What Everyone Needs to Know About Articulation Disorders: Exploring the Sound /R/
This week, we are taking a fresh and in-depth look at articulation disorders in children, including trying to decipher what is fact, fiction and frankly what you need to know about articulation disorders in relation to normal speech development milestones. As we drill down into the nitty gritty of articulation disorders, today we are choosing to focus on pronouncing the sound of /R/.
What is an Articulation Disorder?
This week, we are taking a fresh and in-depth look at articulation disorders in children, including trying to decipher what is fact, fiction and frankly what you need to know about articulation disorders in relation to normal speech development milestones.
What Are Some Common Articulation Disorders? Image Courtesy of Gillberg Centre.
Speech and language articulation is the process by which a person forms words. This is done with different parts of the mouth, jaw, tongue, lips, palate and teeth. A child is considered to have an articulation disorder is if he or she is unable to produce the right sounds to communicate clearly and effectively. Articulation disorders are generally characterized by substituting one sound for another (wide for ride), omitting a particular sound (ban for band) or distorting a sound (sip for ship). Young children often make speech errors, however if these continue past a certain age, they are considered articulation disorders. Children by the age of 8 should be able to produce all sounds in English correctly.
The last thing a kinesthetic learner probably wants to do is sit at one more desk, listening to and responding to one more set of directions. These learners thrive on active participation, with the more moving body parts required, the better! Get ready to leave the chair and desk behind and try these inexpensive and easy activities to improve articulation in kinesthetic learners. Continue reading
Articulation and phonological disorders are common forms of speech challenges that children face. Speech therapy techniques depend on the specific type of disorder and sound challenge, and games for kids with articulation disorders or phonological delays can help to bring the fun into the work part of therapy. There are great books to help kids who are struggling with articulation disorders, and the following games can get them moving and learning at the same time. Continue reading
Image Courtesy of slc.cambridgeshire.nhs.uk
Walking, talking, and learning to read are just some of the major milestones that parents look forward to watching their children achieve. Sometimes, however, children show signs of struggle in any of these areas and parents are left worrying and wondering if it is just a phase or something more. If your child appears to struggle with communication, you might be one of many parents who wonder: Will my child outgrow his speech impediment? Continue reading
Source: boyohboycrafts.com
Summer is a great time for fun in the sun, splashing in the pool and, articulation? Don’t let the downtime set your child back; encourage them to continue maintaining their target speech sounds with great at-home activities. Even if you’re not signing up for formal training with the Speech Buddy Kick Start summer event, speech therapy at home is each to achieve. Sometimes it can take a little planning while at other times it can happen spontaneously- like deciding to write articulation targets or sounds in sidewalk chalk (above). Here are some easy articulation activities to try. Continue reading
Source: quickmeme.com
Children often have social studies, spelling or math homework on a daily, if not weekly basis. Why? Because educators know the importance of reinforcing difficult concepts outside of the classroom is just as important as inside. Further, this can help involve parents in the process. Speech therapy should be thought of similarly. Although a specific skill might be taught in a structured lesson during the day doesn’t mean it can’t be reinforced outside of therapy as well. “Homework” might not be graded but the idea is the same; children should take home speech sound targets or techniques for activities at home not only to improve but to involve parents in as well.
Nothing says childhood like a good game of Candyland. But what if you could also use great childhood games in speech therapy? Just like the modifications and creative uses of Angry Birdswe wrote about last week, classic games can be cleverly engineered for articulation. Modifying might mean changing the way the game is played or the pieces used to do it. The nature/goal of each game does not need to change too much in order to keep it fun and interesting and lowers your budget for speech therapy materials and if you’re a recent grad struggling with student loan debt , the last thing you can afford is expensive materials. Instead, use what you already have. Games for articulation therapy are easy to create and fun to play.
Source: eltexperiences.com
You might remember the phrase, “Sally sells sea shells by the sea shore.” To some it’s a silly tongue twister, but to a speech therapist it’s a classic example of using silly sentences to stimulate language and articulation targets in speech therapy. These sentences are usually made up, use alliteration (using the same sound or letter to start every word), rhyming words or use made up characters in crazy situations. They usually involve a character (Mateo the matador), an action (makes millions on macaroni museums) and a location (in Madrid). Silly isn’t just for laughs, silly can be fun and functional in speech therapy.
