Domain
Language
Receptive and expressive language: understanding words and directions, building vocabulary, and communicating needs and ideas.
Ages 0–72 months
Skills
Attends to Communication and Language
Child attends to and learns from language experiences, joining in joint attention with familiar adults.
Communicates Needs and Wants Child signals needs and wants, first non-verbally and then with words or signs.
Comprehends Pictures and Stories Child draws meaning from pictures and stories, talking about and acting out what happens.
Engages Others in Interaction Child uses sounds, gestures, words, or signs to start and keep social exchanges going.
Joins in Rhymes and Songs Child attends to, repeats, and uses rhymes, phrases, or refrains from songs and stories.
Handles Books Child explores and handles books and relates them to their stories or information.
Imitates Sounds, Words, and Gestures Child observes and imitates sounds, words, gestures, and actions to communicate and connect.
Recognizes Pictures and Symbols Child recognizes pictures and some symbols, signs, letters, or words.
Understands an Increasing Number of Words Child understands a growing number of words and signs used in everyday communication.
Asks Questions to Learn Child uses gestures, signs, or words to seek information and the names of things.
Makes Marks to Represent Ideas Child makes marks and scribbles and uses them to represent objects or actions.
Follows One-Step Directions Child carries out a simple one-step direction without gestures.
Names Familiar Objects Child says the names of familiar people, body parts, and everyday objects.
Uses Two-Word Phrases Child combines two words to express an idea or request.
Identifies Common Colors Child points to or names common colors when asked.
Attends to Conversations Child attends to and acknowledges spoken or signed conversation from others.
Categorizes Words Child groups words into categories and understands how words relate.
Provides Sufficient Detail Child gives enough detail to get needs met and clarifies when misunderstood.
Speaks in Detailed Sentences Child expresses ideas in increasingly long, clear, and complex sentences.
Takes Conversational Turns Child sustains multi-turn conversations and uses appropriate tone and volume.
Understands Complex Language Child understands and responds to longer sentences, varied questions, and multi-step directions.
Early Atlas