ELG: Speaking
Criteria for the Speaking early learning goal (ELG)
As set out in the early years foundation stage statutory framework, children at the expected level of development for the Speaking ELG will:
- participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary
- offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate
- express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher
Key messages
The Speaking ELG:
- looks at whether a child can communicate effectively, offering and expressing their ideas and explanations clearly
- can be assessed in both English and British Sign Language (BSL)
- is foundational in enabling success across other ELGs
When you make judgements on the Speaking ELG, remember:
- children can meet the ELG even with minor grammatical errors, such saying ‘I drawed a picture’ instead of ‘I drew a picture’
- children can meet the ELG even with minor speech immaturities (on sounds like r, th and consonant clusters like sp and fr) – what’s important is that their speech can be understood
- you should use a range of evidence and different scenarios when assessing the ELG, including spontaneous conversations and role play
- children can meet the criteria through discussions with both adults and peers
This video illustrates examples of assessment practice. While it features real children in real school settings, their actual developmental levels may differ from what is shown, and some scenes include acting for demonstration purposes.
Transcript
Transcript
– It’s turning to a big monster.
– Oh my word, a pumpkin monster.
– Yeah. – An enormous pumpkin monster.
– Yeah.
The Speaking Early Learning Goal is about more than using correct grammar.
In some cases, grammar may not be fully formed at this young age.
It’s about children expressing themselves through language clearly, using full sentences and engaging in back-and-forth conversations.
This video focuses on assessing some aspects of the Speaking Early Learning Goal.
We use various activities to create a language-rich environment, which is essential for children to thrive in their communication and language development.
We are focusing on assessing one aspect of the speaking ELG, the ability to express ideas and feelings about experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses, and making use of conjunctions with modelling and support from their teacher.
We see children initiating ideas, responding to questions and using descriptive language.
– What did you get up to outside today?
– We runned really fast to the tree.
– You ran really fast to the tree?
Here, we are referring to Alexis, who says, “We runned really fast to the tree.”
Even when she says “runned,” she’s showing an understanding of past-tense structure, an important developmental milestone.
– What happened next?
– I builded a big tower.
– You built a big tower. What did it look like?
– It was tall, like a rocket. – Wow.
Alexis may not use every grammatical structure accurately, but she is clearly attempting to apply language rules and communicate effectively, meaning she could still meet the ELG for speaking.
Therefore, I would assess her as expected for this aspect of the Speaking ELG.
However, it’s important to remember that the speaking ELG is made up of multiple elements.
To make a secure overall judgement, we also need to consider how the child participates in discussions, uses recently introduced vocabulary, offers explanations and engages in conversational turn-taking.
We assess here whether the children communicate confidently in familiar situations, use talk to organise thinking and explain ideas, take turns in conversation and listen to others, and use new vocabulary in context.
– Five oranges. – Five oranges.
Now, let’s look at Zara, whose speaking skills are slightly less developed.
Zara listens well and engages socially with peers.
She responds to questions and participates in group activities, but her spoken language is often brief and lacks elaboration.
– I can’t see them.
– You can’t see them? – Yes.
– Why can’t you see them?
She uses some recently introduced vocabulary, but not consistently or spontaneously.
– Which one? I’m choosing…
– This.
– I’m choosing… – A train.
– A train.
When retelling a story or describing experiences, she tends to rely on adult prompts and rarely uses full sentences or conjunctions.
– What do you play with at home?
– My toys. – Your toys. Which toys do you play with?
– Lot.
Her use of past and future tense is emerging but not yet secure.
This is where assessment becomes more complex.
– Have you got a favourite toy?
– Yes. – What’s your favourite toy?
– My favourite toy… – My favourite toy
is a big teddy bear.
Zara shows many of the foundations of effective communication: confidence, engagement and emerging vocabulary, but doesn’t yet consistently express ideas in full sentences or explain her thinking clearly.
In this case, I would assess her as emerging for the speaking ELG.
She’s close to expected, and with continued modelling and language-rich experiences, she will consolidate these skills soon.
– Is it little? – No.
– Big? – No.
– Or enormous? – Enormous.
