Start here: how to work on speech sounds
1. Remember, speech is about communication. Every single sound doesn't have to be perfect all time in order to be fully intelligible and communicative.
2. Compliment the good sounds. Remember to consider all word positions when you're listening for sounds, for example, /s/ in "sea", "messy" & "pest" and "miss".
3. Practice for short intensive periods. For straight drill, set a timer for no more than 5-10 minutes. For other kinds of activities, like games or stories, decide & declare in advance which sound you are modeling, listening for, complimenting and correcting for the length of that activity. Then, when you're done with the activity, you should also be done with your sound work.
4. Use a mirror. You can't see the way you make every sound, but some sounds incorporate tongue tip movement or changes in the position of your lips, and for those the mirror is very helpful.
5. Drill for accuracy. When you elicit a good clear sound, that's when you want to get a lot of repetitions.
6. Tell & retell stories. Stories, even oral ones that aren't in books, are like scripts. That predictability makes them an excellent vehicle for practicing speech sounds within the context of complex sentences and emotional or exciting events. So find a good story and pick some words that you want to focus on, You might use a highlighter to mark words you want to work on or you could make a list. Practice them before your storytell, and then when you get to them in your story, slow down and make those words the best you can.
7. Memory game. The memory game, also called "concentration", is a great technique for practicing speech sounds. Simply make up some matched pairs of pictures of things that have your target sound; you can determine a good number of pairs based on the needs of the child you're working with. Review the target words. Put your cards face down, & then players take turns trying to find the matched pairs. You can only turn over 2 cards per turn, but you get an extra turn when you find a match. Say the name of each picture as you turn it over- that's the speech practice. Everyone playing has to say the target words- this provide a good model for the person who is struggling with the target sound. The person with the most pairs at the end of the game is the winner.
8. I Spy. This is a great game that also incorporates listening, social thinking and problem solving skills. The first player takes a turn looking around to find something they can see around them , something that has the target sound in it's name. That player gives a clue using this sentence "I spy something that_______________". The other player(s) make guesses, & the first player keeps giving clues until they get it.
9. I Hear. This game is just like "I Spy" but with sounds. As a variation, players can make sounds for each other to guess at.
10. Avoid a power struggle. Make it fun, but acknowledge it can take a lot of very hard work for someone to change their speech.
2. Compliment the good sounds. Remember to consider all word positions when you're listening for sounds, for example, /s/ in "sea", "messy" & "pest" and "miss".
3. Practice for short intensive periods. For straight drill, set a timer for no more than 5-10 minutes. For other kinds of activities, like games or stories, decide & declare in advance which sound you are modeling, listening for, complimenting and correcting for the length of that activity. Then, when you're done with the activity, you should also be done with your sound work.
4. Use a mirror. You can't see the way you make every sound, but some sounds incorporate tongue tip movement or changes in the position of your lips, and for those the mirror is very helpful.
5. Drill for accuracy. When you elicit a good clear sound, that's when you want to get a lot of repetitions.
6. Tell & retell stories. Stories, even oral ones that aren't in books, are like scripts. That predictability makes them an excellent vehicle for practicing speech sounds within the context of complex sentences and emotional or exciting events. So find a good story and pick some words that you want to focus on, You might use a highlighter to mark words you want to work on or you could make a list. Practice them before your storytell, and then when you get to them in your story, slow down and make those words the best you can.
7. Memory game. The memory game, also called "concentration", is a great technique for practicing speech sounds. Simply make up some matched pairs of pictures of things that have your target sound; you can determine a good number of pairs based on the needs of the child you're working with. Review the target words. Put your cards face down, & then players take turns trying to find the matched pairs. You can only turn over 2 cards per turn, but you get an extra turn when you find a match. Say the name of each picture as you turn it over- that's the speech practice. Everyone playing has to say the target words- this provide a good model for the person who is struggling with the target sound. The person with the most pairs at the end of the game is the winner.
8. I Spy. This is a great game that also incorporates listening, social thinking and problem solving skills. The first player takes a turn looking around to find something they can see around them , something that has the target sound in it's name. That player gives a clue using this sentence "I spy something that_______________". The other player(s) make guesses, & the first player keeps giving clues until they get it.
9. I Hear. This game is just like "I Spy" but with sounds. As a variation, players can make sounds for each other to guess at.
10. Avoid a power struggle. Make it fun, but acknowledge it can take a lot of very hard work for someone to change their speech.