What is language?
Language is communicating, listening, reading, and writing. We use language to express how we are feeling, to share thoughts and ideas, and to understand.
Language includes:
What words mean (e.g., trunk can mean the trunk of a car, the trunk on an elephant, or a tree trunk)
How to make new words (e.g., adding -ed to express something that happened in the past)
How to put words together to form grammatically correct sentences
Understanding how to change/adjust our message depending on the listener and situation
How do children learn language?
Learning language takes time. Children learn language by listening and practicing what they hear. Most children learn the different aspects of language in the same order.
What should my child be able to do?
Below you will find general guidelines regarding typical language development of young children from birth to age 5. For more detailed information, information regarding later language development (6+ years), or to schedule a consultation or a speech and language evaluation contact us. Don’t wait to get help for your child if you are concerned. Getting help early can prevent later problems with behavior, learning, reading, writing, and social relationships.
Birth-3 months
Startles to loud sounds
Quiets or smiles when you talk
Seems to recognize your voice and quiets if crying
Smiles at people
Makes cooing sounds
Has different cries for different needs
4-6 Months
Moves eyes in direction of sounds
Notices toys that make sounds
Pays attention to music
Responds to changes in tone of your voice
Coos and babbles when playing alone or with you
Makes speech-like babbling sounds like pa, ba, and mi
Giggles and laughs
Makes sounds when happy or upset
7 Months-1 year
Turns and looks in the direction of sounds
Looks when you point
Recognizes words for familiar objects and people
Begins to respond to simple words and phrases
Plays games with you like peek-a-boo
Listens to songs and stories for a short time
Babbles longer strings of sounds like babababa
Uses sounds and gestures to get and keep attention
Points to objects and shows them to others
Uses gestures like waving or reaching to be picked up
Imitates different speech sounds
Uses 1 or 2 words around first birthday
1-2 Years
Points to a few body parts when you ask
Follows 1-part directions, like “Roll the ball”
Understands simple questions like “Who is that?”
Listens to stories and songs for a longer time
Points to pictures in books when you name them
Uses a lot of new words (in this year vocabulary grows to 200-300 words)
Starts to name pictures in books
Asks what, who, and where questions
Puts 2 words together like “More Apple”
2-3 Years
Understands opposite words like big-little
Follows 2-part directions
Understands new words quickly
Has a word for familiar people, places, things, and actions
Talks about things that are not in the room
Talks during pretend play
Uses words like in, on, and under
Asks why?
Puts 3 words together
3-4 years
Responds when you call from another room
Understands words for some colors
Understands words for some shapes
Understands words for family like brother, grandma, and aunt
Answers simple who, what, and where questions
Says rhyming words like hat-cat
Uses pronouns like I, you, me, we, and they
Uses some plural words like toys
Asks when and how questions
Uses 4-word sentences/phrases (grammatical errors are okay)
Talks about what happened during the day
4-5 years
Understands words for order like first, next, last
Understands words for time like yesterday, today, tomorrow
Follows 3-part directions
Follows classroom directions
Understands most of what is said at home and school
Responds to “What did you say?”
Names letters and numbers
Uses sentences that have more than 1 action word
Uses sentences with 5+ words (some grammatical errors are okay)
Tells a short story
Keeps a conversation going
Talks in different ways depending on listener and place
*Content adapted from The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association*
“Very happy with all of the speech sessions. Our therapist was always willing to answer and explain any questions I had in a way I could easily understand. She worked with me on the goals we focused on and really listened to my concerns. Most importantly my daughter LOVED seeing and “playing” with her each week.”