Speech-Language Development Information
Four Target Areas:
Articulation- Accurate production of speech sounds. Use the guide below as a reference for speech sound development according to Gwinnett County Standards.
3-years-old: /p, m, h, n, w,b/
4-years-old: /k, g, t, d, f, y/
7-years-old: /l/
8-years-old: /j, ch, sh, r, th, s, z, v/
* Keep in mind, your child may begin producing some sounds in words or structured settings sooner than they master a sound in conversation.
Language- How we communicate our thoughts and feelings in everyday situations
Receptive language: (listening- comprehension skills- understanding what we hear)
Expressive language: (speaking- how we explain our knowledge)
*Concepts: up, down, beside, below, etc.
*Follow multi-step directions/commands without repetitions
*Broad-based vocabulary to describe actions, feelings, and events
*Grammar skills including pronouns, past tense verbs, possessives, subject-verb agreement, -ing
verbs,helping verbs, comparatives, etc.
*Identify similarities and differences between objects, pictures, words
*Answer and ask "wh" questions (who, what, when, where, why, and how)
*Reading and Auditory Comprehension
*Classification
*Figurative Language: multiple meaning words, similies, idioms, analogies
Fluency - The rate and rhythm of speech production
Characteristics of Stuttering:
*Repetition of sounds, words, or phrases
*Prolonging sounds
*Blocks where the child is unable to get out a sound
*Circumlocutions: "talking around a word or phrase"- child replaces a word or phrase he/she is stuttering on with a word/phrase that has a similar meaning. For example, if the child is trying to say "I want to go...." but stutters on the phrase, he/she may replace the phrase with "Can I go...". This is done to avoid stuttering on the word/phrase that is causing difficulty.
*Secondary Characteristics: limited eye contact, eye blinking, tension in neck, face, or body, extra movements of body
** For more information regarding stuttering, please visit the following website: www.stutteringhelp.org
Voice- quality or pitch of a person's voice (ex: hoarse, breathy, raspy, strained, high or low pitched, nasal, aphonic- no voice).
*Sometimes a child's voice may have these characteristics due to a cold, allergies, bronchitis, or vocal abuse (ex: yelling too loudly for favorite team). When symptoms persist, a voice disorder could be present, such as vocal nodules. This disorder is caused by vocal cord abuse (ex: excessive talking, frequent throat clearing or coughing, shouting/yelling, or talking too loudly).
3-years-old: /p, m, h, n, w,b/
4-years-old: /k, g, t, d, f, y/
7-years-old: /l/
8-years-old: /j, ch, sh, r, th, s, z, v/
* Keep in mind, your child may begin producing some sounds in words or structured settings sooner than they master a sound in conversation.
Language- How we communicate our thoughts and feelings in everyday situations
Receptive language: (listening- comprehension skills- understanding what we hear)
Expressive language: (speaking- how we explain our knowledge)
*Concepts: up, down, beside, below, etc.
*Follow multi-step directions/commands without repetitions
*Broad-based vocabulary to describe actions, feelings, and events
*Grammar skills including pronouns, past tense verbs, possessives, subject-verb agreement, -ing
verbs,helping verbs, comparatives, etc.
*Identify similarities and differences between objects, pictures, words
*Answer and ask "wh" questions (who, what, when, where, why, and how)
*Reading and Auditory Comprehension
*Classification
*Figurative Language: multiple meaning words, similies, idioms, analogies
Fluency - The rate and rhythm of speech production
Characteristics of Stuttering:
*Repetition of sounds, words, or phrases
*Prolonging sounds
*Blocks where the child is unable to get out a sound
*Circumlocutions: "talking around a word or phrase"- child replaces a word or phrase he/she is stuttering on with a word/phrase that has a similar meaning. For example, if the child is trying to say "I want to go...." but stutters on the phrase, he/she may replace the phrase with "Can I go...". This is done to avoid stuttering on the word/phrase that is causing difficulty.
*Secondary Characteristics: limited eye contact, eye blinking, tension in neck, face, or body, extra movements of body
** For more information regarding stuttering, please visit the following website: www.stutteringhelp.org
Voice- quality or pitch of a person's voice (ex: hoarse, breathy, raspy, strained, high or low pitched, nasal, aphonic- no voice).
*Sometimes a child's voice may have these characteristics due to a cold, allergies, bronchitis, or vocal abuse (ex: yelling too loudly for favorite team). When symptoms persist, a voice disorder could be present, such as vocal nodules. This disorder is caused by vocal cord abuse (ex: excessive talking, frequent throat clearing or coughing, shouting/yelling, or talking too loudly).