– Is it?
It’s important to share this during transition conversations so Year 1 teachers understand where the child is in their development and can continue to support expressive language through structured talk, storytelling and vocabulary-building activities.
Case studies
Jacob is working at the expected level
This judgement draws on observations in whole-class, small-group and independent play, plus information from parents, carers and wraparound staff. In class, Jacob speaks confidently, offering relevant ideas and explanations using age-appropriate vocabulary. In discussions linked to stories and non-fiction, he contributes clear reasons (“because…”, “so…”, “if…”) and can justify his thinking when questioned. He generally uses full sentences and connects ideas with common conjunctions. His speech is audible and expressive, and minor grammatical slips do not impede meaning.
Parents and wraparound staff report that Jacob shows consistent behaviours across contexts: he describes past events, explains preferences, asks and answers questions, and interacts confidently with unfamiliar adults and peers in structured and unstructured activities. Considering the whole picture, he consistently demonstrates the core elements of the Speaking ELG – participating in varied discussions, making explanations using recently taught vocabulary, and expressing ideas in full sentences with age-appropriate grammatical control (normal, minor errors). On a best-fit basis, the teacher judges that Jacob is at the expected level for the Speaking ELG.
Elena is working at the expected level
This judgement uses evidence from school and home. In school, Elena communicates reliably using gestures, facial expressions and other non‑verbal signals, and she follows routines and instructions. She rarely speaks in whole‑class situations and does not routinely use spoken English with adults. However, she whispers to a small number of trusted peers, using full sentences, initiating and responding appropriately in short exchanges during play. These interactions show that when she feels confident, she can use short sentences to negotiate and share ideas.
Parents report that at home she speaks confidently and fluently in full sentences, retells events and explains her thinking. Teachers also note brief glimpses of this at drop off and collection time. Taken together over time and across contexts, the evidence shows she can meet the Speaking ELG criteria independently. The school‑based presentation reflects a contextual barrier rather than a developmental delay.
Using best‑fit judgement against the ELG descriptors — participation in discussions, offering explanations using recently taught vocabulary, and expressing ideas in full sentences with appropriate grammatical features — the teacher judges Elena as at the expected level for the Speaking ELG. For Elena, it is vital that this context is shared with the year 1 teacher, so they can understand why she was assessed as expected.
Callum is working at an emerging level
This judgement draws on school observations and parental information about home‑language use. Callum is learning English as an additional language and currently has limited vocabulary in English. In school, he mainly communicates through gestures, facial expressions and single words or short phrases. He follows instructions and routines and joins shared activities using non‑verbal signals and emerging vocabulary.
Parents report that his home‑language speech is better. In unfamiliar social situations, he also uses single words or short phrases, but in others he uses full sentences and has meaningful conversations. In class, he attempts new vocabulary in songs and shared stories and is beginning to respond to simple questions with support. However, he does not yet use full sentences consistently, sustain back‑and‑forth exchanges, or explain ideas independently. As the Communication and Language ELGs (including Speaking) must be judged in English or BSL, the current evidence does not meet the Speaking ELG descriptors. On a best‑fit basis, the teacher judges Callum as working at an emerging level, while recognising positive progress and the likelihood of further gains as his English develops.
George is working at an emerging level
This judgement is based on observations in school and information from parents and key adults. In school, George typically uses short two‑ or three‑word phrases rather than full sentences. He does not yet sustain back‑and‑forth conversation with adults or peers and is not able to explain ideas or reasoning. When prompted, he may attempt to contribute, but he finds it difficult to extend utterances or respond to follow‑up questions appropriately, and his participation in group talk is limited.
Across the observation period, these patterns are consistent. While staff provide opportunities for discussion in varied contexts (play, routines, guided activities), he does not yet demonstrate the level of independent, sentence‑level expression or the explanatory language using recently taught vocabulary described in the Speaking ELG. Because of this, professional judgement currently indicates he is working at an emerging level. Next steps, shared with the year 1 teacher, focus on expanding phrase length towards full sentences, modelling conjunctions during meaningful activities, developing his vocabulary and increasing supported opportunities for turn‑taking and explanation over time.