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Form: Phonology: (0-2 Months) Native Language
Milestone: The infant can tell the difference between its native language and non-native language.
Example: When two parents are bilingual (English and Spanish), however, the dominant language in the home is English. The newborn will look at both parents in confusion when he hears Spanish. -
Period: to
Infancy Language Milestones
0-12 Months -
Use:Pragmatics: (0-2 Months) Recognition
Milestone: For a moment, the infant looks at individuals and is aware of strangers and strange settings.
Example: When the baby's grandparents pay them their first visit at home. The baby will gaze at them for a moment, wide-eyed. -
Content: Semantics: (0-3 Months) Startles
Milestone: The baby gets afraid when he hears loud noises. The infant looks in the direction of the loud sound.
Example: The sound of a vacuum cleaner may cause the baby to begin to cry. The noise is too loud and frightening for him. -
Form: Phonology: (4-6 Months) Cooing and Gooing Sounds
Milestone: Cooing and gooing sounds are produced by the infant.
Example: The baby may turn to face his mother whenever she speaks or makes sounds because he is starting to identify her voice. The infant connects with his mother and uses it to communicate his happiness. -
Use: Pragmatics: (4-5 Months) Learns Own Name
Milestone: The baby recognizes his own name.
Example: When the mom calls out the infant’s name, he will look at his mom with a smile and coo to indicate he is aware that the mom is addressing him directly. -
Content: Semantics: (4-6 Months) Imitating Gestures
Milestone: When the baby makes an effort to imitate gestures.
Example: A 6-month-old baby will imitate his mother when he sees his mother clap her hands together. (Playing pat-a-cake with the help of the mother). -
Use: Pragmatics: (6-7 Months) Engaging
Milestone: When the infant engages in joint attention.
Example: When a mom points to a bird in the sky and says, "Look at that beautiful bird!" The infant will look directly at the bird. He understands what the mom is talking about. -
Content: Semantics: (7-9 Months) Object Recognition
Milestone: The baby seeks partially hidden objects and looks in the right spot for objects out of sight.
Example: Playing Peek-a-boo with your baby. When the mother covers her head with a blanket, the infant will attempt to remove the blanket to locate the mother's face. -
Form: Phonology: (7-9 Months) Babbles
Milestone: Infants start making canonical babble and single consonant-vowel (C-V) syllables.
Example: When the baby says “dada” or “mama”. -
Use: Pragmatics: (10-12 Months) Says First True Word
Milestone: The child uses imperative pointing and utters first true word.
Example: When the toddler points at the banana on the kitchen counter and says "banana," -
Content: Semantics: (10-12 Months) Understanding Rational Behaviors
Milestone: The baby's first word is produced by understanding rational behaviors as a means to an end. The baby can understand five to ten words.
Example: When a baby observes a parent drinking from a water bottle, the child may learn to do the same without spilling the bottle on the ground. -
Period: to
Toddlerhood Language Milestones: (12-36 Months)
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Use: Pragmatics: (12 Months) Instrumental Communication
Milestone: When a toddler expresses his desire for something through verbal guidance and referential gestures
Example: Make the dinosaur gesture or sound and say "Dinosaur" when the child wants the toy dinosaur. -
Form: Phonology: (10-12 Months) Forming Diphthongs
Milestone: The infant starts to make syllables called diphthongs, made up of two vowel sounds.
Example: The infant gestures and says "bye-bye" to his parents as they leave the room. -
Form: Phonology: (12 months) Unintelligible Speech
Milestone: Unintelligible speech, expects for a few words.
Example: When a child constantly says “guh-guh” for cookie or “wa-wa” for water. -
Content: Semantics: (12 Months) Using Reference
Milestone: The child uses words that symbolize objects, actions, events and concepts.
Example: When the child says, "Mommy is at work," he refers to his mother’s presence. -
Form:Morphology:(27 Months) Forming Plura-s
Milestone: The toddler uses prepositions in Plural-s
Example: A child will say "cars" instead of "car" while pointing at multiple toy cars. -
Form:Syntax: (16 Months) Brown’s Stage I (1.31 MLU)
Milestone: 33% of all utterances are single nouns, and the toddler utilizes the negation (no).
Example: A toddler who says "No, not that" as he pushes the dish away when handed food he doesn't want. -
Content: Semantics: (16 Months) Words Used to Describe Groups of Objects
Milestone: When a child learns to use words to describe groups of objects, not only the original example.
Example: The term "fruit" is used by the child to refer to a variety of items that are included in the basic category of fruit, such as apples, oranges, pears, etc. -
Use: Pragmatics: (16 Months) Taking Turns
Milestone: The child will use verbal turn taking
Example: While playing with his brother, the child exclaims, "My turn," and then he takes the ball. -
Content:Semantics: (20 Months) Word Mapping
Milestone: When a child uses the object scope principle first knows the new words refer to objects rather than actions.
