Age Attention and Social behaviour and Receptive language Expressive language

listening play (understanding)

General Phonology Grammar Vocab

6 Can pay fleeting Mouthing, inspecting, Responds to different Babbles as child Variety of - 0
mths attention, but any hitting and shaking of emotional tones of experiments with consonant-vowel
new event will objects. familiar voice. sounds. combinations.
distract. Still friendly with Sing-song vowel
strangers, but sounds or single and
occasionally shows double syllables (a-a,
some shyness or even muh, goo, der, adah)
slight anxiety when
approached too near
or abruptly.
12 Concentrates on the By 9 months, plays By 9 months Babble that sounds By 9 months: - 1-3
mths most powerful ‘peek-a-boo’ and understands ‘no’, like words often Babbles in long
stimulus (visual or imitates hand ‘bye'. precedes use of real strings of syllables
auditory). clapping. By 12 months words. (dad-dad, mam-
Waves goodbye. understand own First words are closely mam, agaga).
May hand objects on name, who behaviour related to child’s own Simplified sound
request or that words are world and functional system. Consonants
demonstrate understood in usual needs. such as b, d, g, m, n,
understanding by use context (car) and w, predominate.
of objects (using comb responds to simple Vocalization
to brush own hair). request (clap your contains most
Becomes more hands) with a gesture. vowels and many
reserved with consonants.
 strangers from about
7 months.
By 9 months, clearly
distinguishes strangers
from familiars.
Demonstrates
affection to familiars.
18 Will attend to own At 15 months, Demonstrate Makes speech-like ^ - 10-20
mths choice of activity, communicate needs understanding of sounds continually to
but will not tolerate and wants by pointing many words (more self at play, with
intervention. and than he/she can conversational tunes
vocalizing/screaming. produce). Follows and emotional
Explores properties simple commands in infections.
and possibilities of context and Uses single words.
objects and toys. instructions Vocabulary used in a
Begins to recognize containing 1 key word variety of ways to
pictures of familiar (where’s your eyes). convey different
objects. Understands mainly meanings.
Recreates own or naming-words Echoes prominent.
others’ actions (shoes).
(feeding doll).
Plays contentedly
alone but likes to be
near familiar people.
2 yrs ^ Spontaneously Understands key Refers to self by name Sound system - 50+
engages in simple role instructions and talks to self extending.
or situational make- containing 2 key continuously in long Consonants include
believe activities. words (give the apple monologues during p, b, t, d, k, m, n, w.
 Defends own to teddy). play, but may be
possessions with Understands basic incomprehensible to
determination. action words (jump). to others.
Parallel play present; Using 2 word phrases.
plays contentedly near Asking “what’s this?”,
other children but not etc.
with them. Echolalia almost
constant.
2½ Child can More sustained role Can identify everyday Using 3-4 word Starting to use sh, f, Starting to use past 200+
yrs concentrate by play- pretend action in objects by their use phrases and simple s, occasionally. tense.
looking or listening. sequence (kisses dolly, (which one do we eat sentences. Speech shows Uses pronouns ‘I’,
Can attend to puts dolly in cot, cover with?). Talks audibly and numerous ‘me’, ‘you’
adult’s choice of dolly, rock cot). Enjoys simple familiar intelligibly to self at immaturities of correctly.
activity for short Watches other stories. play. articulation. Speech shows
period, with children at play with Echolalia persists. numerous
frequent prompts. interest, occasionally Continually asking immaturities of
joining in for a few questions beginning sentence
minutes, but as yet ‘what?’ or ‘who?’ structures.
has little notion of the
necessity to share
playthings.
3 yrs Child can Vividly realised make- Understands Using 4-6 sentences; All vowel sounds are Over generalization 500-10
concentrate by believe play, including instructions able to use most present. of grammatical
looking or listening. invented people and containing 3 key sentence types. Consonant sounds rules.
Can attend to objects. words (give the cup Speech modulating in like s, f, sh, z, v, ch Speech still
adult’s choice of Joins in active make- and spoon to teddy). loudness and pitch. are used in simple contains many
activity for a longer believe play with Understands basic Still talks to self in contexts. immature
period, needing less other children. describing words long monologues. Speech still contains grammatical forms.
 frequent prompts. Understands sharing (cold) and position Carries on simple many immature Uses personal
playthings. words (under). conversations and phonetic pronouns and
Understands time able to describe substitutions. plurals correctly
Joins in action songs concepts (yesterday). briefly present and also most
Beginning to activities and past prepositions.
understand negatives experiences.
(can’t) and plurals Asks many questions
(cats). beginning ‘what?’,
Listens eagerly to ‘where?’ and ‘who?’
stories.

4 yrs Attention is still Co-operative play with Understands Average sentence Uses s, f, sh etc. Speech 1000-1
single channeled other children instructions length is 5-8 words consistently grammatically
but child can focus beginning to occur. containing 4 key but some longer although still correct.
and shift from Need companionship words (put the little utterances. Asking reducing consonant
listening to doing. of other children with brick under the box). lots of wh- questions. clusters e.g. sp, fl,
The child begins to whom he/she is Understands Speech completely shr.
‘take on board’ alternately questions starting intelligible. A few immature
spoken instructions cooperative and with “when?” and phonetic
related to a task aggressive, but “why?” substitutions,
he/she is engaged understands need to Listens to long stories. usually of r-l-w-y
upon without argue with words Enjoys jokes and group, p-th-f-s group
needing to interrupt rather than blows. verbal incongruities. or k-t sound.
the task to look at Understands turn
the speaker. taking as well as
sharing.
Dramatic make-
 believe play and
dressing-up favoured.
Floor games very
complicated but
habits less tidy.

5 yrs Integrated looking Chooses own friends. Understands everyday 8+ words in a Using most sounds Uses past, present 1500-2
and listening well Cooperative with conversations unless sentence. Can relate correctly except th, and future tense.
established and companions most of ambiguous. Beginning simple stories. r, more difficult
maintained from 5+ the time and to understand jokes, clusters and multi-
understands need for puns. Developing syllabic words e.g.
fair rules and fair play. powers of criticism squirrel, escalator
and reasoning. Speech usually
phonetically correct
except for
confusions of s-f-th
group.

Vicki Reeds Chapter 2

Language disorders from infancy through adolescence: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and communicating - Rhea Paul, Courtenay
Norbury c2012