Knowledge is power!

Children generally learn the speech-sounds of their language in a predictable order by certain ages. A recent cross-linguistic review updated this normative information by gathering previous results from the best studies and averaging the data (McLeod and Crowe, 2018).

This updated speech-sound ladder shows the ages at which 90% of children produce English sounds correctly. SLPs use this ladder as a guide for determining when a child may need intervention to support their speech production and articulation.

If your child or student seems to be missing sounds expected for their age, it is a good idea to consult with a speech-language pathologist. Early intervention is best!