How Well are they Communicating?
A Quick Reference Guide for Speech and Langage Development
If you are concerned about a child’s development based on this information, a referral can be made to Speech Services Niagara for a speech and language screening. Refer a child now.
- use jargon (babbling that sounds like real speech)
- begin to imitate some new words
- may have first words (2-5 words)
- enjoy interacting with others and have a desire to communicate
- understand simple instructions/words (e.g., Stand up, don’t touch, sit down)
- give a toy on request
- understand own name
- use 10-20 words consistently
- words may not always be clearly pronounced
- words may be accompanied by gestures
- make at least 4 different consonant sounds (e.g., p, b, m, n, d, t, w, h)
- enjoy being read to and looking at simple books with an adult
- understand simple directions (e.g.,“where’s your...” or “show me the...”)
- learn new words weekly
- use 50-150 words
- combine 2 words (e.g., “more juice”, “hi daddy”)
- understand at least 300 words
- respond appropriately to yes/no questions
- hold books the right way up and turn the pages
- use about 250-350 words
- be understood by at least some familiar adults, other people may have a hard time understanding them at times
- understand about 500 words
- follow simple two-step commands (e.g. “get your coat and wait at the door”)
- be able to answer simple “who?” and “what’s that?” questions
- understand position words such as in, on, under, up & down
- use about 1000 words
- talk in short sentences (3-5 words), that are not always grammatically correct (e.g.,“I eated it”)
- use plurals (s), “ing” endings, prepositions on, in, under, negative: won’t
- put end sounds on the end of words (e.g., dad)
- be understood 90% of the time
- follow two step commands (e.g., “take off your shoes and put them in the closet”)
- answer “where?” & “what’s he doing?”
- be improving grammar to include: personal pronouns (e.g., I, you, my), plurals, early negatives (e.g., don’t, can’t, won’t)
- pronounce f, k, g, s accurately in words
- by 3 years 9 months grammar continues to improve to include: is/are; he, she they; and possession (e.g., boy’s)
- have a vocabulary of at least 2000 words
- begin to use longer sentences (4 or more words) that include “adult-like” grammar (e.g. “he isn’t there”)
- be able to re–tell recent events with logical sequence
- be able to answer more complex questions (e.g., “what do you think will happen next?”)
- pronounce l, sh, s–blends accurately in words
- follow 3-step commands (e.g., “get your boots, put them on, and go outside”)
- follow instructions without the object being present
- be able to listen to stories for at least 15 minutes and remember details
- enjoy simple, silly jokes
- use sentences that sound almost like an adult
- be able to participate in a conversation
- be able to use all sounds with the exception of “th” and “r”
- understand long verbal directions (e.g., “when grandpa arrives, tell him I’m outside and help him with his suitcase”)
- point to basic colours
- enjoy jokes and riddles
- love to listen to stories, may act them out
- understand many descriptive words (e.g., soft, hard, tallest, shortest, long, short, top, bottom)
