What you need to know

We have attached information on developmental milestones for speech and language skills in children. If you are concerned with your child's speech or language skills and do not currently receive speech and language therapy please reach out to the school team so we can set up a meeting. Before being evaluated for speech and language therapy each child's hearing, vision, and speech will be screened. Once you have met with the school team we can work together to determine the best plan to fit their needs.

Roadmap to IEP.pdf

Special Education - A Basic Guide for Parents.pdf

Speech Developmental Milestones

How to help your child grow in Speech Therapy

After your child is referred for a speech and language evaluation and begins receiving Speech Therapy services, you may wonder how you can help them at home. Parents are a crucial part of the therapy program, you help set them up for success. Here are some ways that you can help!

Understand exactly what your child is working on. What are their goals? What are we working towards together to help your child grow in their speech or language skills?
How are you working to reach those goals? What kinds of activities or strategies are being used to achieve their goals?
Help your child see how they can have fun working toward their goals. Show an interest in what they did in their therapy sessions.
Integrate speech activities and strategies into your home routine.

Please feel free to ask questions throughout the year.

Hanen Tips Some Words.pdf

Language developmental milestones

Between three and four

Milestones

· Can tell a story

· Has a sentence length of 4-5 words

· Has a vocabulary of nearly 1000 words

· Names at least one color

· Understands “yesterday,” “summer”, “lunchtime”, “tonight”, “little-big”

· Begins to obey requests like “put the block under the chair”

· Knows his or her last name, name of street on which he/she lives and several nursery rhymes

Activities to encourage your child’s language

· Talk about how objects are the same or different

· Help your child to tell stories using books and pictures

· Let your child play with other children

· Read longer stories to your child

· Pay attention to your child when he’s talking

· Talk about places you’ve been or will be going

Between four and five

Milestones

· Has sentence length of 4-5 words

· Uses past tense correctly

· Has a vocabulary of nearly 1500 words

· Points to colors red, blue, yellow and green

· Identifies triangles, circles and squares

· Understands “In the morning” , “next”, “noontime”

· Can speak of imaginary conditions such as “I hope”

· Asks many questions, asks “who?” And “why?”

Activities to encourage your child’s language

· Help your child sort objects and things (ex. things you eat, animals. . )

· Teach your child how to use the telephone

· Let your child help you plan activities such as what you will make for Thanksgiving dinner

· Continue talking with him about his interests

· Read longer stories to him

· Let her tell and make up stories for you

· Show your pleasure when she comes to talk with you

Between five and six

Milestones

· Has a sentence length of 5-6 words

· Has a vocabulary of around 2000 words

· Defines objects by their use (you eat with a fork) and can tell what objects are made of

· Knows spatial relations like “on top”, “behind”, “far” and “near”

· Knows her address

· Identifies a penny, nickel and dime

· Knows common opposites like “big/little”

· Understands “same” and “different”

· Counts ten objects

· Asks questions for information

· Distinguished left and right hand in herself

· Uses all types of sentences, for example “let’s go to the store after we eat”

Activities to encourage your child’s language

· Praise your child when she talks about her feelings, thoughts, hopes and fears

· Comment on what you did or how you think your child feels

· Sing songs, rhymes with your child

· Continue to read longer stories

· Talk with him as you would an adult

· Look at family photos and talk to him about your family history

· Listen to her when she talks to you

Source PRO-ED Inc. https://www.ldonline.org/ld-topics/speech-language/speech-and-language-milestone-chart

How to encourage expressive and receptive language skills

Talk about where things are, using words like "first," "middle," and "last" or "right" and "left." Talk about opposites like "up" and "down" or "on" and "off."
Have your child guess what you describe. Say, "We use it to sweep the floor," and have them find the broom. Say, "It is cold, sweet, and good for dessert. I like strawberry" so they can guess "ice cream."
Work on groups of items, or categories. Find the thing that does not belong in a group. For example, "A shoe does not go with an apple and an orange because you can't eat it. It is not round. It is not a fruit."
Help your child follow two- and three-step directions. Use words like, "Go to your room, and bring me your book."
Ask your child to give directions. Follow their directions as they tell you how to build a tower of blocks.
Play games with your child such as "house." Let them be the parent, and you pretend to be the child. Talk about the different rooms and furniture in the house.
Watch movies together on TV or a tablet. Talk about what your child is watching. Have them guess what might happen next. Talk about the characters. Are they happy or sad? Ask them to tell you what happened in the story. Act out a scene together, or make up a different ending.
Use everyday tasks to learn language. For example, talk about the foods on the menu and their color, texture, and taste when in the kitchen. Talk about where to put things. Ask them to put the napkin on the table, in your lap, or under the spoon. Talk about who the napkin belongs to. Say, "It is my napkin." "It is Daddy's." "It is Tamara's."
Go grocery shopping together. Talk about what you will buy, how many things you need, and what you will make. Talk about sizes, shapes, and weight.

source https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/activities-to-encourage-speech-and-language-development/

How to help prompt you child

Using the System of Least to Most Prompts.pdf

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