| UNDERSTANDING |
TALKING |
WHAT CAN I DO? |
| Birth to 3 Months |
- Startles to a sudden loud noise
- Be soothed or calmed by your voice
- Turns head toward you when you speak
- Appears to smile or otherwise focus on voices when spoken to
- Wakes up in response to loud sounds
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- Coos, gurgles, and makes other pleasant “baby sounds”
- Mimics facial expressions (sticks tongue out when you do so repeatedly)
- Has different cries for different circumstances (hunger, discomfort)
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- Start reading simple board books to your baby
- Sing songs to your baby (let them see your mouth move)
- Become aware of your baby's moods and diffferent sounds
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| 3 to 6 Months |
- Turns or looks toward source of a new sound
- Responds to changes in tone of voice
- Enjoys toys that make sounds (rattles, etc.)
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- Begins to repeat simple sounds (aah, ba-ba, ooh)
- Makes razzing or bubble sounds, even when eating
- May squeal or shriek
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- Begin using simple sign language with your baby (more, all done, eat, sleep, bye bye)
- Imitate movements, faces and sounds your baby makes so that you have a "conversation"
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| 6 to 10 months |
- Responds to his/her name
- Responds to environmental sounds (door bell, telephone, etc.) even if not loud
- Begins responding to requests such as “come here”
- Looks at objects when someone speaks about them (look at the birdy, etc.)
- Knows words to common items (bottle, diaper, etc.)
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- Babbles to self, even when alone
- Babbling may sound "speech-like" in tone
- May begin to sign common words (milk, all done)
- Expresses preferences clearly, if still nonverbally
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- Continue signing
Sing “interactive” play songs (itsy-bitsy spider, wheels on the bus, I’m a little teapot) to your baby
- Talk about what you are doing while you do it (I'm washing your hair, next we'll do your arms).
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| 10 to 15 Months |
- Enjoys games like peek-a-boo
- Can follow simple (one-step) commands accompanied by gestures
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- Plays with her voice, taking pleasure in changing sounds
- Points to familiar objects or people when asked to
- Imitates simple sounds
- Uses at least one word meaningfully
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- Imitate sounds and words your child says
- Ask simple questions while reading: who's that? where's the duck?
- Keep reading
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| 15 to 18 Months |
- Follows simple commands (give me your toy) without being shown
- Can point to some body parts when asked (Where’s your nose?)
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- Uses 2 or 3 word phrases to make requests or describe something (look doggie, more milk)
- Talks in what sound like multi-word sentences (meaning may not be intelligible)
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- Talk about common vocabulary during daily routines (body parts while getting dressed, etc)
- Label items and actions in the environment
- Teach your child to point to what they want if they don't know the word.
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| 18 to 24 Months |
- Responds to simple yes/no questions (Are you hungry?)
- Understands simple phrases (on the table, in your crib)
- Enjoys being read to
- Understands you when you call from another room
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- 50 words (pronunciation is unclear)
- Asks for food by name (yogurt, more milk)
- Uses possessive pronouns (mine)
- Regularly uses 2-3 word phrases
- Makes animal sounds (ruff, moo)
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- Read together
- Have your child point to pictures in books
- Encourage child to use their words for communication
- Model good language for child
- Talk about what's going on around you
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| 24 to 36 Months |
- Can choose things by size (Show me the little block)
- Understands “not now” and “no more”
- Can follow two step commands (get your toy and come here)
- Understands many action words (run, jump)
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- Vocabulary of 250 to 1000 words
- Speech is clearer (strangers may not yet understand due to dropped word endings, etc.)
- Uses simple pronouns correctly (me, you, her)
- Uses descriptive words (big, happy)
- Knows some spatial words (on, in)
- Uses 3 or more words in a sentence
- Answers simple questions
- Begins to use or experiment with past tense (I jumped) and plurals
- Uses inflection when asking questions
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- Don't correct pronunciation or grammar, but model correct versions. (i.e., child: "I do'ed it!" parent: "yes, you did it!")
- Describe in detail events that happen to the child throughout the day. "First, we'll go to the store, then we'll go to the playground. Maybe you'll go on the swings."
- Expand on what your child says without expecting them to repeat. So, your child says: "bird!" You say, "yes, I see the bird too. It's a pretty red bird that says 'tweet tweet'".
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| 3 to 4 Years |
- Answers a variety of simple "wh" questions (who, what doing, where)
- Understands a sequence of events described to him/her (first we'll ___, then we'll ___)
- Understands most of what is said to him/her about events in immediate past, present, future that are directly related to child.
- Understands terms like "yesterday" "later today" and "tomorrow"
- Points to pictures in books based on verbal description (which cat is sleeping?)
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- Can identify colors
- Can accurately group items (animals vs. food vs. clothing)
- Strangers can understand most of what your child says
- Has fun with language (reacts to silly questions like is there a giraffe on your bed?)
- Can begin to express ideas or feelings
- Uses consonants in beginning, middle and end of words (may not pronounce all consonant combinations clearly, but attempts to do so)
- Uses –ing verbs (walking, eating, etc.)
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- Play with sounds and language: make silly word combinations
- Continue reading!
- Respond to his/her comments with encouragement for more: "really? what then?"
- Label feelings for your child: "when you fell down you really felt hurt and mad"
- Cook with your child to work on sequencing and vocabulary.
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| 4 to 5 Years |
- Understands most of what is said to him/her about recent past, present and future events.
- Understands terms like "next week" and "in the fall"
- Knows a variety of colors and shapes, including some less common ones (light blue, diamond)
- Can answer why questions
- Follows complex directions, (after you get your shoes, get your backpack)
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- Understands complex questions
- Understands more complex spatial descriptors (next to, behind)
- Speech is reliably intelligible to family & strangers (long/complex words may still be mispronounced)
- 1500 word vocabulary
- Defines words
- Uses some irregular past tense verbs (ran, fell)
- Can describe how to do something (how to make a sandwich, paint a picture)
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- Listen to and enjoy unique thoughts of your child
- Ask open-ended questions: what do you think will happen?
- Provide definitions for new words /concepts
- Expose to a variety of activities with new vocabulary
- Encourage your child to "read" and "write" by drawing pictures and dictating or scribbling a "story", making a shopping list, etc.
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| 5 Years |
- Understands the majority of what is said to him/her AS WELL AS what is said AROUND him/her.
- Learns new vocabulary easily
- Recognizes certain letters
- May know some letter sounds
- May recognize some words in context
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- 2000+ word vocabulary
- Can explain & follow at least three-stage sequences (what happened first, second, third, etc.)
- Sentences can be more than eight words long
- Actively uses imagination to tell stories
- Uses multiple descriptors (including comparative references) to describe an object
- Engages in elaborate conversation with adults and peers
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- Pay attention to your language and topics around your child
- Explain new vocabulary clearly and concisely
- For complex topics (sex, race, etc) answer the question that the child asks (not the one you think was buried underneath)
- Talk TO your child -- he/she is probably good company.
- Point out signs in the environment that your child may recognize (stop, street signs, restaurants)
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