Example: When a mother states; "The cat is running" the child is likely to infer that the word "cat" refers to the animal rather than the activity of running. -
Use: Pragmatics: (20 Months) Two Gesture Combinations
Milestone: The child will use gesture-word combinations. Uses two-gesture combinations.
Example: To express their want for a cookie, a toddler may make a "want" hand gesture (open palm stretching out) and point to the cookie at the same time. -
Form:Phonology: (24 Months) Rising Intonation
Milestone: The child's tone rises when asking questions.
Example: When a child asks a question, they end their sentences with a rising tone, like "Daddy?" For "Where did Daddy go?" -
Use: Pragmatics: (24 Months) Big Imagination
Milestone: The child begins to be imaginative.
Example: During spaceship play, the child imagines that the couch changes into a spaceship. -
Form: Syntax: (24 Months) Two-Element Sentence
Milestone: The toddler uses two element sentences to combine two simple words to express a basic idea.
Example: When a toddler calls for his father to take him into his arms, he says, "Daddy up." -
Content: Semantics: (24 Months) successful Communication
Milestone: The toddler starts to expand his vocabulary.
Example: When the child understands that some of their "baby" words—for example, blankie for the blanket—are not common among other people in their culture. -
Form:Phonology: (28 Months) Substituting a consonan
Milestone: When toddlers pronounce roughly 70% of words correctly, they exhibit phonological processes (e.g., final-consonant omission, consonant substitution).
Example: When a child substitutes a consonant, such as "wabbit" for "rabbit," the "r" sound is changed to a "w." -
Form: Syntax: (28-30 Months) Brown’s Stage III (2.54 MLU)
Milestone: The toddler uses present progressive morpheme -ing with mastery and three-element sentences are used.
Example: When the toddler informs his mother that "the baby is crying." -
Use: Pragmatics: (28 Months) Changing Topics
Milestone: When the child introduces and changes discussion topics.
Example: After asking to play cars with his father, the toddler switches the subject and requests juice. -
Content: Semantics: (28 Months) Categorical Scope Constraint
Milestone: The child narrows down the accurate interpretation of new superordinate-level keywords they encounter by restricting the foundation for an extension to words in the same category.
Example: When a child learn the word "dog" and use it to refer to any four-legged, furry animal they come across, regardless of whether it's a fox or a cat, they concentrate on the broad category of "animal with fur." -
Form: Morphology: (30 Months) Using Preposition “in”
Milestone: When a toddler uses the preposition "in" in a sentence.
Example: The toddler tells his mother that the keys are in her purse when she is looking for them. "Keys in there." -
Form: Morphology: (31 Months)
Milestone: When a toddler uses preposition"on" in a sentence.
Example: Cup on the table," the toddler tells his mother. -
Form: Phonology: (32-36 Months) Basic Phonological are Pronounced
Milestone: Between the ages of 32 and 36 months, a toddler suppresses basic phonological processes and can pronounce roughly 80% of all words correctly.
Example: For instance, by age 3, children will say “banana” instead of “nana” and “doggie” instead of “doddle.” -
Form: Morphology: (34 Months) Uses Possessive’s
Milestone: The toddler uses possessive’s in a sentence.
Example: While playing dress-up, the child says, "Daddy's boots." -
Use: Pragmatics: (32-36 Months) Getting Clarification
Milestone: Clarifies and Request Clarification during Conversation.
Example: What did you say, mommy?" the toddler asks. Upon being asked to place his toys in the toy chest by his mother -
Content: Semantics: (32-36 Months) Categories
Milestone: When the toddler can match a new term with a fundamental category.
Example: When a child knows every animal in a toy set except the giraffe and the mother asks, "Where's the giraffe?" the child will search for the unfamiliar animal. -
Period: to
Preschool Language Milestones: (36-60 Months)
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Form: Morphology: (36 Months) Forming Compound Sentences
Milestone: The child uses four to five words in compound sentences with “and.”
Example: When the child expresses his love for his parents. He will say: “I love mommy and daddy.” -
Content: Semantics: (36 Months) Uses Pronouns
Milestone: Uses pronouns such a as “they” “them” and “us.” The child continues to use fast mapping.
Example: A toddler at a football game, he will say “They play football.” While pointing at them. -
Use: Pragmatics: (36 Months) Engages More
Milestone: The child begins to engage in longer dialogues.
Example: During playtime with the child, Dad builds a tower with the blocks. Dad says: Look at this tall tower I’m building and the toddler responds: “Wow! Big tower!” -
Form: Syntax: (36 Months) Four-Element Sentences
Milestone: Four-element sentences are used. Independent clauses continue to emerge by the toddler.
