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languageand
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Stages of Speech and Language Development

Listening
Listening Understanding
Understanding Speech sounds
Speech sounds Social
Social
and attention
and attention and talk
and talk skills
skills
Turnstowards
towardsaafamiliar
familiarsound
sound Rec ognisesparent’s
parent’svoice
voice Frequentlycries
cri esespecially
especiallywhen
whenunhappy
unhappy Gazesat
atfaces
facesand
andcopies
copiesfacial
facial
Up to
to 33 months
months
Turns Recognises Frequently Gazes
Up Startledby
Startled byloud
loudnoises
noises Oftencalmed
Often
e.g.
calm edby
parent’s
e.g. parent’s
byfamiliar
familiarfriendly
friendlyvoice,
voice, or uncomfortable
or uncomfortable
Makesvocal
Makes vocalsounds,
sounds,e.g.
e.g.cooing,
cooing,gurgling
gurgling
movements,
Makeseye
Makes
e.g.
eyecontact
sticking
contactfor
out
forfairly
tongue!
movements, e.g. sticking out tongue!
fairl ylong
longperiods
periods

Watchesface
facewhen
whensomeone
someonetalks
talks Showsexcitement
excitementatatsound
soundof
of Makesvocal
vocalnoises
noisesto toget
getattention
attention Sensesdifferent
differentemotions
emotionsininparent’s
parent’s
33 –– 66 months
months
Watches Shows Makes Senses
approaching voices
approaching voices Makessounds
soundsbackbackwhen
whentalked
talkedtoto voice and may respond differently,
voice and may respond differently, for for
Makes example,smile,
smile,quieten,
quieten,laugh
laugh
Lau ghsduring
duringplay
play example,
Laughs Crie sinindifferent
differentways toexpress
waysto express
Babblestotoself
self Cries
Babbles differentneeds
different needs

Locatessource
sourceof ofvoice
voicewith
withaccuracy
accuracy Understandsfrequently
frequentlyused
usedwords
words Us esspeech
speechsounds
sounds(babbling)
(babbling)to to Enjoysaction
actionrhymes
rhymesand
andsongs
songs
66 –– 12
12 months
months
Locates Understands Uses Enjoys
Focuseson ondifferent
differentsounds,
sounds, suchas
such ‘allgone’,
as‘all gone’,‘no’
‘no’and ‘bye-bye’
and‘bye-bye’ communicatewith
communicate adults;says
withadults; sayssounds
soundslike
like Triesto
tocopy
copyadult
adultspeech
speechandand
Focuses ‘ba-ba, no-no, go-go’ Tries
e.g. telephone, doorbell, clock
e.g. telephone, doorbell, clock Stopsand
Stops andlooks
lookswhen
whenhears
hearsown
ownname
name ‘ba-ba, no-no, go-go’ lip movements
lip movements
Understandssimple
simpleinstructions
instructionswhen
when Stopsbabbling
Stops babblingwhen
whenhears
hearsfamiliar
familiar Takes‘turns’
‘turns’ininconversations
conversa tions
Understands adult voice Takes
supported by gestures and context
supported by gestures and context adult voice (using babble)
(using babble)
Us esgestures
Uses gesturessuch
suchas
aswaving
wavingand andpointing
pointing
to help communicate
to help communicate
Around12
Around 12months
monthsbegins
beginstotouse
usesingle
singlewords
words
e.g. ‘mummum’, ‘dada’, ‘tete’ (teddy)
e.g. ‘mummum’, ‘dada’, ‘tete’ (teddy)

Attendsto
tomusic
mus icand
andsinging
singing Understandssingle
singlewords
wordsinincontext,
context, Sa ysaround
around1010single
singlewords,
words,although
althoughthese
these Likesbeing
beingwith
withfamiliar
familiaradults
adults
12 –– 15
15 months
months
Attends Understands Says Likes
12 Enjoyssound-making
Enjoys sound-makingtoys/objects
toys/objects e.g. cup,
isisthere
there
milk, daddy, when the object
e.g. cup, milk, daddy, when the object may not be
Re achesor
Reaches
clear
may not be clear
orpoints
pointsto
tosomething
somethingthey
theywant
want
Likeswatching
Likes
of
watchingadults
time
of time
adultsfor
forshort
shortperiods
periods

Understandsmore
Understands morewords
wordsthan
thanthey
theycan
cansay
sa y whilst making speech sounds
whilst making speech sounds
Understandssimple
Understands simpleinstructions,
instructions,
e.g. ‘kiss mummy’, ‘give
e.g. ‘kiss mummy’, ‘give to todaddy’,
daddy’,‘stop’
‘stop’

