Ages and Stages

1. Ages and Stages The Journey of Speech and Language Acquisition

2. Participant Outcomes • Understand typical speech/language development • Identify strategies for developing speech and language • Be aware of possible delays and know what’s available for families

3. Communication • Speech • Receptive Language • Expressive Language

4. SPEECH: It’s not what they say, but how they say it! • The act of speaking • Oral motor skills • Melody • Articulation

5. Speech • Most sounds by age 2 • Continue acquisition until age 7 or 8 • Developmental errors • Rule based errors • 25% intelligible at age 1 • 90% intelligible at age 4

6. Receptive Language: what they understand • Importance of context • Increase sound awareness • Comprehends increasing number and type of words • Understand increasingly complex instructions • Prepositions, comparatives, basic concepts • Comprehension does not equal compliance

7. Expressive Language • Systematic movement from single words to complex sentences • Semantics - what they mean • Syntax - grammar • Pragmatics - how they use language • Vocabulary • Social communication

8. 24 months • Can use 2 or more prepositions • Sentences of 1-2 words • Vocabulary of 150-300 words • Names objects • Fluency often poor

9. 50-75% intelligible Volume and pitch poorly controlled Points to simple body parts Noun + verb Uses 2 pronouns (may be confused) Follows familiar directions Me, my, mine 24 months

10. Correctly uses I, you, me Knows in, on, under Using some plurals and past tense Sentences average 3-4 words Vocabulary of 900-1000 words 90% intelligible Reasons - what do you do when you are thirsty? Relates experiences 36 months

11. Names familiar animals Knows one or more colors Understands over and under Make believe play Vowels /p, b, m, w, n/ Talks about what they’re doing Comparative concepts Repetition of sounds, words, phrases 48 months

12. Uses descriptive words Knows common opposites Speech is intelligible (may have errors) Defines objects by use 3 step directions Simple time concepts: morning, afternoon, night, day, tomorrow, yesterday, today Grammar generally correct More complex sentences Now I’m 5

13. Facilitating speech and reading • Word games • Fingerplays • Songs • Music • Rhyming • Rhythm • Sound awareness • Minimal pairs

14. Repetition, repetition, repetition Be a good listener Use visual cues Comment in context Motherese (not babytalk) Point and gesture Get on child’s level Speak clearly and slowly Talk out loud about what you are doing Describe what child is doing Respond to attempts to communicate Facilitating Language

15. Expand what child has said Talk for the child Describe what you and they are doing Talk about what’s important to the child Add more info Have child repeat directions First, then 2 prompts, 2 models Encourage, don’t frustrate Give choices Provide other ways to respond More strategies….

16. Is there a problem… • Speech delays - developmental or rule based? • Receptive language - comprehension or compliance • Expressive language - grammar, vocabulary, stuttering • Social communication - can they interact with you or others?

17. Talking to parents . . . • Get a second opinion • Collect data • Use facilitating techniques • Share your opinion, with specific examples • Explain services available • Respect their decisions • Don’t take negative responses personally (denial is more than a river in Egypt)

18. Services available for families • Early intervention (AzEIP) • Public school programs (IDEA) • State services (DDD) • Private treatment

19. Questions? Concerns? Comments?