Meet Goose! He is in training to become my certified therapy dog. We are learning together and looking forward to a new adventure! Be sure to follow along on our Facebook & Instagram.
The /r/ sound has a reputation among SLPs for being hard to teach. One reason for this is it can be produced with two different tongue positions: bunched or retroflex. Even within these two tongue shapes, there can be variations from person to person. The /r/ sound is dynamic!
So how do you know which tongue position to focus on in therapy? My general advice is to try both and go with what seems more comfortable to the student.
Start by teaching anatomy and explaining that there are two main tongue shapes for producing the R sound. You can show themthis video that explains it. Provide visuals, and use play-doh to mold tongues into each shape to make sure they understand the difference.
Then, have them attempt production with both bunched and retroflex positions. If they can produce a closer approximation with a particular tongue shape, focus on that during your sessions!
What if they aren’t able to produce an approximation with either tongue shape?
Try shaping from an existing sounds. Try having them slide their tongue from /l/ to retroflex /r/. Also try having them pull their tongue back from /sh/ to bunched /r/. If they have some success with either of those, you can select target words that facilitate correct production. For example, words like color, fuller, smaller, or sailor facilitate the L → R slide for retroflex. Words like shrink, shred, or shrimp facilitate elevation of back lateral tongue margins for bunched R.
When in doubt, I typically go with bunched R. It seems to be more common, and anecdotally I find it easier to carryover to conversational speech. I am in a Facebook group of SLPs dedicated to the R sound, and a poll in that group revealed that 73% of respondents (105 out of 144 total responses) exclusively produce bunched R at the date of this writing. So if a student isn’t having much success with either position early on in therapy, I tend to focus on bunched.
Whether you love the /r/ sound or hate it, I’m sure you’ll appreciate these bunched and retroflex posters. They not only clearly show the step-by-step process of how to say the R sound, they are a cheerful way to decorate your therapy room!
If you need a workbook packed full of R sound instructions and activities, I know you’ll love this book titled I Can Say the R Sound.
Xoxo,
Meredith
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]]>I’m always telling my students to pull their tongue back, bunch it up, and make it tight. But what if they don’t quite understand that tension piece? Here are some ways to teach it that have worked for me over the years.
]]>I’m always telling my students to pull their tongue back, bunch it up, and make it tight. But what if they don’t quite understand that tension piece?
Here are some ways to teach it that have worked for me over the years:
So there you have it! Five ways to help your student increase tongue tension for that tricky R sound.
Need more help with the R sound? I’ve got you. I wrote a whole workbook for teaching the R sound that I swear by called I Can Say the R Sound!
I also have step-by-step videos for bunched and retroflexed R that have been incredibly helpful. So be sure to check those out!
❤︎ Meredith
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When a child has been producing an error sound for years, they have an idea in their head about how a sound is produced. Their production has become habitual. So, when you tell them, “Say the R sound!” they might automatically say, “uhh” or /w/ instead - even if you know they are capable of accurate production. So what can be done to make this easier for the child and the clinician? Reframe the sound.
Reframing is the practice of shifting your thoughts about something, to see something from a different perspective. We can apply that to speech therapy by changing how our students think about a sound. Instead of telling them “We are going to say the R sound”, we can reframe the activity to “We are going to make the tight sound” or “We are going to make the wide tongue sound” or “We are going to make the taco tongue sound”. By thinking of the sound a different way, our students might have an easier time producing it accurately. We rename to reframe!
I’ve done this for years, particularly when a child is lateralizing the /s/ sound. I’ve always said “Let’s practice the Stretchy T” to help them achieve forward airflow. I’ve got a video about Stretchy T you can watch here. The whole video features reframing, and only at the end do I reveal that Stretchy T is actually an S.
So how do we do this for the R sound? First, decide what you’re going to call the R sound. For bunched R, I like saying the Wide Tongue Sound, Strong Sound, Hiding Turtle Sound, Jelly Bean Sound or the Taco Tongue Sound. For retroflex R, I like saying the Sliding Sound, the Backward Sound or the Curly L Sound.
Tell your student something like “Today we aren’t going to work on the R sound. We are going to work on a new sound called _______.” Then, give specific placement instructions for the R sound. Be careful not to mention “R” at all during this time. Here are some examples of what you might say instead:
Lift the back sides of your tongue up. Touch the insides of your back teeth. With the sides up there will be a groove down the center. Like a taco shell for your taco sound!
