Birth-6 years

3 to 12 months

12 to 18 months

18 to 24 months

2 to 3 years

3 to 4 years

4 to 5 years

5 to 6 years

Begins to notice signing

First sign may emerge from 10 to 12 months

Babbles with hands

lmitates facial expressions

Points to people, abjects and places but not at self

Uses at least 10 signs

Begins to use points as pronouns

Acquires new signs but does not mark with inflections

Signs reflect basic handshapes with simple movements (straight forward, up, or down)

Early signs not always produced according to adult conventional forms

Combines 2 or 3 signs including points

Begins to distinguish and use non-manual markers (facial grammar)

Sign order used to show semantic relations

Begins to use classifiers to represent abjects (with little or no movement); types limited by the handshapes child can produce

Begins to use varied inflected verb forms (directional/agreement, dual, temporal aspect)

Attempts more complex signs but substitutes basic handshapes for the complex handshapes

Begins to use non-manual markers (raised/squinted eyebrows) for YES/NO and WH-questions

Demonstrates negation with headshake or sign "NO"

Begins to use possessive (your, mine) and plural (US-TWO, YOU­ THREE) pronouns

Refers to things around them during conversations and storytelling; may copy the actions and facial expressions of others in a story

Begins to mark distinctions between noun-verb pairs (FLY/AIRPLANE)

Uses classifiers to show abjects and movements of these abjects

Begins to make modifications to verb signs to show the manner and amount of time involved in an activity (temporal aspect) by changing the movement of the sign and/or adding facial expressions

All "real world" pronouns (pointing at objects and people in the immediate environment) used correctly

Tells stories through use of objects or role-playing; may not always show clearly who is speaking or doing something

More complex handshapes and movement (wiggling fingers, twisting wrists) used accurately

Begins to use noun modifications to show different meaning (e.g.

repeating the noun to show plural)

Simple sentences still used buy complex sentences including topicalization and rhetorical questions emerging

Begins to set up points in space to establish location for people and objects not present in the environment

Role-playing used more frequently with characters clearly identified but skills to show changes in roles such as body shifts, eye gaze and facial expression not used consistently

Clear and consistent use of complex handshapes and movement

Fingerspelling used more

Use of complex sentences including relative clauses and conditionals continuing to expand

Use of verb modifications to show intensity, manner, number and distribution continuing to expand

Use of abstract referei:,cing to talk about people and things not in the present environment

Storytelling becomes more "adult like"; makes frequent self corrections

Takes on a variety of roles during conversation and storytelling; changes in roles indicated through facial expression, body shifts and eye gaze shown clearly and consistently