Understanding Speech and Language Development in School-Age Children

In September, a second-grade teacher jots down a few notes about her new class. Ana, who speaks Spanish at home, says very little in English but follows routines quickly and laughs at the right moments in read-alouds. Devon says "aks" for "ask" and "he be working" for "he is usually working." Kayla speaks clearly and confidently, yet her retell of a simple story comes out as a list of unconnected details, and she often answers a "why" question with a "what" answer.

All three children are communicating differently from the textbook model, but they are not in the same situation. Ana is learning a second language. Devon is using a dialect of English with its own consistent rules. Kayla may simply need more practice, or she may have a language difficulty worth discussing with the school's speech-language pathologist (SLP). Telling these situations apart is not the teacher's job alone, but understanding them helps every teacher respond well.

This article gives a broad picture of how speech and language keep growing during the school years, explains the difference between a language difference and a disorder, and offers a practical way to notice, record and share concerns without jumping to conclusions.

Understanding the concept

Development doesn't stop at kindergarten

It's easy to think of language development as something that happens before school. In reality, children arrive with a working spoken language and then spend the next twelve or more years expanding it. Speech-language professionals generally describe growth continuing through adolescence in several areas:

• Speech sounds: many children can say most sounds by the early grades, but some sounds and sound combinations typically develop later than others, so some errors in young students are expected. Your SLP can tell you which errors are typical for a given age.
• Vocabulary: students move from everyday words to subject-specific and general academic words (analyze, infer, consequence), and learn that words can have several meanings.
• Sentence structure: students increasingly use and understand longer sentences joined with words like although, unless and which.
• Discourse: students learn to tell stories with a clear sequence, explain processes, compare ideas and, later, build an argument with evidence.
• Figurative and abstract language: idioms, sarcasm, metaphor, multiple-meaning jokes and inference become more important in the upper grades.
• Social use: students learn to adjust how they speak for different listeners, settings and purposes.

Oral language and literacy are connected

Reading and writing are built on spoken language. Reading Rockets and other literacy organizations describe how understanding a text depends on knowing the words and sentence structures in it, and how writing draws on the ability to organize ideas in language. A student whose spoken language is still developing may find reading comprehension and writing harder, even when decoding is solid.

Difference versus disorder

This is the most important distinction in this article.

• A language difference is a variation that comes from a student's language background. Learning English as an additional language, speaking a regional or cultural dialect, or using patterns borrowed from a home language are all differences. They are not disorders and don't need treatment. ASHA recognizes dialects of English as legitimate, rule-governed language systems.
• A language disorder is a difficulty understanding or using language that isn't explained by language background. For multilingual students, a true disorder generally shows up in all of the child's languages, not only in English.

Only qualified professionals, usually an SLP working with a team that includes people who understand second-language acquisition, can determine whether a disorder is present. Teachers contribute observations and context.

Why it matters

• Misreading a difference as a disorder can lead to unnecessary referrals, lowered expectations and students feeling that their home language or dialect is wrong.
• Misreading a disorder as a difference can delay support, especially for multilingual students whose difficulties are attributed to "still learning English" for years.
• Language underpins every subject. Word problems in math, lab procedures in science and source analysis in social studies all depend on language.
• Classroom teachers see students across the day, in many settings, which is exactly the kind of information an evaluation team needs.

Practical strategies

Learn about each student's language background

What: find out which languages a student hears and uses, with whom and how long they have been learning English. Why: you can't interpret a student's English without this context. How: check enrollment information, talk with your English language development (ELD) staff and ask families in a welcoming way: "What languages does your child use at home? How does your child communicate with family?" Use an interpreter when needed.

Respect dialects while teaching flexibility

What: treat dialect features as a different system, not as mistakes. Why: students are more willing to learn new forms when their own language is respected. How: many teachers use a "code-switching" or "language for different settings" approach, comparing how something might be said at home, with friends and in a formal essay. Keep the focus on choosing language for a purpose, not on fixing the student.

Watch for patterns across settings and time

What: note whether a difficulty appears in several subjects, with different adults and over several weeks. Why: a single moment tells you little; patterns are what teams need. How: keep brief, factual notes, ideally with the student's exact words.

Compare with similar peers, not with an ideal

What: when a multilingual student is struggling, compare them with students who have a similar language background and similar time learning English. Why: if a student is progressing much differently from true peers, that is more meaningful than differing from native English speakers. How: your ELD teacher can often help with this comparison.

Provide good instruction first and record the response

What: use strong classroom language supports for a period of time and note how the student responds. Why: many schools use a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), and a student's response to supports is useful information. How: see Supporting Speech and Language in Every Lesson for everyday strategies. A concern about a possible disability should not wait indefinitely for an intervention period, though; follow your school's procedures.

A practical tool: difference or concern?

This table offers questions to think about, not a checklist for diagnosis. Bring your notes to your SLP and ELD staff.

