This document outlines key language developmental milestones from birth to age 5. It discusses receptive language milestones like responding to sounds and understanding words. Expressive milestones include babbling, first words, combining words, and developing sentences. By age 2, children should have 1-2 word questions and sentences. By age 5, they should have a vocabulary of over 2000 words and tell stories using grammar. The document also notes vocabulary growth targets and speech intelligibility milestones. Overall, it presents the predictable but varied pattern of language development that parallels cognitive growth through both analytic and holistic learning processes.

1. Language
Developmental
Milestone
Marwa Elhady
FMG, Al-Azhar University

2. language developmental milestone
Receptive (hear & understand)
0 to 3 months
Startle to loud sounds
stop suckling in response to sound
prefer human voice
Recognize familiar sound & language
4-6months
Turns toward sound source
Respond to change in tone
Pay attention to toys make sound/music
joint reference
8 - 12 months
Point to objects
Understands "no as no“
Understands words for common items
Communicate by gesture, Wave bye-bye
Respond to his name
12m: Responds to 1 step request
Between 1-2yers
By end of 2y:
point to body parts, identify pictures
respond to simple questions
follow 2-step unrelated command
point to objects described by use
By end of 3y:
By end of 4y:
By end of 5y:
understand different question
Forms, differences in meaning
follow adult conversation.
listen to story, answer questions
about it.
have vocabulary>2000 words
follow 3- and 4-step commands
Understands most of what is said

3. language developmental milestone
Expressive (talking)
0 to 3 months
Vocalizes pleasure sounds (coos)
Social smile
Cries differently for different needs
By 3 m: vocalize in reciprocal fashion
4-6months
Babbling sounds more speech-like
Vocalizes excitement and displeasure
Makes noise when talked to
Laugh loudly
Bubble if alone
7- 12 months
Babbling of both long and short sounds
Bubble to get attention
Communicate by actions or gestures
Imitates different speech sounds
By 12m: Has 1 or 2 words
Between 1-2yers
By 2-3 years:
Says more words every month
Uses 1-2 word questions
Puts 2 words together
By 3-4 years:
By end of 5y:
naming objects
combine 2-3 word “need 50-100”
Speech is understood for parents
Talks about activities
100% understood by others
Uses sentences ≥4 words with verb
talks easily without echolalia
Uses sentences that include details
Tells stories, use grammar

4. Vocabulary development
1st word usually familiar object12 month
4-6 words15 month
20-50 words18 month
200 words24 month
400 words include names, pronouns30 month
1000 words; Use plurals, past tense, count, know age & sex3 years
2000 words; 5 word sentence4 years
>2000 words ; Identify letters5 years
Speech intelligibility milestone
25%18 month:
50% by others, 75% by parents2years:
75% by others, 100% by parents3years:
100%4years:

5. Language development follows predictable pattern
parallel to cognitive development
with marked variations

6. Patterns of language learning
Both analytic and holistic patters are necessary for
normal language development
“Analytic”
the most common
Increasing units of language
From simple to complex & longer
“Holistic”
memorize familiar phrases or dialogs
and repeat them in over-generalized
fashion