Your child should be able to

a) associate patterns of phrases to specific actions, events or emotions. e.g. your child hears you say “Be careful! You’ll get hurt!” and knows he needs to stop what he’s doing without necessarily understanding all the words.

b) tell the difference between different patterns for songs/jingles as well as for different types of sentences such as questions or statements

c) tell the difference between familiar words based on their vowels and consonants as well as their pattern

d) Is able to detect and recognize a large number of familiar sounds and know what they mean

e) can pick out two objects at a time
Your child should be able to

a) understand a wide variety of routine phrases around the house

b) understand at least 50 words in the environment that consist of a variety of actions, names of objects, descriptive words and words that indicate location.

c) understands very simple sentences based on a known key word

d) listen and follow one step directions based on a familiar key word or phrase pattern
Your child should be able to

a) habitually use his voice to communicate using a variety of consonants, vowels and intonation patterns

b) use at least 10 single words

c) use at least 3-4 age appropriate beginning consonants in his babble along with all the vowels of your language

d) use lots of babble and jargon to ask for things, tell you things, express emotion, describe events or actions

PARENT CHECKLIST
To Determine the Current Skill Level of Your Child

This checklist will help you get a rough idea of your child's current level of communication skills. The list describes, in stepwise fashion, how a child with normal hearing develops his communication skills. The steps are the same for a child with hearing loss -- he simply needs more time and systematic help. By comparing your child's current functioning with the list, you should be able to answer the questions: How well does he listen? How much does he understand? How much does he say? Once you know your child's skill level, you will know the set of lessons that are appropriate for him. This is because the lesson levels are matched to skill levels. For example, Level 100 Lessons are designed for use with children whose skills fall under Level 100.

Be sure to read How to Use the Parent Checklist.

LISTENING

UNDERSTANDING

TALKING

SKILL LEVEL 100

Skill Level 100 covers beginning listening up to the time when your child is understanding at least 50 words as well as routine phrases, and 1-2 key words in sentences. At this point your child will probably be babbling and using many single words as well as trying to say little phrases using 2 words together. Using 2 words together is not consistent yet, usually, the 2 word phrases are those learned almost as one word -- e.g. come here, all gone, my turn etc. The child doesn’t necessarily know what the individual words mean, but knows the phrase.

The typical age at which children with normal hearing would have mastered these skills is between 15 -18 months.

SKILL LEVEL 200

Skill Level 200 goes from using many single words to using 2-3 words consistently. Your child is learning lots of concepts and understanding sentences of at least 4-5 words through listening toward the higher end of this skill level. Your child should be using or trying to use 3 words together consistently before he can move to the next level.

The typical age at which children with normal hearing would have mastered these skills is between 24 -27 months.

When your child demonstrates these skills all the time {that is, a) in structured as well as unstructured activities, and b) in the home as well outside}, then you can move on to the next level. If your child does not demonstrate all these skills consistently, you should continue with those Level 100 lessons where he requires additional practice.
Your child should be able to

a) follow two step related directions based on two key words

b) listen and identify words in a closed set of at least 10 that have the same number of syllables

c) listen and tell the difference between sentences that have 2 critical elements

d) identify 2 key items when listening to a simple story

e) Pick out at least two items from memory

d) tell the difference between words that have the same vowel but different consonants when in sentences
Your child should be able to

a) understand a wide variety of simple sentences around the house

b) understand at least 250 words in the environment that consist of a variety of actions, names of objects, descriptive words and words that indicate location, as well as words for the purpose of greeting and conversation

c) understands simple sentences of at least 4-5 words based on 2-3 known key word

d) understands beginning questions such as where ______? and what’s that? who’s there?

e) understands some early pronouns : me, my/mine, you

f) understands some simple basic concepts related to location, emotions, texture, distance, and quantity.
Your child should be able to

a) Use at least 200 words

b) Use a variety of 2 and 3 word sentences to express actions, descriptions, emotions, requests, negatives (e.g. no, or not)

c) Begin stringing words together to try and express more than one thought, or something that happened e.g. fall down hurt ( to tell that he fell down and got hurt)

d) Use beginning consonants while talking, that match his listening age

e) Use a variety of 2 and 3 word sentences to greet people, have a conversation, end a conversation
If your child demonstrates these skills all the time ( this means at least 4 out of 5 times ) when he’s at home in structured and unstructured activities, as well as in and out of the home, then move on to the next level. If your child does not demonstrate all these skills consistently, then continue with those Level 200 lessons where he requires additional practice.

