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Typical Development of Communication Skills - Coggle Diagram
Typical Development of Communication Skills
Preverbal Skills and Early Interaction
earliest skills that emerge before actual speech a.k.a engagement (0-12 months)
skills to observe
Eye contact/Gaze
Initiating/Responding to Joint Attention
Facial expressions
Gestures
Attention and Listening
focus, maintain attention, listen to sounds, voices, or speech for extended periods a.k.a. understanding and learning language (6 months to school age)
skills to observe
sit and listen to short story
respond to their name
easily distracted
Play
Supports communication through exploration, creativity, role-playing, and learning social rules a.k.a. cognitive and social development ( 2-3 years old)
skills to observe
engage in pretend play
take turns
pay alongside other children
Understanding
understand words, sentences questions, and instructions a.k.a. good comprehension (before talking, 1-2 years old)
skills to observe
follow simple commands
understand questions
point to named objects
Talking
use words and sentences to express needs, thoughts, and feelings a.k.a. thinking skills, vocabulary knowledge, and confidence in communication (first words: 12 months, short sentence: 3 years)
skills to observe
numbers of words used
sentence length and complexity
ability to name things or describe events
Pragmatic Skills
knowing how, when, and why to use language in social contexts a.k.a. can connect and build relationships (middle childhood)
skills to observe
initiate conversations
stay on topic
understand and use tone, body language, or politeness
Speech Sounds
how clearly child produces individual sounds and how sounds are used in words a.k.a. oral-motor coordination, phonological awareness, and readiness for literacy (mostly understood by 4-5 years old)
skills to observe
speech easy to understand
sounds missing or substituted
patterns of sound errors
Literacy
recognising letters, understanding print, reading, and writing a.k.a. integration of language, memory, and cognition (pre-literacy skills: preschool age, full skills: early primary school)
skills to observe
identify letters or sounds
show interest in books
beginning to write letters or words
Emergent literacy
what children know about reading and writing before they can read and write
It's built during play, routines, and daily conversations
Narrative Skills: predicts reading comprehension, literacy success, and academic performance
Key Red Flags
Poor eye contact or social interaction
Does not respond to sounds or name
Excessive drooling, feeding difficulties or picky eater
No 2-word combinations by 2.5 years
Speech is very unclear after 3 years
Expectations from SLP
assessment done to determine
the baseline and identify if
the individual requires
therapy and if so, which
areas therapy target first
Recommendations
One-to-tone, individual therapy
Group therapy
Patient/Caregiver training
Professional mentoring
Augmentative & Alternative
Communication (AAC)
Way to support or replace speech for people
who have difficulties communicating with words
Who can benefit
speech delays/disorder
autism cerebral palsy, down syndrome
people recovering from stroke/brain injury
limited speech or no speech
Types
Unaided AAC (no tools)
Low-Tech (no electricities or batteries)
High-Tech AAC (powered devices)