Observe whether the child: able to follow a story without pictures or props.
What it looks like
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Emerging
Just starting
Can follow short parts of a familiar story without pictures, but attention and understanding drop without visual support; recall is limited to fragments.
What you might see
During an audio-only story, the child becomes distracted within a minute and cannot say what it was about.
When asked “What happened?” after a short spoken story, the child guesses randomly or changes the topic.
Requires repeated cues (“listen,” “look at me”) and still cannot answer a basic question about the story.
Follows the beginning of a familiar story without pictures but asks to see the book or loses attention partway through.
After an audio-only story, recalls one character name but not the main event.
Answers a question correctly only if the adult gives choices (e.g., “Was it a dog or a cat?”).
Expected
On track
Follows a short familiar story read aloud without pictures and can answer simple ‘who/what’ questions with minimal prompting.
What you might see
Listens to a short spoken story and answers “Who was it about?” correctly without seeing pictures.
After a familiar tale told from memory, can say one key event (“He went to the woods”) with a prompt.
Shows understanding by reacting at the right moment (laughs/gasps) even without visual cues.
Exceeding
Going further
Follows stories without pictures or props, showing understanding through relevant comments, questions, or accurate answers about key events.
What you might see
Listens to a new story told aloud and can answer a ‘what happened’ question with a relevant detail.
Makes a relevant comment during listening (e.g., “He shouldn’t do that”) that matches the plot.
Retells the main problem and solution of the story in simple terms without the book.
Retells a story with several events in sequence and includes key characters/settings without needing pictures.
Explains a character’s motive (“He did it because…”) based on the story information.
Maintains attention through a longer chapter or spoken narrative and later references it in play or conversation.
Try this at home
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
Bedtime (lights low): Tell a short story from memory (no book) and then ask “What happened at the end?” to check whether your child followed it.
Car/sofa: Play an audio story or tell a story while your child sits with a quiet fidget; notice if they can answer a simple question afterwards.
Daily recap: Describe a short sequence (“First we went…, then we…, then…”) and ask your child to tell it back in order.
After story: Ask one inference-style question (“Why did the character do that?”) and observe whether your child’s answer links to what they heard.
Shared storytelling: Start a story and pause (“Then the rabbit…”) and see if your child can add a plausible next event without seeing pictures.
Connected behaviours
Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.
The framework source and supporting developmental research.
Framework source
Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (2012), Communication and Language: Understanding.
Following a story without pictures/props is specified as an observable indicator of developing listening comprehension.
Developmental research
Baddeley, A. D., & Hitch, G. J. (1974). Working memory. In G. A. Bower (Ed.), The Psychology of Learning and Motivation (Vol. 8, pp. 47–89). Academic Press.
Tracking an unfolding narrative without visual support places demands on holding and updating verbal information over time.
Five-level rubric (detailed)ShowHide
The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.
Not Yet
Needs pictures, props, or constant prompting to follow a story; loses the thread quickly and shows little understanding of what is happening.
During an audio-only story, the child becomes distracted within a minute and cannot say what it was about.
When asked “What happened?” after a short spoken story, the child guesses randomly or changes the topic.
Requires repeated cues (“listen,” “look at me”) and still cannot answer a basic question about the story.
Emerging
Can follow short parts of a familiar story without pictures, but attention and understanding drop without visual support; recall is limited to fragments.
Follows the beginning of a familiar story without pictures but asks to see the book or loses attention partway through.
After an audio-only story, recalls one character name but not the main event.
Answers a question correctly only if the adult gives choices (e.g., “Was it a dog or a cat?”).
Developing
Follows a short familiar story read aloud without pictures and can answer simple ‘who/what’ questions with minimal prompting.
Listens to a short spoken story and answers “Who was it about?” correctly without seeing pictures.
After a familiar tale told from memory, can say one key event (“He went to the woods”) with a prompt.
Shows understanding by reacting at the right moment (laughs/gasps) even without visual cues.
Secure
Follows stories without pictures or props, showing understanding through relevant comments, questions, or accurate answers about key events.
Listens to a new story told aloud and can answer a ‘what happened’ question with a relevant detail.
Makes a relevant comment during listening (e.g., “He shouldn’t do that”) that matches the plot.
Retells the main problem and solution of the story in simple terms without the book.
Reflexive
Maintains understanding across longer narratives without visuals, infers meaning, and can retell or discuss events and characters coherently.
Retells a story with several events in sequence and includes key characters/settings without needing pictures.
Explains a character’s motive (“He did it because…”) based on the story information.
Maintains attention through a longer chapter or spoken narrative and later references it in play or conversation.
