Child will develop the ability to speak and/ or sign in increasingly complete, complex, precise, and varied ways.
What educators might observe
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Sucks on fingers or pacifiers and moves head and mouth towards milk
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Laughs and chuckles
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Cries when hungry, upset, or in need of attention
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May repeat cooing sounds, such as “ooh” and “ah”
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Watches caregiver’s mouth closely as they are talking
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May sign “milk” by hand gesture approximating the opening and closing hand
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Babbles and may make “p,” “b,” and “m” sounds that can begin to seem like “papa,” “baba,” or “mama”
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Holds up arms to be lifted up or for a hug
Child will develop their ability to listen and understand complete, complex, precise, and varied language.
What educators might observe
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Responds to sounds in the environment (e.g., startles or cries when there is a siren or an unexpected sound)
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Leans intentionality towards a familiar person’s voice
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Makes frequent eye contact while listening, and gestures in response
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Turns and looks toward familiar sounds and/or words (e.g., when name is called)
Child uses language to relate to others according to the social expectations of their family, community, and culture.
What educators might observe
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Looks at a caregiver as they are speaking
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Uses sounds and wholebody gestures to engage in interactions with educator
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Repeats and imitates cooing sounds
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Uses facial gestures to engage with adult (e.g., blinking eyes, sticking out tongue, clapping, covering face with hands)
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Makes sounds when educator is singing
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Waves bye-bye
Child enjoys, attends to, understands, and makes meanings from spoken and written language of storytelling and books.
What educators might observe
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Smiles, babbles, and laughs when the educator reads, sings, or tells stories to them
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Touches, feels, manipulates, and tastes books
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Looks at books presented by the educator
Child develops the ability to recognize and manipulate the different sounds in spoken language(s).
What educators might observe
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Listens, attends to, and reacts to speech sounds in the environment
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Babbles and makes sounds exploring different ways to vocalize (e.g., “ba-ba” and “eee”)
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Imitates sounds heard in familiar spoken language(s)
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Is more attuned to the speech sounds of their home language than those of other languages
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Reacts differently to an unfamiliar sound by gazing or attempting to recreate sound
Child uses materials and/ or language to make meaning for themselves and/or an audience.
The guidelines don’t define behaviours for this area at this age.
Child views, creates, and makes meaning of visual communication and multimedia documentation, which includes drawings, collections, photographs, videos and displays.
What educators might observe
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Tracks people or objects by moving their head or eyes