Listensand
andresponds
respondsto tosimple
simple Understandsaawide widerange
rangeofofsingle
single Stillbabbles
babblesbut
butuses
usesatatleast
leas t20
20single
single Simplepretend
pretendplay
play
15 –– 18
18 months
months
Listens Understands Still Simple
15 information/instructions,
information/instructions,
e.g. ‘Ben,put
e.g.‘Ben, puton
onshoes’,
shoes’,
wordsand
words
e.g.
andsome
‘give
sometwo-word
me’,
two-wordphrases,
‘shoe
e.g. ‘give me’, ‘shoe on’ on’
phras es, wordscorrectly,
words correct ly,although
Copiesgestures
Copies gesturesand
althoughmay
andwords
maynot
wordsfrom
notbe
beclear
fromadults
clear
adults
Pl aysalone,
Plays alone,although
familiar
althoughlikes
adult
familiar adult
likesto
tobe
benear
near
‘Mohammed,give
‘Mohammed, giveto
todaddy’
daddy’ Rec ognisesandandpoints
pointsto toobjects
objectsand
and
Recognises Constantbabbling
Constant babblingandandsingle
singlewords
words Althoughincreasingly
Although incre as inglyindependent,
independent,
pictures in books if as
pictures in books if asked ked used during play happiest when near familiar adult
used during play happiest when near familiar adult
Givesnamed
Gives namedfamiliar
familiarobjects
objectsto
toadult,
adult, Us esintonation,
intonation,pitch
pitchand
andchanging
changingvolume
volume
e.g. coat, car, apple, book Uses
e.g. coat, car, apple, book when ‘talking’
when ‘talking’

Focuseson onananactivity
activityof
oftheir
theirown
ownchoice
choice Understandingof ofsingle
singlewords
wordsdevelops
develops Us esup
upto
to50
50words
words ‘Prete nd’play
playdeveloping
developingwithwithtoys,
toys,
18 months
months
Focuses Understanding Uses ‘Pretend’
18 but finds
Us eof
it difficult
ofchild’s
child’sname
to be directe
namebeginning
beginningto
d
but finds it difficult to be directed by anby
tohelp
anadult
help
adult rapidly during this stage: anything between
rapidly during this stage: anything between
200and
200 and500
500words
wordsare areknown
known
Beginsto
Begins toput
puttwo
twoor
orthree
threewords
wordstogether
together such as feeding a doll or driving aacar
such as feeding
Becomesfrustrated
a doll or
frustratedwhen
driving
whenunable
unableto
car
to
to 22 years
years
Use Frequentlyasks
as ksquestions,
questions,e.g.e.g.the
thenames
namesofof Becomes
to them to attend to what an adult sa ys, Understandsmore
moresimple
simpleinstructions,
instructions, Frequently
them to attend to what an adult says, Understands peopleand
people andobjects
objects(towards
(towardstwo twoyears
yearsof
ofage)
age) make self understood – this may resultt
make self underst ood – this may resul
‘Sarah,eat
e.g.‘Sarah,
e.g. eatsandwiches’,
sandwiches’, ‘Getmummy’s
e.g.‘Get
e.g. mummy’sshoes’,shoes’,‘Get
‘Getyour
yourbricks’,
bricks’, inintantrums
tantrums
‘Ali, put coat on’ ‘Tell dad tea’s ready’ Us esspeech
Uses speechsounds
soundsp,p,b,b,m,
m,ww
‘Ali, put coat on’ ‘Tell dad tea’s ready’ Followsadult
Follows adultbody
bodylanguage
languageincluding
including
pointing,gesture
pointing, gestureandandfacial
facialexpressions
express ions

Beginningto tolisten
listentototalk
talkwith
withinterest,
interest, Developingunderstanding
understandingof ofsimple
simple Us es300
300words
wordsincluding
includingdescriptive
descriptive Holdsaaconversation
conversa tionbutbutjumps
jumpsfrom
from
22 –– 33 years
years
Beginning Developing Uses Holds
but eas ily distracted
but easily distracted concepts including in/on/under, big/little
concepts including in/on/under, big/little language, time, space, function
language, time, space, function topic to topic
topic to topic
Listensto
Listens totalk
talkaddressed
address edto to Understandsphrases
Understands phras eslike ‘putteddy
like‘put teddyinin Linksfour
Links fourtotofive
fivewords
wordstogether
together Interestedininother’s
Interested other’ splay
playand
andwill
willjoin
joininin
him/herself, but finds it difficult ifif
him/herself, but finds it difficult the box’, ‘get your book, coat and bag’,
the box’, ‘get your book, coat and bag’, Maystutter
stutteror orstammer
stammerwhenwhenthinking
thinking Expressesemotions
emotionstowards
towardsadults
adultsandand
promptsare arenot
notprovided,
provided, ‘drawaabig
bigbrown
browndog’
dog’ May Expresses
prompts ‘draw whatto
what tosay
say peersusing
peers usingwords,
words ,not
notjust
justactions
actions
e.g. useof
e.g.use ofname,
name,‘stop
‘stopandandlisten’
listen’ Understandssimple ‘who’and
simple‘who’ ‘what’and
and‘what’ and
Understands Ableto
Able touse
usepronouns
pronouns(me,
(me,him,
him,she),
she),
‘where’ questions but not
‘where’ questions but not why why pluralsand
andprepositions
prepositions(in,
(in,on,
on,under)
under)
plurals
Understandsaasimple
Understands simplestory
storywhen
when Hasproblems
problemssayingsayingspeech
speechsounds:
sounds:
supported with pictures Has
supported with pictures l/r/w/y,f/th,
l/r/w/y, f/th,s/sh/ch/dz/j
s/sh/ch/dz/j

