-
3 months
Smile when you appear
Make "cooing" sounds
Quiet or smile when spoken to
Seem to recognize your voice
Cry differently for different needs -
6 months
Make gurgling sounds when playing with you or left alone
Babble and make a variety of sounds
Use his or her voice to express pleasure and displeasure
Move his or her eyes in the direction of sounds
Respond to changes in the tone of your voice
Notice that some toys make sounds
Pay attention to music -
12 months
Try imitating speech sounds
Say a few words, such as "dada," "mama" and "uh-oh"
Understand simple instructions, such as "Come here"
Recognize words for common items, such as "shoe"
Turn and look in the direction of sounds -
18 months
Recognize names of familiar people, objects and body parts
Follow simple directions accompanied by gestures
Say as many as eight to 10 words -
24 months
Use simple phrases, such as "more milk"
Ask one- to two-word questions, such as "Go bye-bye?"
Follow simple commands and understand simple questions
Speak at least 50 words -
2-3 years
Has a word for almost everything
Uses two- or three-word phrases to talk about and ask for things
Uses k, g, f, t, d, and n sounds
Speaks in a way that is understood by family members and friends
Names objects to ask for them or to direct attention to them -
3-4 years
Hears you when you call from another room
Hears the television or radio at the same sound level as other
family members
Answers simple “Who?” “What?” “Where?” and “Why?” questions
Talks about activities at daycare, preschool, or friends’ homes
Uses sentences with four or more words
Speaks easily without having to repeat syllables or words -
4-5 years
Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about it
Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school
Uses sentences that give many details
Tells stories that stay on topic
Communicates easily with other children and adults
Says most sounds correctly except for a few (l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, and th)
Uses rhyming words
Names some letters and numbers
Uses adult grammar -
5-6 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 -
6-7 years
Has a receptive vocabulary of approximately 20,000 words
Understands ‘left’ and ‘right’
Engages in conversations
Understands most concepts of time
Names some letters, numbers and currencies
Sequences numbers
Uses increasingly more complex descriptions
Uses a sentence length of approximately 6 words
Recites the alphabet
Counts to 100 by rote
Uses most morphologic markers appropriately
Uses passive voice appropriately -
7-8 years
Uses most parts of speech, grammar is mostly acquired
Exceptions to grammatical rules are mastered
Uses and understand passive sentences
Uses increasingly complex sentences in regular communication
Asks/answers factual and inferential questions
Gives directions with 3-4 steps
Follows 4-step oral directions
Understands direction words
Demonstrates understanding of grade level stories by answering questions
Understands words with multiple meanings -
8-9 years
Uses clear and specific vocabulary in conversation and discussions
Uses subject related vocabulary
Asks/answers factual and inferential questions
Explains what has been learned
Uses a variety of words, not just the same ones over and over -
9-12 years
Uses language effectively for a variety of purposes/situations
Participates in group discussions
Gives accurate directions to others
Summarizes and restates ideas
Organizes information for clarity
Uses subject area information and vocabulary for learning
Give effective oral presentations
Can explain relationships between meanings of multiple-meaning words (analogies)
Uses more abstract and specific vocabulary and grammar, complex sentences in writing than in conversation