportunities.
Make the support level explicit
A useful goal states whether the child uses speech, AAC, gestures, visual supports, modeling, choices, wait time, or adult prompts. Without the support level, progress is hard to interpret.
Questions for the team
Ask who will coach the parent, which routines to practice in, how AAC or visual supports will be modeled, and how progress will be measured without pressuring the child.
Related Little Words guides
- IEP SupportTopic hub
- Speech Help for 2½-Year-OldsBrowse all 69 articles
- IEP & Early Intervention Speech GoalsBrowse all 144 articles
- 12-month-old speech goals: requestingSame goal, different age
- 15-month-old speech goals: requestingSame goal, different age
- 18-month-old speech goals: requestingSame goal, different age
- 2.5-year-old speech goals: WH questionsMore for 2½-Year-Olds
- 2.5-year-old speech goals: asking questionsMore for 2½-Year-Olds
- 2.5-year-old speech goals: building turn-takingMore for 2½-Year-Olds
- 2.5-year-old speech goals: describing feelingsMore for 2½-Year-Olds
- 2.5-year-old speech goals: two-word phrasesMore for 2½-Year-Olds
