Appendix 8A - Clinical Guidelines for Early Language Milestones in Internationally Adopted Toddlers - Appendix 8B - Speech-Language Development Considerations for Parents Adopting Internationally

Q: What language indicators does Appendix 8A use to monitor early milestones after adoption?

It uses English vocabulary word counts, MLU (mean length of utterance), evidence of delays (such as slow vocabulary growth or lack of two-word phrases), and guidance on when standardized tests may be appropriate.

Q: Why can standardized test scores underrepresent a child’s true ability at certain ages?

Appendix 8A notes that testing at around 37–40 months or older may slightly underrepresent true ability by about 2–4 months, affecting how results reflect actual performance.

Q: What steps does Appendix 8B recommend for parents to support language development during the transition to English?

It recommends gathering information from the birth country, showing value for the birth language through phrases, music, books, and cultural interaction, and then supporting English learning with simple signs, imaginary play, appropriately mixed preschool groups, and careful use of language input during daily routines.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Hazel

Appendix 8A outlines clinical guidance for assessing early language milestones in internationally adopted toddlers, using indicators such as age at adoption, English vocabulary growth, MLU, evidence of delays, and when standardized testing may be used while noting limitations in how scores reflect true ability. Appendix 8B explains speech-language development challenges after international adoption, including the language-switch period, institutional exposure effects, and common parental concerns. It provides practical parent-focused recommendations for gathering birth-country language information, valuing the birth language, and supporting English learning during adjustment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Appendix 8A - Clinical Guidelines for Early Language Milestones in Internationally Adopted Toddlers

Age at adoption and language indicators

Evidence of delays and standardized testing considerations

Appendix 8B - Speech-Language Development Considerations for Parents Adopting Internationally

Life-long language development and the language switch

Collecting birth-country information

Valuing the birth language

Supporting English learning after adoption

Appendix 8A Clinical Guidelines for Early Language Milestones in Internationally Adopted Toddlers | Age at
Adoption | \# of English vocabulary words | MLU | Evidence of delays | Use of standardized tests | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 13-18 months | By 18-21 months: 16 By 22-24 months: 50 | 2 word phrases by 22-24 months | Slow vocabulary growth: <50 words or not producing 2 word phrases by 24 months | May use by 37- 40 months or older; scores will slightly underrepresent the child’s true ability (by 2-4 months) | | 19-24 months | By 24-27 months: 21 By 28-30 months: 132 | 2 word phrases by 28-30 months; using them frequently by 31 months | No English words by 24 months;<50 words by 28 months | May use by 37- 40 months or older, except tests those sensitive to syntax and grammar—children adopted at 19- 24 months still have delays in these areas. | | 25-30 months | By 26-27 months: 32 By 31-33 months: 79 By 37-40 months: 238 | By 26-27 months, sequencing words, frequent 2 word phrases | Slow vocab growth, not adding English words within first few weeks home, <50 words and/or no 2 word phrases by 31 months | English receptive and expressive delays continue through 40 months, cannot use tests in standardized manner at this age (3 ½ ) | Glennen and Masters (2002) . Typical and Atypical Language Development in Infants and Toddlers Adopted from Eastern Europe. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 11, 417-433. Appendix 8B Speech-Language Development Considerations for Parents Adopting Internationally Language development is a life-long process that begins before birth as hearing develops and continues through adulthood. Infants are born with the ability to acquire any human language, but research has shown that in infancy babies learn to respond to the sounds of the language(s) they are exposed to and to “tune out” sounds that are not meaningful in their language(s) . International adoption presents a unique language-learning situation where, in most cases, a child stops learning the birth language and takes on a new “first”(only) language. Speech-language research has begun to study the effects of this language“switch”. We know that children acquire English rapidly upon adoption, but lose functional use of the birth language even more rapidly. Therefore, there is a period of time when they do not have age-appropriate skills in either language. Also, children adopted internationally may have initially been raised in institutional settings where language experience and stimulation was not optimal, which has been shown to increase the risk of language and other developmental delays. The incidence of speech-language disorders among different groups of internationally adopted children cannot be accurately estimated at this time , but concerns about speech-language development are common. One survey of adoptive parents found that communication skills were the parent‟s primary concern one-year post adoption. Two other studies found that over 50% of internationally adopted children saw a speech-language pathologist for evaluation and 35% for treatment. The following comments and suggestions have been prepared by speech-language pathologists striving to understand the unique language-learning situation of internationally adopted children and how it impacts evaluation and treatment recommendations. Gather information in the birth country: While in your child‟s birth country, gather/record as much information as possible on skills in the birth language. Of course this will depend on the child‟s age, and the access you have to people who know your child. If available, this information can be helpful in the event that you have a concern later about the child‟s English language development. Ideas include: 􀂾 Take special note of any information given regarding hearing or ear infections 􀂾 Make a video or audio tape of your child interacting with a native speaker 􀂾 Ask a caretaker to write down words,

FAQs

What language indicators does Appendix 8A use to monitor early milestones after adoption?

It uses English vocabulary word counts, MLU (mean length of utterance), evidence of delays (such as slow vocabulary growth or lack of two-word phrases), and guidance on when standardized tests may be appropriate.

Why can standardized test scores underrepresent a child’s true ability at certain ages?

Appendix 8A notes that testing at around 37–40 months or older may slightly underrepresent true ability by about 2–4 months, affecting how results reflect actual performance.

What steps does Appendix 8B recommend for parents to support language development during the transition to English?

It recommends gathering information from the birth country, showing value for the birth language through phrases, music, books, and cultural interaction, and then supporting English learning with simple signs, imaginary play, appropriately mixed preschool groups, and careful use of language input during daily routines.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Hazel