LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

OF CHILDREN FROM 0-8 YEARS

JAMILLE AIRA D. PASCUA

BIRTH TO 12 MONTHS
BIRTH TO 4 MONTHS 5 TO 7 MONTHS 8 TO 9 MONTHS 10 to 12 MONTHS
make eye contact copy some sounds make longer communicate with
babble and and gestures you sequences of purpose, mainly to
combine vowels make sounds, which might request, insist, refuse,
and consonants play with different sound like normal or reject.
like 'ga ga ga', 'ma speech or the ‘jargon ask for something by
sounds
pointing, or by looking
ma ma', 'ba ba ba' phase’
at a person then at
say ‘mama’ or ‘dada’, something she/he
although he might wants
not know what these may say 'mama' or
mean yet. 'dada' and know what
they mean

12 TO 18 MONTHS
12 MONTHS 13 to 14 MONTHS 15 MONTHS 18 MONTHS
babble will start might use the same point to things child will refer to
turning into real word to refer to further away and himself by name
words different things like ask you to name starts to realize
enjoy saying the calling all animals them he’s a separate
same word over and ‘doggie’ try combining person with his own
over words, gestures ideas
understand the and sounds to help understand simple
words for common the family phrases and
objects like 'cup', understand instructions
'doll', 'tummy', 'toe',
'sock', or 'hat'

18 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS
19 MONTHS 24 MONTHS 1 YEAR 2 YEARS
Understands Names most Answers questions Asks simple
when called from common objects about a story questions (“Where
another room Understands Recognizes family ball?” “What Daddy
Jargon peaks at questions “Where?” member names doing?” “What
18 months and “What’s that?” Begins using verb color?”)
Correctly Uses 200+ words endings (-ing) Uses number +
pronounces most Continues to develop (“Mommy pushing”) noun (“two
vowels front consonants Refers to self as doggie”)
“me” rather than by
name

2 TO 3 YEARS
able to use sentences with three or more words more structured sentences understand one-step
and two-step instructions
answer questions from adults about ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘where’, but she might not yet understand
how to answer ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions
child can tell from the tone of your voice if you’re happy, affectionate or angry
use most of the speech sounds in his words
start to get the hang of speaking in turn

3 TO 5 YEARS
3 TO 4 YEARS 4 TO 5 YEARS
child will learn and use: more connecting understand many more words than they can
words like ‘because’, ‘and’ or ‘if’ use
more numbers & names for groups of things child will speak in increasingly complex
like ‘vegetables’ or ‘animals’ family terms like sentences by joining small sentences
‘aunty’ or ‘brother together using words like ‘and’ or ‘because’
begin to use more complex sentences child will follow directions with more than
tell stories that follow a theme two steps, even if the situation is a new one
questions might be more abstract and getting better at taking turns in
complex conversations with a group of people

5 TO 8 YEARS
5 YEARS 6 YEARS 7 YEARS 8 YEARS
can identify words might know some or children can usually child understands
beginning with the all of the sounds that read simple stories what he’s reading
same sound go with the different and write or copy By this age
might play rhyming letters of the alphabet letters of the children can also
games and sing out learn that single alphabet write a simple
words that rhyme, sounds combine into story.
like ‘bat’, ‘cat’, ‘fat’, words.
‘hat’ and ‘mat’
IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING THE DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES OF LANGUAGE
Along with the other domains of development, language is a critical part of one's life. The language
domain supports the learners' ability to understand, communicate, and express themselves. Aside from the
receptive and expressive ability that it possesses, it is also a way to build and strengthen relationships
among other people. Thus, as teachers, it is essential to determine the developmental milestones of
language to determine whether the child has the needed skill in his or her age. This is also a way to
observe and detect disabilities that can be prevented through early interventions. Moreover, this is a
needed skill in offering appropriate learning activities for the children in nurturing their growth and
development.
Reference: Raising Children Network. (2020, May 25). Language development in children: 0-8 years. https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/development/language-
development/language-development-0-8.