This is a guide to how children develop speech and language between 5 and 7 years.
Often by 5 or 6 years, children have good communication skills. They are better at using language in different ways e.g. discussing ideas or giving opinions.
Children develop skills at different rates, but beyond 5 years, usually children will:
- Focus on one thing for longer without being reminded.
- Rely less on pictures and objects to learn new words.
- Use their language skills in learning to read, write and spell.
- Learn that the same word can mean two things, such as 'orange' the fruit and 'orange' the colour.
- Learn that different words can mean the same thing such as ’minus’ and ‘take away’.
- Understand feelings and descriptive words like 'carefully', 'slowly' or 'clever'.
- Use language for different purposes such as asking questions or persuading.
- Share and discuss more complex ideas.
- Use language in a range of social situations.
Progress Checker
Check the Progress of your child’s communication development using our Progress Checker for children at the following ages:
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