Communicate in a variety of ways including crying, gurgling, babbling and squealing.
Make sounds with their voices in social interaction.
Cries to express needs, for example, when hungry, angry or in pain.
Gurgles to get attention.
Turns quickly to hear your voice across the room.
Listens to familiar voices even if they can't see the person.
Vocalises back when talked to (making own sounds) especially to familiar people and when a smiling face is used.
Responds differently to different tones of voice (for example, sing-song, questioning, soothing and playful) as the tone of voice helps them to understand the meaning.
Uses voice, gesture, eye contact and facial expression to make contact with people and keep their attention.
Vocalises more when adults use child-directed speech.
Are intrigued by novelty and events and actions around them.
Listen to, distinguish and respond to intonations and the sounds of voices.
Quietens or alerts to the sound of speech.
Turns quickly to your voice across the room.
Responds differently to different tones of voice or speech sounds.
Is calmed by soft speech or song.
Makes sounds such as gurgles and coos.
Produces and copies non-speech sounds such as coos, raspberries, effort grunts, shrieks and squeals.
Vocalises back when talked to (making own sounds) especially to familiar adult and when a smiling face is used.
Begins to develop and use vowel sounds from the language used at home, for example, 'a' as in hat or 'e' as in pet.
Begins to babble by repeating a series of the same sounds (reduplicated babble), for example, "Ba-ba-ba", "Ma-ma-ma".
Begins to develop and use some consonant sounds, for example, 'g-g', 'mmm', 'h', 'd-d'.
Makes sounds for pleasure, for example, vocalises with tuneful voice for minutes at a time to self when lying in cot or at play.
Listen to familiar sounds, words, or finger plays.
Move arms and legs and increasingly use them to reach for, grasp and manipulate things.
Play with own fingers and toes and focus on objects around them.
8-20 Months
Take pleasure in making and listening to a wide variety of sounds.
Create personal words as they begin to develop language.
Looks at the person speaking.
Watches and follows adult movements.
Follows with gaze when an adult directs attention to near objects by looking and pointing, for example, when an adult points to a dog and says "Look at the dog" and the child looks at the dog.
Waits for speaker to finish before taking their turn.
Follows with eyes when others point to distant objects.
Attends to an object when you draw their attention to it, by looking and pointing (joint attention).
Looks at an object and then back to you, or points, to direct your attention to it.
Concentrates intently on an object or activity of own choosing for short periods.
Watches and listens to others, copying some behaviour in own play.
Attends to pictures for a short time, labelling and making a comment, either with adult guidance or independently.
Recognises and responds to own name, for example, by turning or looking up in response to their name being called.
Recognises some family names such as Mummy, Daddy or names of siblings.
Stops what they are doing in response to "No".
Shows understanding of familiar objects by actions, for example, pretends to drink from an empty cup or uses a brush on their hair.
Responds to simple familiar language in context, for example, runs to the door when an adult holds their keys and says "It's time to go". At this stage, the child is mainly responding to the tone of voice and situational cues in a particular well–known routine.
Understands names of some common objects, for example, picks up or points to a toy when it is named.
Responds to keywords in play so that when you ask "Where's the ball?" they look to find the ball.
Points to named items in picture books.
Shows understanding of at least 15 words, for example, looks at a named person and points to or finds an object when asked to (such as, "Where are your shoes?").
Uses voice or gesture to: – attract attention (for example, holding up objects, waving arms); – ask for things (for example, reaching, opening and shutting hands); – refuse (for example, pushing objects away, shaking head).
Uses voice, gestures or actions to join in with a familiar rhyme or game.
Uses gesture or voice to direct attention to objects and people, as well as self.
Makes it clear through gesture or voice when they want something to happen again, for example, to play a game again or more to eat.
Copies gestures as part of games and familiar routines, such as clapping hands, waving 'bye', blowing kisses, open hands for 'where is it' or 'all gone'.
Begins to point to objects, self and others close by, using index finger.
Initiates give and take games by offering objects.
Looks towards place where you are looking.
Communicates for a range of different purposes including to greet, to request, to protest, to label objects and people.
Waves 'bye-bye' through imitation, copying when other people wave and later waving 'bye–bye' when asked.
