top of page

Believe me, I get it...

Being a parent is not only the most rewarding job we will ever have but also the most nerve wracking. We constantly wonder:

​

"What should my child be doing by now?"

"Is my child on the right track?" 

"Should I be concerned?"

​

While the following lists aren't all inclusive, they can help identify your child's strengths and areas of needs.

​

Click here to learn more about the screenings offered by Olive Speech Therapy, PLLC to help determine if your child is meeting their milestones in a timely manner or if a full evaluation may be warranted.

Speech and Language Milestones

Playing with Animals

Birth to 5

Adapted from: Bowen, C. (1998). Ages and Stages Summary: Language Development 0-5 years. Retrieved from http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/ on 2/27/21.

Receptive Language is what a child understands

​​

​

  • Aware of environmental sounds

  • Listen to the speech of those around them

  • Startle or cry if there is an unexpected noise

  • Wake and when a loud noise is present 

  • "Still" in response to new sounds

​

​

  • Turn when they hear speaking

  • Smile when they hear a familiar voice

  • Respond to comforting tones

​

 

 

​

  • Respond to the word "no"

  • Respond to changes in tone of voice and non-speech sounds

 

 

 

 

 

​

  • Listen when spoken to

  • Turn when name is called

  • Play games such as "Peek-a-Boo", "Pat-a-Cake", and other finger play songs

  • Recognize names of familiar objects (e.g. "Daddy", "car", "eyes", "phone", "key")

  • Begin to respond to requests (e.g. "Give it to Granny") and questions (e.g. "More juice?")

​

​

  • Point to pictures that are named and body parts that are named (e.g. nose, eyes, belly)

  • Follow simple directions (e.g. "Push the bus!", "Don't touch; it's hot!")

  • Understand simple questions (e.g. "Where's the bunny?")

  • Listen to simple stories, songs, and rhymes (typically again and again and again)

​

​

  • Understand 2-step commands (e.g. "Get your socks and put them in the basket")

  • Understand contrasting concepts or meanings (e.g. hot/cold, stop/go, and in/on) 

  • Notice sounds like the telephone or doorbell ringing and may point or become excited, get you to answer, or attempt to answer themselves

​

​

  • Understand simple "wh" questions (e.g. "who, what, and where")

  • Hear when called from another room (please note: this is an age where hearing difficulties may become evident. If you are in doubt about your child's hearing, see a clinical audiologist.)

​

 

 

​

  • Enjoy stories and answer simple questions about them

  • Hear and understand nearly everything that is said (within reason) at home, preschool, or daycare

​

Expressive Language is what a child says

​

​

  • Make sounds that let others know that they are experiencing pleasure or pain

​

 

 

 

​

  • Smile at you when a familiar person comes into view 

  • Repeat the same sound a lot and "coos and goos" when content

  • Use different cries for different situations (e.g. "I'm hungry", "I need to be changed", "I'm tired", etc.)

​

​

  • Make gurgling sounds or "vocal play" when being played with or playing alone

  • Babble using sounds such as /p, b, w, m/ and sometimes sound as though he or she is "talking" 

  • Use sounds or gestures to let you know that they want something or want you to do something

  • Make very "urgent" noises to spur you into action

 

​

  • Babble using more consonants and short vowels

  • Use speech or other sounds (i.e. other than crying) in order to get your attention and hold on to it

  • Say first words (e.g. "MaMa", "Doggie", "Night Night", "Bye Bye", "No")

​

 

 

 

​

  • Use 50+ words

  • Ask 2-word questions (e.g. "Where ball?" "What's that?" "More milk?" "What that?")

  • Make 2-word statements and requests (e.g. "Birdie go", "No doggie", "More push")

  • Use more initial consonants 

​

 

 

​

  • Create utterances of one, two, or three words long

  • Can be understood fairly well by family members

  • May ask for, or draw your attention to something by naming it ("Elephant") or one of its attributes ("Big!") or by commenting ("Wow!")

​

 

 

​

  • Use longer sentences consisting of 4+ words

  • Talk about things that have happened away from home

  • Talk about preschool, friends, outings, and interesting experiences

  • Speech is usually fluent and clear and non-familiar listeners can understand what your child is saying most of the time

​

​

  • Use clear and fluent speech 

  • Create long and detailed sentences (e.g. "We went to the zoo but we had to come home early because Sally wasn't feeling well"; "I want to have a horse of my own like Evan, and Daddy says when he wins the lottery he'll buy me one.")

  • Tell a long, involved imaginative story sticking to the topic, and using "adult-like" grammar

  • Use most speech sounds pronounced correctly

  • Communicate easily with familiar adults and other children

  • May tell fantastic, dramatic, inventive, "tall stories"  and engage strangers in conversation when you are out together

 Birth 

 0 to 3 months 

 4 to 6 months 

 7 to 12 months 

 1 to 2 years 

 2 to 3 years 

 3 to 4 years 

 4 to 5 years 

Birth to 5
Speech sound development

Speech sound development 

Speech Sound Norms taken from the Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation-2 from 2000.

