- 0 - 8 weeks
Watches the mouth of the speaker intently. Makes mainly biological noises - breathing, eating and those that will reflect hunger or pain.
- 8 - 20 weeks
Good social response to sound of familiar voices. Coos, smiles, enjoys singing, chuckies. May turn head to find source of voices. A variety of sounds made, many sounds being produced.
- 5 - 8 months
Vocalizes tunefully, begins to put syllables together, repeats a variety of sounds. Goo, gaa, muh. Responds to tone of speaker's voice. Gradually over a period of 24-50 weeks the range of sounds become more specific to those uttered in the particular language of your child.
- 8 - 12 months
Uses sounds to communicate with others, babbles tunefully to self and others. Understands the sense conveyed in language and can begin to respond to show that she uunderstands. Can sign 'goodbye', 'hello', etc.
- 12 months
Stars to use words intentionally. Shows understanding of waht is said. 'Where is your hat'? 'Bath time'. Can hand known objects to the speaker on request.
- 12 - 18 months
Uses simple words to convey sentences. 'Dada' could mean, Come dad, Dad where are you? There you are. Sometimes it is the information that will convey the full meaning.
- 18 - 24 months
Loves nursery rhymes, books, likes to sing. Moves from possible 6 - 20 words to simple sentences and vocabulary around 24 months. Wants to know the names of things and will point and ask, 'What's dat'? 'Why'?
- 2 - 3 years
Loves to read to. Enjoys rhyme and poems, has favourites. Many sounds still not pronounced accurately but huge increase in vocabulary and complexity of sentence structure. All basic language structures in place. Refinement and expansion now possible. Talks to self while playing and to others.
- 3 - 4 years
Able to use language to convey more abstract thoughts such as likes, dislikes, bad drea etc. Can speak logically and grammatically, tells stories and continues to expand vocabulary. Likes nonsense rhymes and jokes, and sound games.
- 4 - 5 years
Uses language to co-ordinate activity with other children while playing. Begins to use language in more abstract forms such as writing.
- 5 - 6 years
Asks the meaning of abstract words and uses them. Can use language to describe future and past events. Very clear on tomorrow, next week, etc. Precise about age, adress, telephone number. Love jokes. In addition to the above consonants these should be mastered: f, v, sh, zh, th, l. Most grammatical structure is complete by this time. Enjoys listening to stories and 'reading' them.
- 7 years
Should have mastered the consonants s-z, r, voiceless th, ch, wh, and the soft g as in George. Should handle opposite analogies easily: girl-boy, man-woman, fies-swims, blunt-shart, short-long, sweet-sour, etc. Understands such terms as: alike, different, beginning, end, etc. Should be able to tell time to quarter hour. Should be ablt to do simple reaing and to write or print many words.
- 8 years
Can relate rather involved accounts of events, many of which occured at some time in the past. Complex and compond sentences should be used easily. Should be few lapses in grammatical constrictions-tense, pronouns, plurals. All speech sounds, including consonant blends should be established. Should be reading with considerable ease and now writing simple compositions. Social amenities should be present in his speech in appropriate situations. Control rate, pitch, and volume are generally well and appropriately established. Can carry on conversation at rather adult level. Follows fairly complex directions with little repetition. Has well developed time and number concepts.
Source: Montessori Read & Write; Language and Speech Development in Children
