Writing goals for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) trips up a lot of SLPs, not because the goal-writing format is different, but because the thinking behind CAS goals has to be different. If you’re used to writing articulation goals around specific sounds, CAS asks you to shift toward syllable shapes and motor sequences instead.
Here’s how to think about it, plus goal examples you can adapt.
What Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
CAS is a motor speech disorder under the speech sound disorder umbrella. It happens when motor movement and planning are impaired, which results in speech sound errors, but the errors themselves aren’t the core problem. The core problem is inconsistent motor planning (ASHA, 2007).
Core Characteristics of CAS
ASHA identifies three characteristics broadly agreed upon across the research:
- Inconsistent errors on consonants and vowels in repeated productions of syllables and words
- Lengthened or disrupted transitions between sounds and syllables
- Inappropriate prosody
You’ll also commonly see articulatory groping, more difficulty with longer or more complex words, and vowel errors.
CAS vs. Phonological Disorder: Quick Differential
CAS and phonological disorders can look similar on the surface, and students can present with features of both, which is exactly why differential assessment matters.
More consistent with CAS:
- Restricted sound repertoire
- Poor vowel differentiation
- Few or simple syllable shapes
- Atypical error patterns (initial consonant deletion, voicing errors, epenthesis)
More consistent with a phonological disorder:
- Consistent, rule-based error patterns (fronting, stopping, etc.)
- Intact prosody
- Intact vowels
Given how often the two co-occur, a thorough evaluation matters more than a quick sort into one category or the other (Lewis et al., 2004).
What NOT to Target
Before writing goals, it’s worth naming what to leave out: non-speech oral motor exercises, like tongue strengthening, isolated tongue movements, or blowing exercises. CAS is a planning disorder, not a strength disorder, so these exercises don’t transfer to speech production gains (McCauley et al., 2009). If a goal in front of you targets oral motor strength rather than movement sequencing, that’s worth flagging.
How to Choose CAS Goal Targets
When selecting goals and objectives, consider three things (Stoeckel, 2018):
- The student’s current inventory: Single syllables, syllable shapes already mastered, syllable sequences, and sound development so far.
- Functional vocabulary needs: Compare what the student needs to communicate against what they can currently produce.
- Typical speech sound development: Even with CAS, developmental norms still inform target selection.
As always, pay close attention to which cueing types actually produce success for this specific student. CAS goals are rarely one-size-fits-all.
Need a refresher on the goal-writing basics first? Here’s a quick guide to writing SMART goals.
CAS Goal Examples
Goal Example 1: Producing Syllable Shapes
Given a direct model, student will produce CVC and CVCV syllable shapes using existing and emerging sound inventory, given visual and tactile prompts, with 70% accuracy.
Example in practice: If a student has /m/ in their inventory but hasn’t mastered CVC or CVCV shapes yet, “mom” or “mommy” is a functional, motivating target. Don’t forget to factor in vowel inventory when picking words, vowel accuracy matters just as much as consonants here.
Goal Example 2: Increasing Syllable Shape Repertoire
Given visual, verbal, and tactile models, student will increase syllable shape repertoire by producing 5 new CV and CVC words using acquired consonants and vowels, with 80% accuracy across three consecutive sessions.
Example in practice: If a student has /m, p, d/ in their inventory, targets might include “ma,” “mom,” “dad,” and “pa.”
Goal Example 3: Combining Existing Syllable Shapes
Student will combine 2 existing syllable shapes that include existing sound inventory, given no more than 1 visual and verbal model, in 8/10 opportunities across three consecutive sessions.
Example in practice: If a student can already say “my” and “mom,” the next step is prompting “my mom,” combining two known shapes into a longer, functional utterance.
Looking for more goal examples across other skill areas? Check out the full SLP Now goal bank.
From Goal to Treatment
Writing the goal is step one. Here’s the short version of what comes next:
- Dynamic assessment to figure out which stimulus set to start with
- Choosing an initial stimulus set based on what the assessment reveals about where the motor breakdown happens
- Selecting a treatment method (DTTC, ReSt/TEMPO, and Integrated Phonological Awareness Training are all well-supported starting points)
Get the full walkthrough of treating CAS in session, including method selection and session ideas →
“When I am looking for a new activity or lesson, the materials are already designed and ready for me to print and implement.”
— School-Based SLP, Alabama
FAQ: Writing CAS Goals
Should CAS goals target sounds or syllable shapes? Syllable shapes and movement sequences, not individual sounds in isolation. Targeting “the /k/ sound” the way you might for an articulation goal misses what’s actually breaking down for a student with CAS.
How do I know if a goal is too ambitious or not ambitious enough? Your dynamic assessment data should tell you. If a student can’t yet produce a CV shape reliably, jumping to CVC combinations sets them up to struggle unnecessarily. Start where the data says to start.
Can a student have both a CAS goal and an articulation goal? Yes. Co-occurring speech sound disorders are common with CAS, and a thorough evaluation may justify goals in both categories, as long as each goal is targeting something distinct.
Materials to Support CAS Goal Writing and Treatment
SLP Now has research-backed materials built specifically around CAS treatment principles, so you’re not building assessment tools or stimulus lists from scratch.
Start your free trial to access CAS-specific materials →
References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2007). Childhood apraxia of speech [Technical report]. https://www.asha.org/policy/
Lewis, B. A., Freebairn, L. A., Hansen, A. J., Iyengar, S. K., & Taylor, H. G. (2004). School-age follow-up of children with childhood apraxia of speech. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 35, 122-140.
McCauley, R. J., Strand, E. A., Lof, G. L., Schooling, T., & Frymark, T. (2009). Evidence-based systematic review: Effects of nonspeech oral motor exercises on speech. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 18, 343-360.
Stoeckel, R. (2018). Building and expanding your CAS toolkit. ASHA Learning Center.
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