Simple conversations take place between adult and child, mainly focusing on the here and now.
Points to objects in the environment to direct adult attention and share interest and may vocalise while pointing.
Points towards objects that are out of reach to request them.
Asks for favourite games using words or gestures, for example, playing peek-a-boo, saying "Boo" or hiding face in hands.
Plays vocal games with you, copying noises you make.
Uses approximately five words without prompting.
Speaks to name favourite items such as "bubbles", "ball" or "cat".
Speaks to make requests such as "drink" or "more".
Waves 'bye-bye' spontaneously.
Understand simple meanings conveyed in speech.
Respond to the different things said to them when in a familiar context with a special person.
Enjoy babbling and increasingly experiment with using sounds and words to represent objects around them.
Turns immediately to familiar voices across a room.
Responds to music by swaying, bouncing and so on.
Locates the direction sounds come from by looking appropriately in the direction of the sound.
Recognises the voices of key people in their life.
Associates meaning with some environmental sounds, for example, hears a telephone and immediately looks at it.
Enjoys singing or rhyme games.
Anticipates actions, tickles and so on from sounds and tunes of songs and rhymes, for example, giggles at the end of 'Round and Round the Garden' waiting for the tickle to come.
Bounces rhythmically when being sung to or when listening to music.
Begins to imitate the voices of others, especially the vowels and 'ups and downs' of speech (intonation).
Begins to imitate sounds and may copy you if you copy the child's sounds first.
Voice starts to have the tone and rhythm (patterns and stresses of familiar phrases) of the language spoken at home.
Imitates and joins in babble of others.
Babbles, using consonants and vowels such as 'baba', 'gaga'.
Tries lots of ways of making consonants in babble: - most common 'b', 'p', 'd', 't', 'g', 'k' are called stops; - 'm', 'n', 'ng' are called nasals.
Produces and copies mouth movements for speech sounds, for example, putting lips together for 'm' and rounding lips for 'oo'.
Begins to use varied double syllable sounds, for example, "Dadi", "Babu" or uses a variety of syllables in continued babbling, such as "Badago" (variegated babble).
Copies and uses voice spontaneously as part of games or familiar routines, for example, "Bye-bye" or "All gone".
Copies symbolic noises and parts of words (for example, "Chooo") and later produces them spontaneously (for example, "Aaah!" when cuddling toy).
Uses a range of vowels from the language heard at home, such as 'i' as in bit, 'a' as in bat, 'e' as in bet and 'u' as in but.
Imitates familiar consonants and vowel sounds associated with frequently-used toys and or pictures (for example "Baa-baa" for a sheep, "Moo-moo" for a cow).
Babbles freely when alone or playing.
Uses a wide range of consonants and vowels in babble or jargon.
Own vocalisations sound more like speech and are recognised as 'words': you may say "That's his word for... ".
Vocalises as attempts to copy words and later tries to imitate familiar spoken words.
Respond to words and interactive rhymes, such as 'Clap Hands'.
Begin to make marks.
Begin to bring together hand and eye movements to fix on and make contact with objects.
16-26 Months
Use single-word and two-word utterances to convey simple and more complex messages.
Understand simple sentences.
Looks at adult to gain attention before pointing.
Understands and follows simple instructions in context such as "Give me the ball" or "Kiss Daddy night-night".
Plays 'ready, steady, go' or 'one, two, three, go' games, listening and waiting or sometimes imitating alongside speaker.
Shows anticipation in relation to key phrases in games, for example, "I'm coming" in hide and seek or chasing games.
Attends to speech directed to them and listens with interest to general talk.
Learns to wait for others to finish what they are saying, resulting in better turn-taking with fewer vocal clashes.
Builds vocabulary for familiar objects and events.
Begins to combine words into simple sentences, usually two words at first.
Understands word-object association.
Understands approximately 50 words and then goes on to understand one or two new words each week.
Recognises and will identify many objects and pictures when named.
Picks out two or more objects from a group of four, for example "Give me the cup and the doll" and "Where's the... ?".
Understands familiar words in new contexts each week, for example, learns that 'bath' means the bath in other people's houses as well their own bath at home.
Selects familiar objects by name and will go and find objects when asked or identify objects from a group.
