Developmental Milestones 12-18 Months

Module 1 UA COURSE

When do children start to use spontaneous Imitation?

BY 12-18 MONTHS

When do children start making comments?

BY 18 months

How do children’s language & Literacy start to emerge?

as adults talk, play, & read to babies early in life.

Research shows a tie

- Research shows that there is strong tie between early book reading & later school success.

How to help child develop language & literacy

• Talk, rhyme, sing, read, & write & sign (multimodal) with children.

What builds a foundation?

• Early language & literacy activities build a foundation early in life & in the future.

Expand toddler’s sounds into words & sentences

• Toddlers use sounds & gestures to tell you what they want.

• Respond to the toddler’s attempts to communicate & extend his words with new information (words, additional definitions, etc)

Children develop the habit of pretending by taking part in
pretend play with adults.

BY 12 MONTHS

Children can continue pretend play that adults have initiated,
either through gestures or words.

by 18 months

ex The children take a sip from a cup & pretend to eat food.

What Promotes Higher level language learning?

Early Play Sessions Promote Higher level language learning

12- 18 Months: Pretend Play Begins

Do they involve adults in their play?

By 12- 18 Months Children engage in pretend play. BUT: In most cases, children don’t involve adults in their play.

Pretend play (not symbolic yet)

Children use real objects or toys that look like real objects such as toy tea cups. (*Not at symbolic play level, where child uses item in a way different from intended. )

How to interact with child as they pretend play

want to give child language to support pretend play scheme

Here is a Tip. When your child pretends to drink from a cup, talk about what is happening.

• Say: “Oh, you are drinking. “You are drinking tea.” Then pick up a cup & pretend to drink

Children Will Pick Up a Pencil to Write and Draw.

by 15-18 months

Children Combine Words into 2 Word Phrases/EARLY SENTENCES

BY 18 MONTHS

When they have acquired 30 to 50 single words:

• Children start to combine single words into 2-Word Sentences.

• They are still using single words much of the time such as: “out, more, milk,

up.”

• “BUT: By 18 Months, or By the time children have learned to say 30 to 50

words: They begin to combine single words into 2-Word Sentences

2 word phrases/early sentences

Most children can imitate a variety of “easy-to-say” consonants

that come at the beginning of words.

BY 18 MONTHS

Here are Some “Easy-to-Say” Sounds & Words:

• The /b/ sound in buh-“book”

• The /p/ sound in puh-“pop”

• The /m/ sound in mmm-“mama”

• The /d/ sound in duh-“daddy”

• The /t/ sound in tuh-“tummy”

• The /h/ sound in huh-“horsie”

• The /n/ sound in nuh-“night- night”

• The /w/ sound in wuh-“woof”

Children Engage in Pretend Play and Pretend Talk.

BY 18 MONTHS

Pretend Play and Pretend Talk Promote?

Higher Level Language Learning

By 18 Months: Children Engage in Pretend Play. During play, children use: “Pretend Talk.”

WHAT IS PRETEND TALK

Pretend talk is a specialized form of language that children use to talk about
wishes, & intentions.

Pretend talk encourages

higher level, abstract thinking.

Engaging w/ child during pretend play/talk

Help Children Play & Talk.

• Use toys such as toy sinks, stoves, plates, & cups to support the make-believe world.

• Talk & Play With the Child.

Children start to name/imitate animals

by 18 months