Language Development

• (language development) birth-3 months

  • Cries to communicate.
  • Recognizes important sounds in their environment (ex: their caretaker’s voices)
  • Coos to show pleasure.
  • Reacts to loud sounds.
• (language development) 4-6 months:

  • Responds to changes in vocal tone.
  • Recognizes basic sounds of native language.
  • Babbles and makes gurgling noises.
  • Pays attention to music.
• (language development) 7-12 months

  • Turns and looks in direction of sounds.
  • Understands words for common items.
  • Responds to requests.
  • Communicates with gestures (ex: waving, pointing).
  • Imitates speech sounds.
  • Says one or two simple words.
• children speak their first word by 1 year old; first sentence (two-word) by 18-24 months.
• (language development) 2-3 years

  • Speaks in sentences (3-4 words).
  • Declarative language, “I’m hungry.”
  • Names objects and directs attention to them.
  • Vocabulary of about 1,000 words.
  • Can be understood by most people.
• (language development) 3-4 years

  • Talks about activities at daycare/ preschool.
  • Uses 4+ word sentences.
• (language development) 4-5 years

  • Hears and understands most of what is said at home and school.
  • Gives details in sentences.
  • Tells stories.
  • Identifies and uses rhyming words.
  • Uses grammar more appropriately.
  • Pays attention to and answers short questions about a story.
• (language development) 5-7 years

  • Period of fast mapping (using context to determine meaning of words). Rapid advances in conversation (speaks about 2,500 words), and vocabulary (knows about 20,000 words).