Follows simple instructions, particularly if accompanied by gestures such as pointing to places, things or people.
Follows directions if they are part of a game or relate to what they are doing, for example, responds to "Sit down", "Feed teddy" or "Come and sit down" when a snack or drink is put on the table.
Names pictures of common objects when they are pointed to.
Identifies simple body parts on self (for example, hair, eyes, ears and nose) and later points to body parts on others (for example, Mum's nose or Grandad's eyes).
Uses at least ten words consistently although may still be best understood by familiar adults.
Uses verbs and adjectives, for example, 'go', 'sleep', 'hot', 'big'.
Uses words to comment on what is happening, for example, says "Bird" if they see one in the garden.
Has favourite 'phrases' that are often used such as "That one".
Sings along with favourite action rhyme (although words may not be clear).
Comments on something that has just happened, for example, "Doggy" if they see a dog on the way home or "Fall down" if the blocks have just crashed over.
Begins to use words to refer to people and things that are not present.
Later, uses up to 20 words to: – name things and people; – comment on what is happening;
– tell someone something; – respond to an adult's questions or comments; – protest; – express likes and dislikes; – describe actions.
Copies familiar expressions such as "Oh dear" or "All fall down".
Waits for 'go' signal in 'ready, steady, go' games.
Joins in simple narrative by answering questions about things that are very familiar, for example, to the question "What goes on your feet?" the child answers "Shoes", or by filling in the gaps so that when asked "Let's put your ... on" the child fills in "shoes".
Uses a mixture of words or vocalisation combined with or instead of gesture when playing.
Talks to self continuously when playing, although this may not be readily understood by adults.
Are able to respond to simple requests and grasp meaning from context.
Listen to and enjoy rhythmic patterns in rhymes and stories.
Enjoys nursery rhymes and demonstrates listening by trying to join in with actions or vocalisations.
Later, sings along with favourite action rhymes (although words may not be clear).
Imitates intonation of what they hear.
Uses approximate forms of words to communicate, for example, "mu" for more and later "goggy" for dog.
Imitates mouth movements to produce a variety of consonant and vowel combinations, for example, "Mama", "Boo-boo", "Bow-wow". Child may move mouth but not use voice.
Uses a wide range of ups and downs (intonation) and rhythms to reflect mood, such as excitement, level of interest and involvement.
Imitates words by copying some speech sounds and the correct number of syllables.
Uses a wider range of vowel sounds in words such as 'ea' as in beat, 'ai' as in bait, 'oo' as in boot.
Uses a range of consonant sounds in 'words' including 'p', 'd', 'b', 't', 'g', 'n', 'm', 'w', 'h'.
Show interest in stories, songs and rhymes.
Examine the marks they and others make.
Make random marks with their fingers and some tools.
22-36 Months
Learn new words very rapidly and are able to use them in communicating about matters which interest them.
Points to and names simple pictures.
Uses 'me' to refer to self.
Asks simple questions using speech with a quizzical face.
Talks aloud when playing with others.
Says "Please" and "Thank you" with prompts.
Uses words to alert adults to needs, for example, when hungry, thirsty or tired.
Understands 'who', 'what', 'where' in simple questions.
Understands more complex sentences such as "Put your toys away and we'll read a book".
Responds appropriately to simple two-part instructions or requests such as "Get your shoes and put on your coat" or "Pick up the ball and give it to me".
Identifies action words by pointing to the right picture, for example, "Who's jumping?".
Shows understanding of prepositions 'in', and 'on', for example, by carrying out action "Put dolly in the box" or selecting correct picture.
Will point to smaller parts of the body (such as chin, elbow or eyebrow) when asked to do so.
Rapid growth in spoken vocabulary from at least 50 words rising steadily to over 200 words.
Begins to make little 'sentences' by joining two words together such as "Daddy gone" and then making short phrases such as "Me got one".
Later, makes longer sentences of three to four words such as "Mummy go shops now".
Uses words to ask and find out about things.
Uses words during play and almost all activities.
Uses words to ask for help, for example, when washing hands or going to the toilet.
Answers simple questions, for example "Where's Mum?".
Uses several pronouns correctly, such as 'I', 'me' and 'you'.
