Language Milestones

  • Form: Phonology: (0-2 Months) Native Language

    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.
  • Use:Pragmatics: (0-2 Months) Recognition

    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

    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

    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

    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.
  • Use: Pragmatics: (6-7 Months) Engaging

    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: (4-6 Months) Imitating Gestures

    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).
  • Content: Semantics: (7-9 Months) Object Recognition

    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

    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

    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

    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.
  • Form: Phonology: (10-12 Months) Forming Diphthongs

    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.