Language development - Is there a guide to what a school-age child should be able to do?

[coppertop]

I've tried the MN archives but I don't think the Search facility is working well atm.

Ds (6yrs) hasn't seen the SALT for a while now due to lack of cover. The issue has now been resolved and I basically need to decide whether or not he still needs help.

I plan to take the appointment that ds has been offered but it would be really useful if I had an idea of what the typical language skills of a child his age are.

I've tried google but all I can find are either guides that stop at pre-school age or American ones that say things like "Should be able to recite the alphabet" which isn't particularly helpful.

Ds has a dx of AS. His difficulties are now mainly with understanding language but he also has quirky spoken language too.

Does anyone know where I could find some info about what a typical 6 or 7yr old child should be able to do in terms of language?

Hi Coppertop

Probably not much use but I have a parentpack that shows the child's development up until they are 5 years old. This is what it says - you may be able to compare - or it may also be completely useless!

Understanding:

Understanding nearly 3000 words
Understanding opposites, ie hot and cold
Seeming to understand everything they hear.

Words

Using Speech that's clear to all listeners
Naming the days of the week in order
Name orders, ie first, second, third
Answering 'what happens if' questions
Using almost correct grammar

Play/Social

Drawing recognisable figures of parents
Playing games with rules
Giving threats, insults, promises and praise.

My ds2 is also asd and continues to have difficulty with the 'wh' questions, rules, etc so I'm not sure that this is particularly useful.

That does actually help a little. The 'ordering' using words like first, second, third is something he has trouble with.

Again the part about correct grammar is also something ds (IMO anyway) doesn't quite have yet. Using past tenses is something he finds particularly difficult, although oddly enough he knows a lot of the irregular past tenses but still adds 'ed' on the end of them all. So "I ated my dinner" and "I wented to school" are fairly typical for him.

I would say he's still a long way from understanding everything he hears too.

Thanks, HelonsMelons.

coppertop - would love to chat more about this offsite - as our DS's language sounds so similar (well apart from the fact that DS supposedly "probably" isn't on the spectrum [hmmm]).

some more info here;-

[http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/language_development.shtml]]

That link is so good that I've just added it to my Favorites list. It looks as though ds is still struggling with things that a 3yr-old should be able to do, according to that checklist. He's good at hiding it though so it's not always obvious.

I'd love to discuss it elsewhere too if that's okay? I can CAT you with my main e-mail address or 'see' you on TTR if that's better for you?

Have you thought about a processing disorder. My DS is almost 10 and been given every provisional diagnosis going from ASD, ADHD, APD etc. Nobody knows. Try looking on the APDUK web site which has some really useful info about these problems.

hethbell - when I've spoken in the past to private and NHS SALT about APD they both have had the attitude - hmm, yes, possibly, but we don't know much about it so not got anywhere with it.

coppertop - yes, please CAT me. I'd say the big gaps for my DS start to come in at 60 months range - but the one 36 month one that gives me cause to pause and shudder is the relating experience so that they can be followed with reason. will probably ask DH to cast a glance as well, as he is less likely to overestimate DS's ability than me. Broadly speaking, I'ld say that because DS speaks in sentences, there's a general assumption that his understanding etc is fine when it's not....

we even get the incorrected past tenses - "runneded" etc when he's doing his school reading books(!)