Question	More consistent with a difference	Worth discussing with the team
Does the pattern match the home language or dialect?	Yes, the "error" follows a rule from the home language or dialect.	No clear link to the student's language background.
How does the student communicate at home?	Family reports the child communicates like siblings and peers in the home language.	Family has similar concerns in the home language.
How does progress compare with similar peers?	Progress is similar to students with comparable background and time in English.	Progress is noticeably slower than comparable peers, even with good support.
Does the student learn new words and patterns when taught?	Learns readily with exposure and practice.	Has unusual difficulty learning and remembering new words or patterns.
Is the student frustrated or avoiding communication?	Generally willing to communicate in some setting.	Shows distress, withdrawal or avoidance across settings.

Step-by-step implementation

1. Gather background for every student early in the year: languages used, time learning English and any existing IEP or 504 plan.
2. Introduce your language-for-different-settings approach so dialects and home languages are welcomed from the first week.
3. Use whole-class language supports consistently: visuals, wait time, sentence frames and structured partner talk.
4. Observe in several settings: small group, whole-class discussion, partner work, recess or lunch if you can.
5. Record facts: what you asked, what the student said or did, and what supports were in place.
6. Consult informally with your SLP and ELD teacher if a pattern concerns you.
7. Talk with the family about what they notice at home, following your school's guidance on how and when.
8. Follow your school's referral process if concerns continue, and share your notes.

Illustrative scenarios

These scenarios are invented to show how the ideas might look in practice. They are not real case studies.

Ana, second grade

Ana's teacher learns from Ana's mother that Ana chats constantly in Spanish and tells long stories about her cousins. The ELD teacher explains that understanding often runs ahead of speaking in a new language. The teacher adds picture supports and partner talk, lets Ana use Spanish with a bilingual classmate to plan answers, and keeps notes. By midyear, Ana is answering in short English phrases. The teacher sees no reason for a referral but keeps watching.

Devon, second grade

Devon's teacher recognizes that his "he be working" follows a consistent rule in his dialect. Instead of correcting him, she runs short lessons comparing "how we say it with family" and "how we write it in a report." Devon enjoys being the class expert on one side of the chart. No referral is needed.

Kayla, second grade

Kayla speaks only English. Even with story maps and modeling, her retells stay disorganized, and she has trouble learning new vocabulary that classmates pick up quickly. Her teacher brings several weeks of notes and two written transcripts of her retells to the SLP, who suggests next steps under the school's process.

Differentiation and adaptations

• Early elementary: expect some speech sound errors and short sentences; focus on rich conversation, read-alouds and play-based talk. Ask your SLP which errors are typical.
• Upper elementary: watch the shift to academic vocabulary and more complex texts. Some language difficulties become more visible here as demands grow.
• Secondary: language difficulties may look like poor reading comprehension, weak essays, missing the point of sarcasm, or "not trying." Ask about language before assuming motivation.
• Students with disabilities: check the IEP or 504 plan for communication goals and accommodations, and ask the SLP how to support them in class.
• English learners: value the home language, allow it as a thinking tool, and work with ELD staff before and during any referral discussion.

Common challenges

• "I don't know what's typical for this age." That's what your SLP is for. Ask for a quick overview for your grade level.
• "The family doesn't speak English and I can't ask them." Use your school's interpreter or translation services rather than relying on the student to interpret.
• "I've been told to wait until the student has been learning English for several years." Federal guidance indicates that an evaluation should not be delayed simply because a student is still learning English. If you have a concern, raise it through your school's process and let the team decide.
• "Correcting dialect feels like part of my job." Teaching standard academic English for certain purposes is part of many curricula. Presenting it as an added tool, not a replacement, keeps students engaged.

Key takeaways

• Speech and language keep developing throughout the school years, especially vocabulary, complex sentences, discourse and figurative language.
• Dialects and second-language learning are differences, not disorders.
• A true language disorder generally appears in all of a student's languages.
• Teachers observe and share; SLPs and teams evaluate.
• Factual notes across settings and time are the most useful thing you can bring to the team.

Next step: This week, check what you know about each student's language background and fill any gaps with your ELD staff or families. Find more in Speech and Language Support, including collaborating with speech-language pathologists.

This article offers general classroom guidance. It does not replace your school's policies, a student's IEP or 504 plan, or advice from your school's specialists.

Sources & Further Reading

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Speech and Language Development and Bilingual Service Delivery (Practice Portal). https://www.asha.org/. Accessed November 2026.
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), Speech and Language Developmental Milestones. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/. Accessed November 2026.
• Colorín Colorado, Special Education and English Language Learners. https://www.colorincolorado.org/. Accessed November 2026.
• U.S. Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition, English Learner Tool Kit, chapter on English learners with disabilities. Accessed November 2026.
• Reading Rockets, Oral Language topic pages. https://www.readingrockets.org/. Accessed November 2026.