Indicates 'no' through gestures or speech.
Uses between ten and 15 action words such as 'eat', 'drink', 'sleep', 'wash', 'play' and 'finish'.
Uses words to describe things such as "It's wet" or "It's too hot".
Uses appropriate intonation to ask questions.
Talks aloud to self when playing alone.
Use action, sometimes with limited talk, that is largely concerned with the 'here and now'.
Use language as a powerful means of widening contacts, sharing feelings, experiences and thoughts.
Distinguish one sound from another.
Show interest in play with sounds, songs and rhymes.
Repeat words or phrases from familiar stories.
Picks out a familiar sound even when there is background noise, for example, "Dinner time", "No!" or "Stop now".
Listens to and carries out simple directions.
Recognises and joins in with songs and actions, such as 'The Wheels on the Bus'.
Frequently repeats words or signs that they hear or see with one or more key words repeated.
Listens with interest to the noises adults make when they read stories.
Recognises and responds to many familiar sounds, for example, responding to a knock on the door by turning, looking at or going to the door.
Listens to music and responds when it is turned off, for example, stops singing or dancing or turns to look at the stereo.
Fills in the missing word or phrase in a known rhyme, story or game, for example, 'Humpty Dumpty sat on a... '.
Notices a deliberate mistake in story telling or a rhyme.
Builds vocabulary rapidly, understands more words than are in active vocabulary.
Shows sustained interest in picture books.
Recognises own name when written.
Majority of words are intelligible to people the child does not know well.
Produces six to eight consonant sounds in words, for example, 'p', 'b', 't', 'd', 'k', 'g', 'm', 'n', 'w'.
Produces a wide range of vowels more accurately in words, for example, 'ou' as in bout, 'ea' as in bear, 'ou' as in bought, 'oa' as in boat.
Tries to repeat many things adults say either saying the actual word or making a close match, such as "Um-beya" for umbrella.
Adults who know the child understand what they are saying when words are joined into sentences.
Have some favourite stories, rhymes, songs, poems or jingles.
Distinguish between the different marks they make.
Begin to show some control in their use of tools and equipment.
30-50 Months
Use simple statements and questions often linked to gestures.
Use intonation, rhythm and phrasing to make their meaning clear to others.
Join in with repeated refrains and anticipate key events and phrases in rhymes and stories.
Listen to stories with increasing attention and recall.
Describe main story settings, events and principal characters.
Listen to others in one-to-one or small groups when conversation interests them.
Respond to simple instructions.
Question why things happen and give explanations.
Use vocabulary focused on objects and people that are of particular importance to them.
Begin to experiment with language describing possession.
Build up vocabulary that reflects the breadth of their experiences.
Begin to use more complex sentences.
Use a widening range of words to express or elaborate on ideas.
Understands use of objects, for example "What do we use to cut things with?".
Can identify picture or object with three critical elements, for example, 'big girl jumping'.
Shows understanding of prepositions such as 'under', 'on top', 'behind' and 'next to' by carrying out action or selecting correct picture.
Identifies objects by description, for example, 'the wet one' or 'the dirty one'.
Understands all pronouns: 'they', 'he', 'she', 'him', 'her'.
Uses words to: - give reasons; - say what they want; - play with others; - direct others; - tell others about things.
Can retell a simple past event in correct order, for example, went down slide, hurt finger and later can retell a simple story recalling events and characters.
Provides appropriate information in response to 'what' and 'where' questions.
Can give information about own life and favourite things.
Answers 'yes/no' questions appropriately.
Uses a range of tenses, for example, 'play', 'playing', 'will play' and 'played'.
Asks increasingly detailed questions to find out information.
Answers questions more fully, providing more than one piece of information.
Uses plurals, for example, 'cats'.
Uses possessives, for example, 'the boy's teddy'.
Knows when to wait while others are talking and can control the urge to butt in.
Realises the correct volume to talk at, not too loud or quiet.
Likes saying learned expressions such as name and age or address.
Sings on own.
Talk activities through, reflecting on and modifying what they are doing.
Use talk to give new meanings to objects and actions, treating them as symbols for other things.
Use talk to connect ideas, explain what is happening and anticipate what might happen next.