With the sides of your tongue up, press them out against the insides of your back teeth. Make your tongue wide for your wide sound.
Slide your tongue tip back. Sliding and curling back with your voice on for your sliding sound.
Pull your tongue back in your mouth like a turtle pulls his head into his shell. When it’s back there, make it tight and turn on your voice for the hiding turtle sound.
The child is now focusing on the directions for their new sound and not thinking about the old way they used to say R.
Practice this “new sound” a bunch. I typically practice in isolation or syllables for a couple sessions until my student is pretty confident with it. Practice it until it becomes more natural and automatic to them.
Then you can say, “Let’s make some words using that turtle sound and see what it sounds like.” Then, you can comment, “Hmmm, our hiding turtle sound is pretty similar to the R sound isn’t it? It looks like you CAN say the R sound!”
Reframing might not be necessary for every student. I have over a decade of experience teaching R to little ones and most of them were able to achieve R without reframing. However, for the ones who were frustrated, discouraged, or just needed a fresh perspective, this has been an extremely effective and useful method.
Be sure to watch my video about reframing the R sound and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more tips and information about R and other speech sounds. Also be sure to follow me on Instagram @thepeachiespeechie for daily SLP stuff.
Xoxo,
Meredith
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]]>Of all the sessions I had in my 10+ years as a school based speech-language pathologist, my favorites were always the articulation and phonology groups. And the R sound is my favorite.
SLPs often ask me to recommend materials for teaching the R sound. So here is a list! If you know someone who could benefit from this list, please share it!
Other materials you’ll want to have on hand: Mouth Model for Speech Therapy. I love mouth models. In fact, I collect them. I’ve got a blog post all about the different mouth models and recommendations for which ones you should choose. Read that here.
Tongue Dough! Well, any type of play dough will work for crafting tongues, but I have a special tongue dough recipe that I highly recommend. Find that and directions on how to make a play dough tongue here.
Tongue Depressors. I get flavored ones, but any kind can work. These are great for doing the “Stick Trick for R”. If you want to get fancy, I love the Throat Scope light-up tongue depressor. It really helps students see inside their mouths.
Lollipops. Lollipops can be rubbed along the back lateral margins of the tongue and the “tongue bracing spots” to increase awareness and assist in lateral bracing for the R sound. Dum-Dums work well, and so do “push pop” lollipops. Watch my Reel video of this in action here. Stress Balls or balloons filled with flour to help teach tension. I’ve found sometimes it can help with tongue root retraction and tension to have students squeeze something and pull back with their hand as they practice.
Fun R Sound Posters. Functional decor! Posters for bunched and retroflex R position look cheerful on your speech room wall and also explain tongue placement. Win win!
If you have any additional questions about the R sound, I’m here to help! Email me at meredith@peachiespeechie.com
Xoxox,
Meredith
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]]>If you’re shopping for a speech-language pathologist (SLP), you’ve come to the right place. I’m an SLP with over a decade of experience and I’ve got a list of 10 amazing gifts for the special speech therapist in your life. Let’s get started!
And there you have it. The best gifts for the special SLP in your life! Happy shopping!
Thanks for reading the Peachie Speechie blog! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page so we can keep in touch. 💌
]]>
The holiday season is here and SLPs everywhere are just trying to make it to Christmas break. Let me save you a little planning time with these festive downloadable activities.
I hope these print-and-go activities make your winter speech sessions easy, festive, and fun. Enjoy!
Xoxo,
Meredith
Thanks for reading the Peachie Speechie blog! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page so we can keep in touch. 💌
]]>October is here and I’ve got a list of festive activities for your speech therapy sessions! I hope you like these suggestions for a festive, spooky October in speech therapy!
]]>
I hope you like these suggestions for a festive, spooky October in speech therapy! Be sure to follow me on Instagram @thepeachiespeechie and tag me if you post any of these - I’d love to see them in use!
Xoxo,
Meredith
Thanks for reading the Peachie Speechie blog! Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page so we can keep in touch. 💌
]]>I got my skulls at Target. One of them came on a life-sized skeleton that I display at my house on Halloween. The other was an individual prop for only $5 in the decor section.
I hope you like my idea! If you do this in your speech room and post about it, tag me @thepeachiespeechie so I can see! Enjoy those fall themed sessions, friends!
