Speech and language development can be assessed by looking at four different aspects;
1) expressive language
2) attention and concentration
3) understanding of language
4) size of their vocabulary

Expressive language
 Expressive language can be assessed clinically and through a history form the parents.

Introduce yourself to the child and his/her parent and obtain consent. Before testing a child expressive language make sure their hearing is normal. You can do this by placing yourself behind the child and shaking a rattle or anything you find which can produce a sound. Make sure the object is place out of sight. You may need help for the parents to either shake the rattle or tell you whether or not the child responded to the sound. Explain to the examiner what you are doing.

Once you are sure about their hearing proceed with the rest of the examination. Observe the child closely and comment on what ever they are doing for example, the child my say ‘mummy carry” while shying away from you.  This is a two word sentence and should give you some idea even in a child who is not cooperating.

Engage the child in a simple conversation. You could start by telling them your name and then ask - their name, the name of their pet, about some favourite children television programmes. You could also show them an interesting picture book and try to engage them into some sort of conversation.

During this, observe for the following
- any sounds made
- any words used
- any phrases/ sentences
- the ability to narrate
- use of grammar

Sounds and words.
Depending on which text you read the age at which these aspects of language development are gained vary. As a general guide;
- vocalisation  5-9 weeks
- babbling       16 weeks-6 months
- imitate adult sounds 8-12 months
- children start developing words from about 10 months. This starts off with babbles that sound like words the true words. They then gain an average of 3-4 words per month.

- At about 18 months they develop the ability to put words together into word phrases and sentences.
o 2 years - 2 word phrases
o 21/2- 3 -4 word phrases/ sentence
o 3 years-  4-6 word phrases/ sentence
o 4years-  5-8 word sentences
o 5 years long sentences
 

Grammar
The use of grammar starts at the age of about 21/2 years
- 21/2 years-  use of past tense
- 3 years- use of pronouns and question words
- 4 years- use of conjunctions
- 5years-  use of past, present and future tenses

Ability to narrate
About the age of three children start to develop the ability to describe past and present activities
- 3 years- can give some description of present and past activities
- 4 years- can give a coherent account of recent and past activities and experience
- 5 years- can hold simple conversations of increasing complexity