Enjoyslistening
Enjoys listeningto tostories
stories Understandsquestions
Understands questionsor orinstructions
instructions Us essentences
Uses sentencesof offour
fourtotosixsixwords,
words, Understandsturn-taking
Understands turn-takingasaswell
well
with two parts: ‘get your jumper’
with two parts: ‘get your jumper’ and and e.g. ‘I want to play with
e.g. ‘I want to play with cars’,cars’, as sharing with adults and peers
33 –– 44 years
years
Stillfinds
Still findsititdifficult
difficulttotoattend
attendto
tomore
morethanthan as sharing with adults and peers
one thing at a time, so can’t eas ily listen to ‘standby
‘stand bythe
thedoor’
door’ ‘What’sthat
‘What’s thatthingy
thingycalled?’
called?’ Initiatesconversations
conversa tions
one thing at a time, so can’t easily listen to Initiates
a speaker whils t still carrying on an
a speaker whilst still carrying on an activity; activity; Understands‘why’
Understands ‘why’questions
questions Us esfuture
Uses futureand
andpast
pasttense.
tense.e.g. e.g. Enjoysplaying
playingwith
withpeers
peers
Enjoys
hasto
has toswitch
switchattention
attentionbetween
betweenspeaker
speaker Awareof
Aware oftime
timeininrelation
relationto
topast,
pas t,present
presentand
and ‘I‘Iam
amgoing
goingshopping,
shopping,IIwalked
walkedhome’home’
Abletotoargue
arguewith
withadults
adultsor
orpeers
peersififthey
they
and tas
and task k future, e.g. Today is sunny, yesterday was Maycontinue
continueto tohave
haveproblems
problemswith with Able
future, e.g. Today is sunny, yesterday was May disa gree––uses
disagree useswords,
words ,not
notjust
justactions
actions
rainy.IIwonder
rainy. wonderwhat whatthe
theweather
weatherwill
willbe
be irreg ularwords,
irregular ‘runned’for
words ,‘runned’ ‘ran’,
for‘ran’,
like tomorrow? (towards four
like tomorrow? (towards four years) years) ‘swimmed’ for
‘swimmed’ for ‘swam’ ‘swam’
Ableto
Able toremember
rememberand andenjoys
enjoystelling
tellinglong
long
stories or singing
stories or singing songssongs
Hasproblems
Has problemssaying
sayingr,r,j,j,th,
th,ch,
ch,and
andsh
sh

Attentionisisnow
nowmore
moreflexible
flexible––the
thechild
child Abletotofollow
followsimple
simplestory
storywithout
withoutpictures
pictures Us eswell
wellformed
formedsentences,
sentences , Choosesown ownfriends
friends
44 –– 55 years
years
Attention Able Uses Chooses
can understand spoken instructions
can understand spoken instructions relatedrelated Understandsinstructions
instructionscontaining
containing e.g. ‘I played with Ben
e.g. ‘I played with Ben at atlunch
lunchtime’
time’but
but Generall yco-operative
co-operativewithwithplaymates
playmates
toaatask
tas kwithout
withoutstopping
stoppingthe
theactivity
activityto
to Understands theremaymaystill
stillbe
besome
somegrammatical
gramma ticalerrors
err ors Generally
to sequencing words; ‘first... after...last’
sequencing words; ‘first... after... last’ there Ableto
toplan
planconstruction
constructionand andmake
make
look at the speaker
look at the speaker Easilyunderstood
underst oodby byadults
adultsandandpeers,
peers,with
with Able
Understandsadjectives:
Understands soft,hard,
adjectives:soft, hard, Easily believeplay
believe playactivities,
activities,e.g.
e.g.building
building
smooth, etc onlyaafew
only fewimmaturities
immaturitiesininspeechspeechsounds,
sounds,for
for models from Lego
smooth, etc example, ‘th’, ‘r’ and three consonant models from Lego
Awareof ofmore
morecomplex
complexhumour,
humour,laughslaughs example, ‘th’, ‘r’ and three consonant Takesturns
turnsininlonger
longerconversations
conversa tions
Aware combinations ‘scribble’
combinations‘scribble’ Takes
at jokes that are told
at jokes that are told Us eslanguage
languageto togain
gaininformation,
information,
Frequentlyasks
Frequently as ksthethemeaning
meaningof ofunfamiliar
unfamiliar Uses
www.ican.org.uk www.talkingpoint.org.uk
www.talkingpoint.org.uk words and may use them randomly negotiate,discuss
negotiate, discussfeelings/ideas
feelings/ideasand
and
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