Milestones
Hello, my Fluent readers!
Welcome to my blog - where I share with you my stories about multilingual parenting.
Today I want to talk about something important to many parents: Milestones. For me, milestones are just another tool a parent can use to help figure out what is what in the world of language development. Reaching milestones can be exciting, but not reaching them can be stressful. That’s why I don’t like to be too strict with them, I try to be loose and flexible. Other parents take a different approach and that’s also great.
From first words to fluent babbling…. the big question parents generally want to know is when should my child be reaching each milestone. Others want to know if a persistent mispronunciation of a certain word will be a lifetime habit. That’s why I have created this summarized guide (taken from Kid Sense) so that you can understand and celebrate the language learning milestones your little ones are achieving. Without further ado - here is an excellent resource:
Simplified Speech and Language Development Milestones:
0-6 months:
Coos and turns towards sounds.
Lack of achievement may affect social interaction and oral muscle tone.
6-12 months:
Begins babbling ('mamama').
Similar potential issues as in 0-6 months if milestones aren't reached.
1-2 years:
Pronounces basic sounds ('p', 'b', 'm', 'n', 't', 'd').
Potential issues include voicing, stopping, final consonant deletion, and more.
2-3 years:
Similar sound achievements as 1-2 years.
Possible challenges persisting from the earlier age group.
3-4 years:
Adds more sounds ('k', 'g', 'f', 's', 'y', 'h', etc.).
Issues like weak syllable deletion and assimilation may persist.
4-5 years:
Gains additional sounds, including affricates ('sh', 'ch', 'j').
Challenges like gliding and de-affrication may continue.
5-6 years:
Speech should be mostly clear.
Lingering issues like gliding and replacing 'th' sounds with 'f' or 'v'.
6-7 years:
No specific milestones, but 'th' sounds may still be a challenge.
7-8 years:
Should articulate all sounds without noticeable errors.
Persistent difficulties may affect socialization, spelling, and expressive language.
Every child's language learning journey is unique, filled with these and many other milestones. I love any excuse to celebrate and recognize the growth of language skills. And, of course, I recommend that you consider incorporating some of our multilingual books into your journey. Teaching language to babies and children is taken for granted - so remember to celebrate yourself as well. You’re doing a great job as a parent, teacher, and mentor to a little one!
