Language Development Milestones 6-7 Years

Language Development Milestones 6-7 Years

At 6-7 years, your child’s language abilities are becoming much more complex. They should be able to understand and use more sophisticated language forms.

Children’s language skills become this way because they are using more correct grammar and more variety in their vocabulary.

Children at this age also think and understand more complex concepts, which naturally makes them want to express more complex ideas. They are better at interacting socially with his/her peers and adults. Their desire to be a part of adult conversations and behave more like an adult is also increasing.

Speech and language development growth charts can help you track your child’s progress and make sure they are meeting every milestone. 

1ST GRADE (6-7 Years)

Expressive Language / What the Child Says

    • Uses preposition “above” (6 years, 6 months) 

    • Uses most parts of speech, grammar is mostly acquired 

    • Begins to master exceptions to grammatical rules (5-7 years) 

    • Use and understanding of passive sentences begins (5-7 years) 

    • Expresses ideas with a variety of complex sentences 

    • Asks/answers factual and inferential questions 

    • Gives directions 

    • Uses a variety of words, not just the same ones over and over

Receptive Language / What the Child Understands

    • Follows 3 step directions and multi-step unrelated commands 

    • Answers more complex “who”, “what”, “where”, “when”, “how” and “why” questions 

    • Listens to and understands grade level stories that are read aloud to them 

    • Demonstrates listening comprehension by recalling information and responding to instruction

Narrative Development

    • Complex Episodes / Multiple Episodes (7 years) 

    • Complete Episodes / True Narratives (6 years) 

    • Narratives have a theme, character, plot, logically sequenced, temporally ordered, initiating even, action, consequences, emotion, and resolution 

    • Contain at least 5 story grammar elements (Example: setting, characters) 

Phonological Awareness (5-7 years)

    • Able to match all sounds with the written letter and name (grapheme/phoneme correspondence) 

    • Alliteration solidifies. They can identify words beginning with the same letter. 

    • Rhyming solidifies. They know the onset (the beginning sound that changes) and the rime (the last part of the word that rhymes) – Example: “park” and “bark”

    • Segmentation, blending, and manipulating of words and syllables solidifies – Examples: Put the words “butter” and “fly” together and you get “butterfly. Take “room” off of “bedroom” and you get  “bed”.

Reading

    • Creates words that rhyme 

    • Blends separate sounds to form words 

    • Identify all sounds in short words 

    • Match spoken words with print 

    • Reads about 100 words by sight 

    • Applies knowledge of how print is organized 

    • Reads 60 words per minute

Writing

    • Expresses ideas through writing 

    • Prints clearly 

    • Spells frequently used words 

    • Begins sentences with capital letters & uses end punctuation (. ? !) 

    • Writes a variety of short compositions

Social/Play

    • Starts and takes turns in conversations 

    • Stays on topic

    • Uses many types of expression to express needs, wants, and ask questions or give information

 
Sound Hearing Audiology and Speech – Dr. Robin Zeller, Ph.D.
50 Hazelwood Drive, Jericho NY 11753
516-932-7577
Audiologist, Speech Language Pathologist, Speech Therapy, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss Treatments for Adults and Children