Pre-k (3-year-old)	By the end of 3-year-old preschool, children should be 75% intelligible.  Children should be able to say the following speech sounds in words by the end of 3-year-old preschool: P, B, M, N, H, T, D, W The following phonological processes should be eliminated: initial consonant deletion*, final consonant deletion, velar assimilation, backing*, weak syllable deletion
Pre-K (4-year-old)	By the end of 4-year-old preschool, children should be 90% intelligible. Children should be able to say the following speech sounds in words by the end of 4-year-old preschool: P, B, M, N, H, T, D, W, K, G The following phonological processes should be eliminated: Stopping, fronting, deaffrication, cluster reduction, stridency deletion
K	By age 5, children should be 100% intelligible.  Children should be able to say the following speech sounds in words by the end of kindergarten: P, B, T, D, M, N, NG, H, W, K, G, F, L Continued errors on: R, S, CH, SH, Z, J, V, TH, ZH The following phonological processes should be eliminated: gliding
1st	Children should be able to say the following speech sounds in words by the end of First Grade: P, B, T, D, M, N, NG, H, W, K, G, F, L, CH, SH, J Continued errors on: R, S, Z, V, TH, ZH
2nd	By the end of Second Grade children should be able to say all phonemes.

 

*Not considered a developmental phonological process

It is important to use these norms as only one piece of the puzzle.  The “age of acquisition data are not enough for clinical decision making or to determine eligibility for services...consider children’s speech production, perception, comprehensive independent and relational analysis, intelligibility, stimulability, phonological awareness, spelling, reading, academic, and social impact as well as insights from children and significant others in their lives”. (Crowe & McLeod, 2020)

Some articulation errors are never developmentally appropriate. These include speech sounds that are produced with air pressed laterally out of the tongue. This is called a lateral lisp and is noted on S, Z, SH, J or CH.  Severity of errors can be impacted by other contributing factors including oral motor difficulties (drooling, spilling food), tongue thrust, hearing loss, orthodontic appliances/braces, missing teeth or malocclusion (bite). Consult your SLP if these concerns apply. Dialectal errors are also not a disorder.

Speech sounds are taught in a specific hierarchy based on difficulty. First sounds are taught in isolation, then words, and phrases. The highest level of production is spontaneous conversation. Once a student can do this, we consider their carryover of the sound mastered.

VOICE

A voice disorder occurs when voice quality, pitch, and loudness differ or are inappropriate for an individual’s age, gender, cultural background, or geographic location (Aronson & Bless, 2009; Boone et al., 2010; Lee et al., 2004). A voice disorder is present when an individual expresses concern about having an abnormal voice that does not meet daily needs—even if others do not perceive it as different or deviant (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association [ASHA], 1993; Colton & Casper, 2011; Stemple et al., 2010; Verdolini & Ramig, 2001).

FLUENCY

A fluency disorder is an interruption in the flow of speaking characterized by atypical rate, rhythm, and disfluencies (e.g., repetitions of sounds, syllables, words, and phrases; sound prolongations; and blocks), which may also be accompanied by excessive tension, speaking avoidance, struggle behaviors, and secondary mannerisms (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association [ASHA], 1993). People with fluency disorders also frequently experience psychological, emotional, social, and functional impacts as a result of their communication disorder (Tichenor & Yaruss, 2019a). Children and adults who stutter also frequently experience psychological, emotional, social, and functional consequences from their stuttering, including social anxiety, a sense of loss of control, and negative thoughts or feelings about themselves or about communication (Boyle, 2015; Craig & Tran, 2014; Iverach et al., 2016; Iverach & Rapee, 2014).

RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE

Receptive language, in the context of speech and language development, refers to an individual's ability to understand and comprehend spoken or written language. It encompasses the capacity to process and interpret the meaning of words, sentences, and other forms of communication received through auditory or visual means. This aspect of language involves skills such as listening, reading, and comprehending, and it is essential for effective communication and language development. Impairments in receptive language can affect a person's ability to understand and respond appropriately to verbal or written information.

EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE

Expressive language, within the field of speech and language, pertains to an individual's ability to convey thoughts, ideas, and feelings using spoken or written language. It involves the use of words, sentences, and other linguistic elements to communicate effectively with others. Expressive language skills encompass speaking, writing, and gesturing to express one's intentions, emotions, and information. Impairments in expressive language may result in difficulties in forming coherent sentences, finding the right words, or conveying ideas clearly, which can hinder effective communication and self-expression.

PRAGMATIC LANGUAGE

Pragmatics is the ability of an individual to understand and use appropriate communication in a variety of social situations; whereby, individuals form appropriate social language responses (knowing what to say) at the right time (when to say it) in a given social context.  Pragmatics also includes nonverbal skills such as using, reading and interpreting social situations, facial cues and tone of voice.

Speech and Language Criteria Guide