HEARING AND UNDERSTANDING (Receptive Language)

Birth-3 Months

~Startles to loud sounds.

~Quiets and smiles when spoken to.

~Seems to recognize your voice and quiets if crying.

~Increases or decreases sucking behavior in response to sound.

     4-6 Months

~Moves eyes in direction of sounds.

~Responds to changes in tone of your voice.

~Notices toys that make sounds.

~Pays attention to music.

7 Months-1 Year

~Enjoys games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.

~Turns and looks in direction of sounds.

~Listens when spoken to.

~Recognizes words for common items like "cup," "shoe," "juice."

~Begins to respond to requests ("Come here," "Want more?")

     1-2 Years

     ~Points to a few body parts when asked.

     ~Follows simple commands and understands simple questions ('Roll the ball," "Kiss the baby," "Where's your shoe?")

     ~Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.

     ~Points to pictures in a book when named.

  2-3 Years

     ~Understands differences in meaning ("go-stop,'' "in-on," "big-little," "up-down").

     ~Follows two requests ("Get the book and put it on the table")

 3-4 Years

     ~Hears you when you call from another room.

     ~Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members.

     ~Answers simple "who?," "what?", "where?," "why?" questions.

4-5 Years

     ~Pays attention to a short story and answers questions about it.

     ~Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.

 TALKING (Expressive Language)

Birth-3 Month

~Makes pleasure sounds (cooing, gooing).

~Cries differently for different needs.

~Smiles when he/she sees you.

4-6 Months

~Babbling sounds more speech-like with many different sounds, including p,b,and m.

~Vocalizes excitement and displeasure.

~Makes gurgling sounds when left alone and when playing with you.

7 Months - 1 Year

~Babbling has both long and short groups of sounds such as "tata, upup, bibibi."

~Uses speech or non-crying sounds to get and keep attention.

~Imitates different speech sounds.

~Has 1 or 2 words (bye-bye, dada, mama) although they may not be clear.

1-2 Years

~Says more words every month.

~Uses some 1-2 woed questions ("where kitty?" "go bye-bye?").

~Puts 2 words together ("more cookie," "no juice," "mommy book').

~Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

2-3 Years

~Has a word for almost everything.

~Uses 2-3 words to talk about and ask for things.

~Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time.

~Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them.

3-4 Years 

~Talks about activities at school or at friends' home.

~People outside family usually understand child's speech.

~Uses alot of sentences that have 4 or more words.

~Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.

4-5 Years

~Voice sounds clear like other children's.

~Uses sentences that give lots of details (e.g.,"I like to read my books").

~Tells stories that stick to a topic.

~Communicates easily with other children and adults.

~Says most sounds correctly except a few like l, s, r, v, j, ch, sh, th.

~Uses the same grammar as the rest of the family.