Speech or Language
Did you know that speech and language are two different skills?
Did you know that speech and language are two different skills?
Speech
Speech
SLP's use the term speech to describe how we produce sounds, fluency rate and voice quality.
SLP's use the term speech to describe how we produce sounds, fluency rate and voice quality.
Below is a chart showing the age range that sounds typically develop. As you can see there is a large range for "normal".
Below is a chart showing the age range that sounds typically develop. As you can see there is a large range for "normal".
Language
Language
SLP's use the term language to describe how we put together words to express ourselves and how we understand words that are being spoken.
SLP's use the term language to describe how we put together words to express ourselves and how we understand words that are being spoken.
Expressive Language
Expressive Language
By the end of Kindergarten the typically developing child should:
By the end of Kindergarten the typically developing child should:
- Be understood by most people
- Answer simple "yes/no" questions
- Answer open-ended questions (e.g., "What did you have for lunch today?")
- Retell a story or talk about an event
- Participate appropriately in conversations
- Show interest in and start conversation
By the end of 1st grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 1st grade the typically developing child should:
- Be easily understood
- Answer more complex "yes/no" questions
- Tell and retell stories and events in a logical order
- Express ideas with a variety of complete sentences
- Use most parts of speech (grammar) correctly
- Ask and respond to "wh" questions (who, what, where, when, why)
- Stay on topic and take turns in conversation
- Give directions
- Start conversations
By the end of 2nd grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 2nd grade the typically developing child should:
- Be easily understood
- Answer more complex "yes/no" questions
- Ask and answer "wh" questions (e.g., who, what, where, when, why)
- Use increasingly complex sentence structures
- Clarify and explain words and ideas
- Give directions with 3-4 steps
- Use oral language to inform, to persuade, and to entertain
- Stay on topic, take turns, and use appropriate eye contact during conversation
- Open and close conversation appropriately
By the end of 3rd grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 3rd grade the typically developing child should:
- Speak clearly with an appropriate voice
- Ask and respond to questions
- Participate in conversations and group discussions
- Use subject-related vocabulary
- Stay on topic, use appropriate eye contact, and take turns in conversation
- Summarize a story accurately
- Explain what has been learned
By the end of 4th grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 4th grade the typically developing child should:
- Use words appropriately in conversation
- Use language effectively for a variety of purposes
- Understand some figurative language (e.g., "the forest stretched across…")
- Participate in group discussions
- Give accurate directions to others
- Summarize and restate ideas
- Organize information for clarity
- Use subject area information and vocabulary (e.g., social studies) for learning
- Make effective oral presentations
By the end of 5th grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 5th grade the typically developing child should:
- Make planned oral presentations appropriate to the audience
- Maintain eye contact and use gestures, facial expressions, and appropriate voice during group presentations
- Participate in class discussions across subject areas
- Summarize main points
- Report about information gathered in group activities
Receptive Language
Receptive Language
By the end of kindergarten the typically developing child should:
By the end of kindergarten the typically developing child should:
- Follow 1-2 simple directions in a sequence
- Listen to and understand age-appropriate stories read aloud
- Follow a simple conversation
By the end of 1st grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 1st grade the typically developing child should:
- Remember information
- Respond to instructions
- Follow 2-3 step directions in a sequence
By the end of 2nd grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 2nd grade the typically developing child should:
- Follow 3-4 oral directions in a sequence
- Understand direction words (e.g., location, space, and time words)
- Correctly answer questions about a grade-level story
By the end of 3rd grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 3rd grade the typically developing child should:
- Listen attentively in group situations
- Understand grade-level material
By the end of 4th grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 4th grade the typically developing child should:
- Listen to and understand information presented by others
- Form opinions based on evidence
- Listen for specific purposes
By the end of 5th grade the typically developing child should:
By the end of 5th grade the typically developing child should:
- Listen and draw conclusions in subject area learning activities
All information cited from
All information cited from