Developmental Norms

*These are average norms*

2 Years of Age: 75% of children 95% of children

p, b, t, d, k, g, m, p, d, m, n, w, h

n, ing, w, y, h, f

3 Years of Age: v, s, z, sh, ch, j, l, er b, t, k, g

4 Years of Age: r ing, y, f

5 Years of Age: th (voiced- ex. “the”) v, s, z, sh, ch, j, l

6 Years of Age: th (voiceless- ex.“thumb”) r, er

7 Years of Age: th (voiced- ex. “the”)

8 Years of Age: th (voiceless- ex.“thumb”)

The Development of Consonant Blends

By 4 to 4½ years

Used at the beginning of words:

bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, qu, (kw), br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr

Used at the end of words:

ks, ls, ms, ps, ts, vs

By 5 years

Used at the beginning and/or ends of words:

sp, sm, sn, sk, sl, sw, st

By 5½ years plus

Used at the beginning or in the middle of words:

str, skr, spl, thr, shr

Speech and Language Development Chart

*The are average norms*

Reference from Gard, Gilman, Gorman

Guidelines for what a typical child’s language skills may look like

4 ½-5years:

Phonology: (production of sounds in words, see Developmental Age norms sheet for more specific detail)

has few omissions or substitutions, errors present in blends

Semantics: (meaning of words and language)

answers 2 complex comprehension questions

Points to Red, yellow, green and blue

Receptive: classifies according to form, color or use

Expressive: answers when questions

answers 15 agent + action

asks meaning of words

tells a long story accurately

counts 10 objects

repeats days of week

Syntax-Morhphology: (grammar and sequence of words into sentences, markers that identify plurality, tense etc.)

Possessive pronouns his/hers

Uses “will” to form future tense

Adjective noun agreement

Reflexive pronouns more consistent

Comparative –er emerging

Mean Length Utterance: 5.7 words

Pragmatics: ( social language)

Uses indirect requests

Correctly uses this, that, here, there

Able to discuss emotions and feelings effectively

Narrative development characterized by unfocused chains-may have sequence of events, but no main character

5-6 years

Phonology: consonants mastered /r/, /l/, ing (See Developmental Age norms sheet for more specific detail)

Semantics: can answer “what happens if…?”

Receptive understands “opposite of”

has number concepts up to 10 (give me # blocks)

money, points to quarter, nickel, penny, dime

can classify according to shape, then color, (shift classification)

points to numbers 1-25

describes location movements such as through, away from, toward

Expressive: counts 12 objects

recites numbers to 30 (rote counts)

repeats 4 digits correctly

names basic colors

names five letters of alphabet

can site similarities and differences of objects

names position first, second, third

names days of week in order

Syntax-Morphology

all pronouns used consistently

superlatives –est

adverbial word endings emerging

Mean Length Utterance: 6.6

Pragmatics:

Narrative development characterized by focused chains,

stories have central character with logical sequence fo events, but ending is unclear

Gives threats and insults

Issues promises

May give praise

6-7 Years

Phonology: voiceless th, sh, ch, (See Developmental Age norms sheet for more specific detail)

Semantics:

Receptive: understands differences in time intervals

Understands seasons of the year

Prints phone number and own full name

Puts numerals 1-10 in proper sequential order

Forms letters left to right, reversals and inversions common

Writes one-syllable words related to sight vocabulary

Grasps the basic idea of addition and subtraction

Prints alphabet and numerals from previously printed model

Expressive: States preceding and following day of the week

Aware of mistakes in others speech

May use slang and mild profanity

Can tell address, both number and street

Second emergence of question stage Why

Recites the alphabet sequentially

Names capital letters, lower case by 7

Matches upper to lower case

Sight reads 10 printed words

Rote counts to 100

Names numerals 1-10

Tells time related to a specific daily schedule

Syntax-Morphology:

If and so developed by most children

Reflexive pronouns developed by most children

Irregular comparatives used more correctly (good, better, best)

Perfect tense have and had emerging

Noun forms are developing from verb forms

Continued improvement on irregular plurals

Iteration emerging (You have to clean clothes to make them clean)

Participial complements emerging

Mean Length of Utterance: 7.3

Passive voice fully developed

Continue refinement of syntax

Pragmatics: True narratives, well-developed plot and character with sequenced event