Example: When the child informs his father that his mother gave him the candy, he will respond, "Mommy gave it to me." -
Form: Phonology: (36 Months) Word Awareness
Milestone: Child begins to develop shallow phonological awareness abilities.
Example: When a child is learning how to use blocks to symbolize each word piece. For example, uses two blocks—one for "cup" and one for "cake"—to create a "cupcake". -
Form: Phonology: (40 Months) Producing Sounds
Milestone: Continues to refine articulatory skills.
Example: When the child says “fox” he is mastering the “f” sound. -
Form: Morphology: (40 Months) Pronouns in Sentences
Milestone: The child consistently uses pronouns
Example: When the child is talking about his little sister. He will directly her as “she.” -
Use: Pragmatics: (40 Months) Primitive Narratives
Milestone: Child beings to use primitive narratives.
Example: The child informs his father that his mother is sleeping. "Mom is sleeping.” -
Content: Semantics: (40 Months) Opposites knowledge
Milestone: Understands some relational (opposite) terms.
Example: While visiting the zoo with family, a toddler spots a mother monkey and a newborn monkey. About the mother, "That's a big monkey," and the baby "That's a little monkey," -
Use: Pragmatics: (44 Months) Indirect Request
Milestone: The child understands and uses indirect requests.
Example: Instead of the child pointing at a banana because he’s hungry. He will say, “I am hungry.” -
Form: Phonology: (44 Months) Consonants
Milestone: Child has mastered most consonant.
Example: The child is able to identify the “sh” sound in “shoe.” -
Form: Syntax: (44 Months) Using past tense
Milestone: The child will consistently use past tense in his sentences.
Example: Mom asked him what he did at school and he said: “I painted.” -
Content: Semantics: (44 Months) Using Kinship Terms
Milestone: Uses Kinship Terms to Referral Individuals.
Example: When a child is talking about his sister he refers her as “That’s my sister.” -
Form: Phonology: (48 Months) Decreases Phonological Processes
Milestone: The child decreases use of phonological processes (weak-syllable, deletion, cluster reduction).
Example: The child use to say “nana” instead f “banana” when he wanted a banana for a snack. -
Use: Pragmatics: (48 Months) Events from the past, present, or the future.
Milestone: The child will describe real or fictional event from the past, present, or the future.
Example: The child comes home from school and tells his mom about his school field trip. “We went to the zoo, we saw a big elephant.” -
Form: Syntax: (48 Months) Forming long sentences
Milestone: Combines four to seven words in sentences.
Example: When dad asks the child what does he want to do today. He will answer: “I want to go play outside.” -
Content: Semantics: (48 Months) Reflexive Pronouns
Milestone: The child uses reflexive pronouns such as “himself.”
Example: The toddler fell while running. He says:
“I hurt myself” while showing his scraped knee to his mom. -
Use: Pragmatics: (52 Months) Indirect Requests
Milestone: The child will start using indirect requests.
Example: The child wants to read a book but wants company. The child will say: “Do you want to read a book with me?” (Indirectly asking someone to join him.) -
Content: Semantics: (52 Months) Using Interrogatives
Milestone: The child will start asking questions and answering questions. (Uses “What” “Where” “Who” “Whose” and “Which.”
Example: "Where are we going, daddy?" the toddler asks his father while they are driving. -
Form: Morphology: (52 Months) Plural Forming
Milestone: Toddler uses irregular plural forms consistently.
Example: The child starts adding “s” to his words for instance “cats.” -
Form: Phonology: (52-56 Months) Connecting Speech
Milestone: The child is very intelligible in connected speech, has mastered all consonant sounds.
Example: The child is able to identify all consonant: p,b,m,n,h,w,t,d,k and g. -
Form: Syntax: (56-60 Months) Complete Sentences
Milestone: Child will combine five to eight words in sentences.
Example: The child tells his mom what he wants for dessert. “I want chocolate ice cream please.” -
Content: Semantics: (56-60 Months) Using Deictic Terms
Milestone: Child uses deictic terms in sentences. Uses: “This” “That” “Here” and “There”
Example: As the kid is swimming toward his mother and is nearly there. “I’m almost there,” he says. -
Form: Phonology: (56-60 Months) Name Spelling
Milestone: The child knows letters that make up his own name.
Example: The child knows how to write his name. -
Use:Pragmatics: (56-60 Months) Sequence of Events
Milestone: The child uses narrative with a sequence of events but no main character or theme.
Example: The child talks about his day. “Went to the store, saw a big red ball, picked it up, then saw a puppy, petted the puppy, got in the car, and went home.”