Specific Phoneme Techniques

Question 1

Teaching /k/ and /g/

Answer 1

• Dorsum of tongue must raise to contact soft palate and form a seal blocking off the air stream
• The back of the tongue must suddenly pull away from the velum to create a burst of air
• if child fronts, hold down tongue tip
• place hands under child’s chin, push up
• use a mirror, have them imitate you
• demonstrate aspiration
• put marshmellow cream on child’s soft palate, have them get it with the middle of their tongue
• have them say /iiiiii/, raise tongue to contact soft palate, make burst of air
• shape /k,g/ from prolonged -ng sound

Question 2

Teaching /s/ and /z/

Answer 2

• animal sound analogies /s/ snake, /z/ bee sound
• Frontal Lisp: teeth not together, tongue not between teeth, may have open bite
• Interdental Lisp: tongue tip protruded between upper and lower central incisors (Mr. Mouth helpful)
• Lateral Lisp: tongue tip touching alveolar ridge, air forced laterally. Hard to fix this one.
• strongly aspirate the /t/
• use bite block
• shape it from words that end in /ts/
• use a mirror
• close teeth, initiate the /s/
• Smile, keep teeth behind the white gate
• Draw /s/ during production

Question 3

Teaching /l/

Answer 3

• one of the most common errors in children
• tell kids about the “magic spot” = alveolar ridge
• use tongue depressor to touch their alveolar ridge
• Use a mirror
• Edible (non-chokable) holding on their alveola ridge with their tongue tip
• Make sure they are not rounding their lips, have them smile
• Tongue clicks
• use /t, d, n/ as articulatory contexts

Question 4

Teaching /th/

Answer 4

• very common to substitute /f/ for /th/
• use a mirror
• Mr. Mouth
• tell child to open teeth slightly
• tongue tip must protrude between the upper and lower central incisors
• if tongue too far out, hold tongue depressor in front of mouth that they need to stay behind
• shape from prolonged /h/ = voiceless fricatives

Question 5

Teaching /r/

Answer 5

• so hard!
• requires precision and muscle strength
• use oral motor techniques
• have them practice /k-k-k-k-k/ as fast as possible
• prolong /k/ or /g/ or -ng
• use auditory bombardment
• link /r/ to print
• teach vocalic /r/ before consonantal /r/, save blends for later
• shape from /i/ eeeeeeeeear.
• PROMPT -put fist under child’s chin and push upward to elevate tongue
• Lots of practice!!