SKILL LEVEL 300

Skill Level 300 goes from using 2-3 words together to using complete sentences of at least 3-4 words consistently. Your child continues to learn lots more concepts. Toward the higher end of this skill level, your child will understand sentences of at least 5-6 words and paragraphs through listening. Your child should be using at least 4 words together in a variety of sentences consistently before he can move on to the next higher level.

The typical age at which children with normal hearing would have mastered these skills is between 33 -36 months.

Your child should be able to

a) follow two step related and unrelated directions based on two key words

b)listen and recognize words in open sets

c) listen and tell the difference between sentences that have 3 critical elements

d) recall 2 key events when listening to a simple story

e) Pick out at least three items from memory

d) tell the difference between words that have the same vowel but different consonants when in sentences
Your child should be able to

a) understand at least 500-750 words in the environment that consist of a variety of actions, names of objects, descriptive words and words that indicate location, as well as words for the purpose of greeting and conversation. His vocabulary should also include words related to the community you live in and places you visit

c) understands simple sentences of at least 5-6 words based on 2-3 known key word

d) understands more questions related to size, quantity such as how many, how much, which one, what happened, where are you going, what are you doing

e) understands more pronouns : me, my/mine, you, he, she, they

f) understands basic concepts related to location, emotions, texture, distance, and quantity.

g) listens and follows a three or four sentence story
Your child should be able to

a) Use at least 500 words
b) Use a variety of 4/5 word sentences to express
actions, descriptions, emotions, requests, negatives (e.g. no, or not), things that happened, things that are not present
c) Begin stringing 2 word utterances together to try and tell what happened, or retell a familiar story
d) Use beginning consonants while talking, that match his listening age
e) Use a variety of 3 and 4 word sentences in conversation, taking at least 2 turns in the conversation
If your child demonstrates these skills all the time ( this means at least 4 out of 5 times when given the chance to use the skill) at home in structured and unstructured activities, as well as in and out of the home, then move on to the next level. Ideally, each skill should be demonstrated all the time. If your child does not demonstrate all these skills consistently, then continue with those Level 300 lessons where he requires additional practice.

SKILL LEVEL 400

At this level, your child will start to understand complex sentences that use longer constructions and use the concept of time. His vocabulary and concept words will increase considerably. At the end of this skill level, your child should be able to have a conversation using complete sentences, and be able to understand short paragraphs about unfamiliar topics using simple sentences.

The typical age at which children with normal hearing would have mastered these skills is between 42 -48 months.

Your child should be able to

a) follow three step related and unrelated directions based on three key words

b) listen and discriminate sentences that have 4 critical elements

d) recall at least 2 events in sequence when listening to a simple story

e) Pick out at least four items from memory

d) discriminate words with differing beginning consonants

e) listen and identify objects based on three characteristics

f) listen and identifies words with the same beginning sounds, listens and identifies words that rhyme with a model

g) listen and complete a simple sentence
Your child should be able to

a) understand at least 1000 words in the environment that consist of a variety of actions, names of objects, descriptive words and words that indicate location, as well as words for the purpose of greeting and conversation. His vocabulary should also include words related to the community you live in and places you visit

c) understands simple sentences of at least 5-6 words that include verb tenses, conditional statements, pronouns, adverbs

d) understands more questions related to size, quantity such as how many, how much, which one, what happened, where are you going, what are you doing

f) understands basic concepts related to location, emotions, texture, distance, and quantity.

g) listens and follows a five sentence story, fairy tales, and a short non-fiction paragraph

h) understands teasing and simple jokes
Your child should be able to

a) Use at least 4/5 word sentences to express actions, descriptions, emotions, requests, negatives (e.g. no, or not),

c) Begin stringing utterances together to try and narrate an event, or retell a familiar story

d) Use age appropriate beginning consonants while talking, that match his listening age

e) Lengthen sentences using words like ‘and’ , ‘then’

f) play with silly sounds using rhyming words,

g) use a variety of simple verb tenses

h) asks for explanations using more complex questions such as what for?, would/could/should

i) have detailed conversations where he takes at least 2-3 turns
If your child demonstrates these skills all the time ( this means at least 4 out of 5 times when given the chance to use the skill) at home in structured and unstructured activities, as well as in and out of the home, then move on to the next level. Ideally, each skill should be demonstrated all the time. If your child does not demonstrate all these skills consistently, then continue with those Level 400 lessons where he requires additional practice.

LISTENING

UNDERSTANDING

TALKING

LISTENING

UNDERSTANDING

TALKING

LISTENING

UNDERSTANDING

TALKING

A translation of this web page contents is available as a .pdf file in Danish Serbian