Speech and Language Milestones

I probably get 20 to 30 phone calls a week to due to concerns around speech and language development. The following is guideline for when children acquire language skills.

http://www.reachmilestones.com/spmilestones.html Speech and Language Milestones

BIRTH - 6 MONTHS Indicates pleasure (coos) and displeasure sounds (crying, fussing) Smiles when spoken to Recognizes familiar voices Turns head toward sounds and voices Watches your face as you speak 6 MONTHS - 1 YEAR Babbles Understands single words Follows simple commands with gestures Responds to own name Imitates speech sounds and simple intonation patterns Listens when spoken to By 1 year, uses 2-3 words to label objects or people Understands "no" Attempts to communicate through gestures or actions 1 - 2 YEARS Uses jargon or unintelligible speech with adult-like intonation Produces 8-10 words, mostly nouns, though sometimes omits initial consonants and almost all final consonants in words Understands and follows simple commands without gestures Combines gestures with vocalizations Approximates words in imitation Points to body parts Understands actions words Enjoys being read to Points to pictures, objects, and family members Requests familiar foods by name Makes environmental and animal sounds 2-3 YEARS Can produce 40+ words by 2 years Requests items by name Answers simple questions Uses question inflection Begins to use pronouns Understands spatial concepts Begins to use plural endings Says full name Typically uses most initial sound consonants, however, may omit medial consonants and omit/substitute final consonants By age 3, speech is 50% - 75% intelligible to strangers

3-4 YEARS Understands the function of objects Groups common objects (sorts) Identifies colors Understands opposites Follows 2 - 3 step directions Has fun with language. Understands absurdities and simple jokes. Asks and answers simple who, what, where, and why questions Begins to ideate and express thoughts and emotions Able to repeat sentences Expressive language contains mostly nouns and verbs Becoming conscious of the future and past Has a receptive vocabulary of 1,200 to 2,000 words and an expressive vocabulary of 800 to 1,500 Speech rate begins to increase Uses the verbs is, are, and am in sentences Can use "ing" endings Engages in topic maintenance Speech is approximately 80% intelligible to strangers 4 - 5 YEARS Attends to short stories Understands quantity, time, spatial concepts Uses 4 to 8 words in sentences Understands complex questions Asks for detailed answers to questions Can explain "how to" related to familiar activities Asks and answers "why" questions Defines objects Able to identify objects within categories Uses a variety of grammatical and morphological structures (i.e. irregular plurals, possessive and reflexive pronouns; future tense, and comparatives) Produces consonants with 80% - 90% accuracy Speech is typically intelligible to strangers 5 - 6 YEARS Follows 3-4 step directives Engages in conversations Asks "how" questions Describes objects, people and places Understands rhyming Uses grammatical structures such as conjunctions, and the past and future tenses consistently Reverses sounds occasionally Tells creative and imaginative stories

Beauty And The Beast

The AM sesion of preschool was treated to a dress rehersal of Beauty And The Beast. The students of Burlington High School will preform the play this weekend and tickets are still available. They can be purchased at http://www.burlingtontickets.org/ or by calling 781-A-FUN-TIC. The dress rehersal was very impressive and if you have time this weekend it would be a fun family activity.

Picture Make up day

Wednesday April 6th will be make up day for anyone that was absent on picture day. You can also have your child's picture retaken on this day as well. If you would like your child photographed on April 6th please call Laura Caprio, program secretary, to let her know. She will be coordinating a schedule for the photographer. Laura can be reached at 781-270-1808

How to Make Slime

Making slime is a fun sensory activity that all children enjoy.

How to Make Slime Without Borax or Liquid Starch

By Ann Hudson, eHow Contributor

updated: February 04, 2011

Use a saucepan to make slime for your children.

Making homemade slime can be a fun rainy-day activity for kids. There are number of recipes for this gooey substance, and many of them call for borax or liquid starch. Although these ingredients are not overly dangerous, they can be harsh and can cause skin reactions for some children. It is possible, and easy, to make slime without these ingredients by using cornstarch instead.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

things you'll need:

• Saucepan
• Bowl
• Large zip-top bag
• Stove
• 1 part water
• 2 parts cornstarch
• Food coloring

1. • 1

     Warm the water in the saucepan. Do not bring the water to a boil--it needs to be warm, but not scalding hot. The purpose of heating the water is to keep the cornstarch from clumping together.

   • 2

     Pour the heated water into the bowl and add food coloring. The color is a matter of personal choice, and a few drops are all that are necessary. Kids can get really creative here. Stir until the color is well blended. Keep in mind that the cornstarch will lighten the color, so if you want a more intense color, add more food coloring. A typical slime color is lime green, but you can choose any color your child wants.

   • 3

     Add the cornstarch a little at a time, at a slow and steady pace.

   • 4

     Blend the mixture until smooth. It's OK to use fingers for this step. Have your child help with this mixing once the water feels cooled off enough.

   • 5

     Add more cornstarch slowly if the slime is too runny, or more hot water if the slime is too thick.

   • 6

     Keep the slime in a zip-top bag to make sure that it stays moist.

Read more: How to Make Slime Without Borax or Liquid Starch | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4898523_make-slime-borax-liquid-starch.html#ixzz1HweGI7UQ

Oral Language Development

Here are some typical developmental patterns in oral language development and some ways to participate its growth:

Age	Verbal Milestones	Ways To Participate
Toddler	Develop muscular control of their lips and tongues. May begin only knowing “mama” and “dada” and in a few months string together phrases to indicate things, such as “Owside” for “Let’s go outside and play.”	Use simple sentences, especially when you want an immediate response. Your child’s language comprehension has grown. However, she may only recognize a few words in a complete sentence. Give your child simple directions to follow, such as “Put the book on the shelf and come here.” Continue reading daily. Try nursery rhymes because they are great for short attention.
Preschooler	Start talking more like you—with some quirks. Use language to communicate what and how she wants to play.	Communicate in honest but simplified terms to explain what she can expect to happen, such as “Daddy will pick you up from daycare today” or “Your friend Autumn will be here soon.” Teach your preschooler to express her feelings and to use proper manners. Limit television viewing. The amount of television that your child watches is a personal decision. While making this decision, keep in mind television’s ability to teach language is only a fraction of what you can do one-on-one.
Kindergartner	Use more complex language skills. Ask probing questions that extend beyond her immediate world, such as, “Why do things look small when they’re far away?” May use language to express negative emotions towards others.	Ask open-ended questions. Without badgering, prompt your child to explain what she is thinking and doing. Answer your child’s questions honestly and in a way that encourages conversation. Teach your child that cruel words are never allowed and help her to rephrase negative statements about others. Listen. Taking time to listen carefully and frequently communicates that you value her and her ability to communicate.

Keep in mind that language develops in various ways and at various speeds. Therefore, if other children the same age show signs of greater development, you do not need to be overly concerned. However, be sure to discuss any observations about possible delays with your pediatrician to be sure that an intervention is not needed.