Ensuring Kindergarten Readiness: Key Speech Sounds and Milestones
By Grace Christensen, MS, CCC-SLP
As the new school year begins, many children have started kindergarten. This is a great time to check in on speech and language milestones.
Today, we want to review the speech sounds that are typically expected by kindergarten age, which is around five years old. According to a 2018 study by McLeod and Crowe, children are expected to have developed the following sounds by age 5:
Grace from CPT demonstrating Speech Sounds
Demonstrating speech sounds is key in therapy, helping children develop clear communication. By modeling correct pronunciation, therapists give auditory and visual cues for producing sounds. Engaging activities promote practice and confidence, enabling speech clarity and improved interactions with peers and adults.
P, B, M, D, N, H
T, K, G, W, NG (like the ending sound in “ring”)
F, Y, L, J, CH
S, V, SH, Z, R, ZH (like the middle sound in “measure”)
and TH (as in “this” and “that”)
In addition to mastering these sounds, kindergarten readiness involves several other speech and language skills. By the end of kindergarten, children should be able to speak clearly enough for most people to understand them, follow simple directions, and engage in basic conversations. They should also be able to retell stories, answer questions about their day, and show interest in starting conversations 2. These skills are crucial for effective communication and social interaction, which are foundational for academic success.
If you have any concerns about your child’s speech sounds or overall communication skills, it’s important to seek professional advice. We offer comprehensive speech evaluations to help ensure your child is on track for clear communication.
At our Portland office, we have appointments available as soon as next week! Don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule an assessment and give your child the best start to their educational journey.
Sources:
1. McLeod, S., & Crowe, K. (2018). Children’s Speech Sound Development.
2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2023). Your Child’s Communication: Kindergarten.