A child at this more advanced level is becoming socially interactive. This usually occurs at 10-12 months. At this point, the child's vocalizations become more specific, and what we under-stand as speech begins to occur. Once the child exhibits most of the Conventional Intentional functions, speech should be emerging and concentration should be on imitation and social games. When the parents are ready to talk about a preschool class, or when the child is about to enter public school, it is necessary to assess whether the child has the skills which the classroom expects a child to have upon entry.
Expectations differ by type of program and geographical area.
Ideally, both the specialist and the parent will visit several possible places and discuss options. It is helpful to question the classroom teachers about what skills are absolutely necessary for the child's entry and what skills are part of the class curriculum. A good example for a child entering public school would be independent toileting skills. At this point, the Skills Inventory booklet becomes very important. The Readiness for Preschool Checklist and the School Readiness Checklist are designed to allow a quick survey of either the child's current skills or the program's required entry level skills.