Age |
Typical Language Development |
6
Months |
Vocalization with intonation
Responds to his name
Responds to human voices without visual cues by turning his head and eyes
Responds appropriately to friendly and angry tones |
12
Months |
Uses one or more words with meaning (this may be a fragment of a word)
Understands simple instructions, especially if vocal or physical cues are given
Practices inflection
Is aware of the social value of speech |
18
Months |
Has vocabulary of approximately 5-20 words
Vocabulary made up chiefly of nouns
Some echolalia (repeating a word or phrase over and over)
Much jargon with emotional content
Is able to follow simple commands |
24
Months |
Can name a number of objects common to his surroundings
Is able to use at least two prepositions, usually chosen from the following: in, on, under
Combines words into a short sentence-largely noun-verb combinations (mean) length of sentences is
given as 1.2 words
Approximately 2/3 of what child says should be intelligible
Vocabulary of approximately 150-300 words
Rhythm and fluency often poor
Volume and pitch of voice not yet well-controlled
Can use two pronouns correctly: I, me, you, although me and I are often confused
My and mine are beginning to emerge
Responds to such commands as "show me your eyes (nose, mouth, hair)" |
36
Months |
Use pronouns I, you, me correctly
Is using some plurals and past tenses
Knows at least three prepositions, usually in, on, under
Knows chief parts of body and should be able to indicate these if not name
Handles three word sentences easily
Has in the region of 900-1000 words
About 90% of what child says should be intelligible
Verbs begin to predominate
Understands most simple questions dealing with his environment and activities
Relates his experiences so that they can be followed with reason
Able to reason out such questions as "what must you do when you are sleepy, hungry, cool, or thirsty?"
Should be able to give his sex, name, age
Should not be expected to answer all questions even though he understands what is expected |
48
Months |
Knows names of familiar animals
Can use at least four prepositions or can demonstrate his understanding of their meaning when given commands
Names common objects in picture books or magazines
Knows one or more colors
Can repeat 4 digits when they are given slowly
Can usually repeat words of four syllables
Demonstrates understanding of over and under
Has most vowels and diphthongs and the consonants p, b, m, w, n well established
Often indulges in make-believe
Extensive verbalization as he carries out activities
Understands such concepts as longer, larger, when a contrast is presented
Readily follows simple commands even thought the stimulus objects are not in sight
Much repetition of words, phrases, syllables, and even sounds |
60
Months |
Can use many descriptive words spontaneously-both adjectives and adverbs
Knows common opposites: big-little, hard-soft, heave-light, etc
Has number concepts of 4 or more
Can count to ten
Speech should be completely intelligible, in spite of articulation problems
Should have all vowels and the consonants, m,p,b,h,w,k,g,t,d,n,ng,y (yellow)
Should be able to repeat sentences as long as nine words
Should be able to define common objects in terms of use (hat, shoe, chair)
Should be able to follow three commands given without interruptions
Should know his age
Should have simple time concepts: morning, afternoon, night, day, later, after, while
Tomorrow, yesterday, today
Should be using fairly long sentences and should use some compound and some complex sentences
Speech on the whole should be grammatically correct |
6
Years |
In addition to the above consonants these should be mastered: f, v, sh, zh, th,1
He should have concepts of 7
Speech should be completely intelligible and socially useful
Should be able to tell one a rather connected story about a picture, seeing relationships
Between objects and happenings |
7
Years |
Should have mastered the consonants s-z, r, voiceless th, ch, wh, and the soft g as in George
Should handle opposite analogies easily: girl-boy, man-woman, flies-swims, blunt-sharp short-long,
sweet-sour, etc
Understands such terms as: alike, different, beginning, end, etc
Should be able to tell time to quarter hour
Should be able to do simple reading and to write or print many words |
8
Years |
Can relate rather involved accounts of events, many of which occurred at some time in the past
Complex and compound sentences should be used easily
Should be few lapses in grammatical constrictions-tense, pronouns, plurals
All speech sounds, including consonant blends should be established
Should be reading with considerable ease and now writing simple compositions
Social amenities should be present in his speech in appropriate situations
Control of rate, pitch, and volume are generally well and appropriately established
Can carry on conversation at rather adult level
Follows fairly complex directions with little repetition
Has well developed time and number concepts |
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Publica
Parents can help their children develop speech and language skills:
- Provide a stimulating environment
- Read books and sing songs to your child on a daily basis, beginning when she is a baby
- Introduce any new vocabulary in a meaningful context
- Speak directly to your child, giving her time to respond
- Avoid finishing sentences for your child
Provide a stimulating environment
Children need stimulation and providing them with the opportunity to discover and learn are just as important as the actual words waiting to be spoken. You will help your child by providing ample opportunities for them to discover hidden talents.
Read to your child
Reading to your child from being a tiny baby is perhaps one of the most important things you can do. By taking the time to spend with your child with a book, you are helping them to appreciate the qualities that language can have and their interest in these qualities is what makes them keen learners. Not only that, but your child will learn a whole lot more about grammar and word tools. Children's books especially are full of rhymes and vivid pictures to accompany the words and children can get lost in the language. Reading also promotes another important speech related ability, to be able to read out loud. Many children struggle with just being able to read, much less the ability to do it out loud. Story time can bring a whole new dimension to the important skills of language. It is never to young to start reading to a child. A newborn can appreciate the gently lull of words and some brightly coloured pictures.
Describe it
Describing what children are doing, seeing and hearing can lead to a lot of useful speech development. Help your child appreciate the ability to transform vision into speech and they will quickly be intrigued to do the same. Try naming things around the house. Stick the name of the object onto the actual object so that in passing your child will begin to recognise and repeat the words. Write 'bed' on a piece of paper and stick it on the bed
Sing
Make sure you provide plenty of opportunities for song. Often, much of a child's first language comes from repeating words or phrases from songs. When they hear a song, it stands out from all the rest of the language and sparks certain recognition. They have heard it before and will learn to repeat it.
Repetition
Children learn through doing. That means repetition. Provide plenty of opportunity for them to learn through repeating things often. Whether it is songs, books, words or directions, if you follow a pattern it will become familiar and when it is familiar they will learn to recognise it and attempt to repeat it.
Contact with other children
The need to communicate with other children is very strong. When your child is learning to share they need to develop the ability to communicate their needs quickly and they will soon learn to put their feelings into words if they spend enough time around other children. Take them to playgroups or to the park and encourage them to interact with others.
Try simple games
- Matching games - teach children to describe what they are looking for
- Songs - teach a child to talk when trying to repeat
- Reading - teaches a child word recognition and grammar
- Cooking - make a simple recipe chart and have your children follow the steps while cooking. They will have to read out loud and associate the pictures with the actual objects required
- Describing - play games with a blindfold where the child has to describe an object. Even smaller children will be able to use words like, sticky, hot, cold, smooth
- Talk - whilst you are doing things, such as dressing, bathing, and feeding. 'Mummy is washing Ben's hair.', 'Ben is eating peas.' 'These peas are good!'
- Imitate - teach your baby to imitate actions, such as peekaboo, clapping, blowing kisses, pat-a-cake, insywincey spider, and waving "bye-bye." These games teach turn taking that is needed for conversation
More useful info:
You will find lots of useful information here, including very sensible advice on interpreting developmental milestones information.
- Learning disabilities association of America
- Blankees.com - Will I grow out of it?
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