By age 2 years...

  • Beginning of words /b, d, h, m, n, p/

  • Middle of words /b, m, n/

  • End of words /m, p/

​

By age 3 years...

  • Beginning of words /f, g, k, t, w/

  • Middle of words /f, g, k, (ing), p, t/

  • End of words /b, d, g, k, n, t/

​

By age 4 years...

  • Beginning of words /kw/

  • Middle of words /d/

  • End of words /f/

​

By age 5 years...

  • Beginning of words /(ch), (j), l, s, (sh), (y), bl/ 

  • Middle of words /(ch), (j), l, s, (sh), z/

  • End of words /l, (ing), (ch), (j), s, (sh), r, v, z/

​

By age 6 years...

  • Beginning of words /f, v, br, dr, fl, fr, gl, gr, kl, kr, pl, st, tr/

  • Middle of words /r, v/

​

By age 7 years...

  • Beginning of words /z, sl, sp, sw, (th)/

  • Middle of words /(th)/

  • End of words /(th)/

​

School-aged children

School aged children

Adapted from: ASHA Your Child's Communication Development: Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade. Retrieved from https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/communicationdevelopment/ on 2/27/21.

Kindergarten

​Listening

  • Follow 1-2 step directions in a row

  • Listen to and understand stories

  • Follow a simple conversation

​

Speaking

  • Speak clearly so that most people understand 

  • Answer simple "yes/no" questions

  • Ask "wh" questions (e.g. "what toy is that?")

  • Retell a story or talk about something he or she did

  • Use conversational turn-taking

  • Show interest in and start conversations

Kindergarten Student

1st Grade

Portrait of a Happy Child

​Listening

  • Remember what they hear

  • Follow 2-3 step directions in a row

​

Speaking

  • Speak clearly so that most people understand 

  • Answer harder "yes/no" questions

  • Tell and retell stories that make sense

  • Share ideas using complete sentences

  • Use most parts of speech or grammar correctly

  • Ask and answer "wh" questions

  • Stay on topic and take turns in conversation

  • Give directions

  • Start conversations

2nd Grade

​Listening

  • Follow 3-4 step directions in a row

  • Understand direction words (e.g. here, there, over, next to, before, later)

  • Answer questions about a grade-level story

​

Speaking

  • Speak clearly 

  • Answer harder "yes/no" questions

  • Ask and answer "wh" questions

  • Use more complex sentences

  • Explain words and ideas

  • Give directions with 3-4 steps

  • Use words to inform, persuade, and entertain

  • Stay on topic, take turns, and keep eye contact during conversations

  • Start and end conversations

​

Reading

  • Find information to answer questions

  • Explain important parts of a story (e.g. main idea, characters, plot)

  • Use personal experiences to make predictions and inferences

  • Sequence events of a story

Boy's Portrait

3rd Grade

Girl at School

​Listening

  • Pay attention in groups

  • Understand grade-level information

​

Speaking

  • Speak clearly and know when to use a soft or loud voice

  • Ask and answer questions

  • Be a part of conversations

  • Use school-related vocabulary

  • Stay on topic, use eye contact, and take turns in conversations

  • Summarize a story

  • Explain what he or she learned in school

​

Reading

  • Understand root words, prefixes, and suffixes

  • Use context clues from stories to help comprehension

  • Predict and explain what will happen next in a story

  • Compare and contrast stories

  • Ask and answer questions about what he or she reads

  • Use what he or she knows to learn about new topics

4th Grade

​Listening

  • Listen to and understand information

  • Form opinions

  • Listen for specific reasons (e.g. to learn, to enjoy, for convenience)

​

Speaking

  • Use words correctly in conversation​

  • Use language for a variety of reasons (e.g. argue, joke, ask questions)

  • Understand figurative language 

  • Participate in group discussions

  • Give correct directions to others

  • Summarize ideas in his or her own words

  • Organize information in a logical way

​

Reading​

  • Use what he or she knows to learn about new topics

  • Follow written directions

  • Learn meanings of new words by understanding synonyms/antonyms, word origins, etc.

  • Read and understand different types of writing (e.g. fiction, nonfiction, poetry)

  • Make inferences

  • Paraphrase

Sunday School

5th Grade

Back to School

​Listening

  • Listen and draw conclusions

​

Speaking

  • Make planned speeches

  • Take part in class discussions

  • Summarize main points

  • Report about information

​

Reading​​

  • Learn meanings of new words by understanding synonyms/antonyms, word origins, etc.

  • Decide what information is important when reading

  • Read and understand different types of writing (e.g. fiction, nonfiction, poetry)

  • Use reference materials to support opinions

bottom of page