Use talk, actions and objects to recall and relive past experiences.
Enjoy rhyming and rhythmic activities.
Show awareness of rhyme and alliteration.
Recognise rhythm in spoken words.
Is able to follow directions (if not intently focused on own choice of activity).
Listens eagerly to stories and requests favourites over and over again.
Notices if adult uses wrong language in familiar story.
Concentrates and listens for more than ten minutes in adult-led activities that they enjoy.
Looks at books independently.
Takes part in 'reading' by filling in words and phrases.
Can remember three or four items shown on a list, for example, a picture shopping list of apples, oranges and bananas.
Can remember a spoken list of three objects or names (with no visual clues).
Speaks in longer sentences.
Shows interest in letter forms.
Can copy letter forms.
Listen to and join in with stories and poems, one-to-one and also in small groups.
Begin to be aware of the way stories are structured.
Suggest how the story might end.
Show interest in illustrations and print in books and print in the environment.
Handle books carefully.
Know information can be relayed in the form of print.
Hold books the correct way up and turn pages.
Understand the concept of a word.
Sometimes give meaning to marks as they draw and paint.
Ascribe meanings to marks that they see in different places.
Use one-handed tools and equipment.
Draw lines and circles using gross motor movements.
Manipulate objects with increasing control.
40-60+ Months
Have confidence to speak to others about their own wants and interests.
Use talk to gain attention and sometimes use action rather than talk to demonstrate or explain to others.
Initiate conversation, attend to and take account of what others say.
Extend vocabulary, especially by grouping and naming.
Use vocabulary and forms of speech that are increasingly influenced by their experience of books.
Link statements and stick to a main theme or intention.
Consistently develop a simple story, explanation or line of questioning.
Use language for an increasing range of purposes.
Use simple grammatical structures.
Interact with others, negotiating plans and activities and taking turns in conversation.
Enjoy listening to and using spoken and written language, and readily turn to it in their play and learning.
Sustain attentive listening, responding to what they have heard with relevant comments, questions or actions.
Listen with enjoyment, and respond to stories, songs and other music, rhymes and poems and make up their own stories, songs, rhymes and poems.
Extend their vocabulary, exploring the meanings and sounds of new words.
Speak clearly and audibly with confidence and control and show awareness of the listener.
Begin to use talk instead of action to rehearse, reorder and reflect on past experience, linking significant events from own experience and from stories, paying attention to how events lead into one another.
Begin to make patterns in their experience through linking cause and effect, sequencing, ordering and grouping.
Begin to use talk to pretend imaginary situations.
Use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences.
Use talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings and events.
Continue a rhyming string.
Hear and say the initial sound in words and know which letters represent some of the sounds.
Hear and say sounds in words in the order in which they occur.
Link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet.
Use their phonic knowledge to write simple regular words and make phonetically plausible attempts at more complex words.
Can write a few letters when named and make a good attempt at writing own name.
Can recognise several letters.
Makes attempts at reading familiar words in picture books.
Produces more than half of the consonant sounds accurately.
Produces some consonant blends (for example, 'tr' in tree, 'bl' in blue).
Produces almost all vowel sounds accurately.
Starting to mark two and three syllables in words.
Enjoy an increasing range of books.
Know that information can be retrieved from books and computers.
Explore and experiment with sounds, words and texts.
Retell narratives in the correct sequence, drawing on language patterns of stories.
Read a range of familiar and common words and simple sentences independently.
Know that print carries meaning and, in English, is read from left to right and top to bottom.
Show an understanding of the elements of stories, such as main character, sequence of events and openings, and how information can be found in non-fiction texts to answer questions about where, who, why and how.
Begin to break the flow of speech into words.
Use writing as a means of recording and communicating.
Use their phonic knowledge to write simple regular words and make phonetically plausible attempts at more complex words.
Attempt writing for different purposes, using features of different forms such as lists, stories and instructions.
Write their own names and other things such as labels and captions, and begin to form simple sentences, sometimes using punctuation.
Begin to use anticlockwise movement and retrace vertical lines.
Begin to form recognisable letters.
Use a pencil and hold it effectively to form recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed.
Acknowledgements
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00012-2007CDO-EN