-
Pre-Language
During the first three months, babies babble, coo, and make noise in response to their caregivers. -
Infant Babbling
At around three months, infants start using syllables and recognizable sounds of their first language instead of just random babbling in response to stimuli. -
Gesturing and Intentionality
When children are approximately eight to nine months old, they begin gesturing in addition to sound to express an intention such as a want for food or desire for attention. "Consistent vocal patterns, dubbed phonetically consistent forms (PCFs) or protowords accompony many gestures." (Owens, Farinella, Metz, 2015). -
First Words
Twelve months is when children start to use their first real meaningful words to expression their intentions. These words can be used with or without gestures. -
Symbolization
By about 18 months old, a child is able to attach a word to a 'symbol.' In this way, they are able to refer to things that aren't immediately present such at their mother and father. -
Toddler Language
Eighteen months when toddlers start combining words in predictable patterns. There is an increase in words and a decrease in babbling. -
Two Years Old
At two years old, the mean length of utterance (MLU) in children is around 1-2 morphemes. -
Three Years Old
Sentence structure becomes more 'mature' and 'adultlike.' The MLU increases to about 3 morphemes per utterance. -
Four Years Old
At four years old, the speaker begins to change their style of talking to fit whomever they're talking to. MLU increases again to about 4 morphemes per utterance. -
Five Years Old
From ages three to four, language acquisition is rapid and practically blows up. By about five years old, a child will have about ninety percent of their first language form figured out. -
Six Years Old
Once a child enters first grade, they begin to learn a visual version of language i.e. reading and writing. -
School and Adolescence
The older a child gets, the less dramatic their language learning becomes and instead seems to be refined and change in subtle ways based on their environment.