Mrs. Hayes Speech Resources

Communication Skills:

The following information is from the American Speech Hearing Association (ASHA).  For additional information, please visitwww.asha.org.  Similar to articulation, it is important to remember that children develop communication skills at different rates. 

By the end of kindergarten your child should be able to do the following:

Listening & Speaking

  • Follow 1-2 simple directions in a sequence

  • Listen to and understand age-appropriate stories read aloud

  • Follow a simple conversation

  • Be understood by most people

  • Answer simple "yes/no" questions

  • Answer open-ended questions (e.g., "What did you have for lunch today?")

By the end of first grade your child should be able to do the following:

Listening & Speaking

  • Remember information

  • Respond to instructions

  • Follow 2-3 step directions in a sequence

  • Be easily understood

  • Answer more complex "yes/no" questions

  • Tell and retell stories and events in a logical order

  • Express ideas with a variety of complete sentences

  • Ask and respond to "wh" questions (who, what, where, when, why)

  • Stay on topic and take turns in conversation

  • Start conversations

By the end of second grade your child should be able to do the following:

Listening & Speaking

  • Understand direction words (e.g., location, space, and time words)

  • Correctly answer questions about a grade-level story

  • Be easily understood

  • Answer more complex "yes/no" questions

  • Ask and answer "wh" questions (e.g., who, what, where, when, why)

  • Use increasingly complex sentence structures

  • Clarify and explain words and ideas

  • Use oral language to inform, to persuade, and to entertain

  • Stay on topic, take turns, and use appropriate eye contact during conversation

By the end of third grade your child should be able to do the following:

Listening & Speaking

  • Listen attentively in group situations

  • Understand grade-level material

  • Speak clearly with an appropriate voice

  • Ask and respond to questions

  •  Participate in conversations and group discussions

  • Use subject-related vocabulary

  • Stay on topic, use appropriate eye contact, and take turns in conversation

  • Summarize a story accurately

  • Explain what has been learned

By the end of fourth grade your child should be able to do the following:

Listening & Speaking

  • Listen to and understand information presented by others

  • Form opinions based on evidence

  • Listen for specific purposes

  • Use words appropriately in conversation

  • Use language effectively for a variety of purposes

  • Understand some figurative language (e.g., "the forest stretched across")

  • Participate in group discussions

  • Give accurate directions to others

  • Summarize and restate ideas

  • Organize information for clarity

  • Use subject area information and vocabulary (e.g., social studies) for learning

  • Make effective oral presentations

By the end of fifth grade your child should be able to do the following:

Listening & Speaking

  • Listen and draw conclusions in subject area learning activities

  • Make planned oral presentations appropriate to the audience

  • Participate in class discussions across subject areas

  • Summarize main points

  • Report about information gathered in group activities

Articulation

Articulation or the production of speech sounds is developmental in children.  Listed below are the Iowa-Nebraska Articulation Norms.  It is important to remember that children develop speech sounds at different rates.  Approximate age levels are provided where 90% of children typically demonstrate mastery of a given sound.

Females:
AGE 3 - /b/, /p/, /m/, /h/, /w/, /d/       AGE 3 yrs 6 mos- /n/, /g/, /k/, initial /f/
AGE 4 - /t/
AGE 5 - initial /l/                                    AGE 5 yrs 6 mos-final /f/, /v/, l-blends
AGE 6 - /sh/, /ch/, final l
AGE 7 - /s/, /z/, s-blends
AGE 8 - /r/ r-blends
AGE 9 - /thr/, /str/, /spr/, /skr/

Males:
AGE 3 - /m/,/n/, /h/, /w/, /p/, /b/        AGE 3 yrs 6mos- /t/,/d/,/k/,initial /f/  
AGE 4 - /g/
AGE 5 -                                                   AGE 5 yrs 6mos- final /f/, /v/
AGE 6 - initial /l/, l-blends
AGE 7 - /ch/, /sh/, /s/, /z/, s-blends, final /l/
AGE 8 - /r/, r-blends
AGE 9 - /thr/, /str/, /spr/, /skr/

Useful links for Speech Students:

Language Games

Articulation Games

The American Speech and Hearing Association

Mommy Speech Therapy

Playing with Words 365

Speaking of Speech

*These external links do not necessarily express the views, beliefs or philosophies of the Boonton Township School District Speech and Language program.