North Carolina Early Learning and Development Progressions: Birth to Five

Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Language Development and Communication (LDC)

Subdomain: Learning to Communicate

Goal: Children understand communications from others.

Skill Progression: Understand communication from others

Age: 10-12 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 10-12 Months.

Recognizes and responds to up to 50 words in addition to sounds and gestures

Situations for Observation of Skill

Ask the adult about what words the child understands. Ask approximately how many words he thinks the child understands. Observe the child and adult in play or daily routines.

Elicitation Strategy

As the adult and infant play, note what words the infant understands.

Behavior Observed

The infant recognizes and responds to most common words used.

Routines-based Intervention (Embedded Instruction)

Communicate to early childhood educators and parents the importance of singling out words and emphasizing the label for the object. Make sure the child is looking at the object as it is labeled. Holding the object near the adult’s mouth as the word is said may help the child connect the object name with the object (e.g., hold a ball near your mouth and say, “Ball,” then give it to the infant).

 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 2015

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