Which of the following represents a possible specific goal?

Which of the following represents a possible specific goal?

• A. Adult-like acceptability of speech production in conversation with peers.
• B. Imitates /ʃ/ correctly and without distortion when provided with a model for imitation.
• C. At least 80% accurate production of sibilants in connected speech.
• D. Correct production of /s/ in onsets and codas of one- and two-syllable words.

Answer: (D)

A precise goal in speech therapy defines exactly what sound to target, where it should be produced, and in what contexts progress will be measured. Targeting the /s/ sound in onsets and codas of one- and two-syllable words does that beautifully: it picks a single phoneme, specifies its positions in words, and confines practice to a small, manageable set of stimuli. This makes progress observable and trackable—data can show whether /s/ is produced correctly in those contexts, guiding instruction and advancement. Practically, starting with short words and both initial and final positions helps address typical trouble areas and supports eventual generalization to longer speech. In contrast, aiming for adult-like acceptability in casual conversation is too broad and subjective, lacking a concrete, measurable target. An imitation-only goal for /ʃ/ with a model is narrow and doesn’t ensure transfer to spontaneous, varied speech. A goal of achieving 80% accuracy for all sibilants in connected speech is broader and less specific, making it harder to measure progress toward a concrete, stepwise objective. The focused, context-defined goal for /s/ in short words’ onsets and codas provides a clear, achievable target that can be reliably monitored and built upon.

A precise goal in speech therapy defines exactly what sound to target, where it should be produced, and in what contexts progress will be measured. Targeting the /s/ sound in onsets and codas of one- and two-syllable words does that beautifully: it picks a single phoneme, specifies its positions in words, and confines practice to a small, manageable set of stimuli. This makes progress observable and trackable—data can show whether /s/ is produced correctly in those contexts, guiding instruction and advancement. Practically, starting with short words and both initial and final positions helps address typical trouble areas and supports eventual generalization to longer speech.

In contrast, aiming for adult-like acceptability in casual conversation is too broad and subjective, lacking a concrete, measurable target. An imitation-only goal for /ʃ/ with a model is narrow and doesn’t ensure transfer to spontaneous, varied speech. A goal of achieving 80% accuracy for all sibilants in connected speech is broader and less specific, making it harder to measure progress toward a concrete, stepwise objective. The focused, context-defined goal for /s/ in short words’ onsets and codas provides a clear, achievable target that can be reliably monitored and built upon.