Xoxo,
Meredith
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September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. As an SLP and R sound enthusiast, we celebrate big in my speech room. In fact, I used to make the entire month of September pirate themed! Here is a list of fun activities you can use in your speech room this month or any month. Because let's face it, anytime is a good time for SLPs to work on saying ARRR!
1. Say ARRR: Talk Like a Pirate workbook for eliciting vocalic AR. Arrr you ready to tackle the R sound? This workbook is designed specifically to help you elicit vocalic R (the AR context) with a fun pirate theme. It systematically takes your students from production of the “ahh” sound to the R sound with professional illustrations, simple instructions, and motivating activities. This book is available as an ebook or published paperback.
2. FREE Video for how to say ARR! Watch this free video with your students during their therapy session or send the link home for additional practice. It takes you step-by-step through how to make a perfect pirate ARR sound.
3. FREE Pirate Clues Early Inferencing Activity. Read the clues and have your students color the picture that corresponds to the correct answer. Fun, simple, and on-theme!
4. Pirate Treasure Maps for Articulation Practice. Make a fun treasure map full of your practice words! Available for many different speech sounds, so perfect for your articulation groups! Print and go and then send home for additional practice!
5. Pirate's Booty Speech for Articulation Therapy: Grab a dot-marker and get ready for fun! This speech sound activity has 30 target words, so have your students say each one 3x before dotting, and you'll get 90 trials in a session!
6. Pirate Language Activities for Answering WH questions: Target listening comprehension, inferencing, vocabulary, and more with this no-prep language pack.
7. FREE 100 Trial Pirate Treasure Challenge. Get 100 trials with this open-ended sheet!
If you want to get really into the pirate theme, be sure you check out our pirate themed mug and tee as well!
Xoxo,
Meredith
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]]>Dwight is right. The R sound can be menacing! But trust me, you can learn to love the challenge of treating R errors as much as I do! In this blog post, I’m going to share my general outline for R therapy and some of the resources you can use to make it a successful experience.
First things first: When should you start treating the R sound? Age 5. Yes, I know that is kindergarten. Yes, I know they are very young. Yes, I still believe that this is a good time to start working on the R sound, and research shows that most kids have acquired it by this age (McLeod & Crowe, 2018).
Okay, here we go! You’ve done a thorough evaluation including an oral mechanism exam and you’re ready to start therapy. Here are the steps I take to successfully elicit an R sound. These are just general steps.
If you want a comprehensive workbook for R therapy, check out I Can Say the R Sound.
Anatomy Lessons. Don’t skim over this. I usually spend at least two full sessions on anatomy. Teach the parts of the mouth including the teeth, alveolar ridge, soft palate, hard palate, tongue (tip, blade, back and sides), and jaw. Use multiple different visuals.
This is also the time to talk about TENSION! It’s not enough to put your tongue in the right spot. You need it to be tense. I like using flour filled balloons to teach tension. Click to watch my video on how to do that. Other ways to illustrate tension are by pulling a rubber band, grabbing the seat of your chair while sitting and pulling up on it, or squeezing a squishy toy while you practice.
Elicitation. Now that your student knows their anatomy and knows how the tongue needs to move, it’s time to start working on eliciting that R! If verbal placement instructions with modeling and prompting isn’t cutting it, don’t worry. There are a ton of tricks to elicit the R. This is honestly my favorite part of the process. Working to get that first clear, crisp, perfect R sound. You can use tools such as dental flossers, lollipops, or tongue depressors to provide added support. You can shape from other sounds. You can use tactile cues. Detailed explanations and instructions for all of these elicitation techniques are found in my workbook, I Can Say the R Sound.
Drill Drill Drill. Once you elicit an R, start drilling! Maybe there is one word or context that they can get a clear R in. Go with it! Practice it over and over and then use their accurate productions to help them get in other contexts. For example, if they have a pretty good initial R, use coarticulation to help them achieve a clear final vocalic R!
Moving on. Once you move from words to phrases to sentences it is time to focus on carryover skills! Oral reading, oral presentations, and connected speech activities that also address language skills such as comparing and contrasting, describing, and creative writing/drawing are my favorite things to do for carryover practice.
If you have a student who has been working on the R sound for some time with little success, try getting back to basics. Review anatomy again, focus on tongue movement and tension. Perhaps they aren’t ready for drilling yet.
The R can be a menacing sound, but you can do this! You are an amazing, skilled SLP and I believe in you! Be sure to check out my videos and workbook. I hope they make the challenge of teaching R a little easier for you.
❤︎ Meredith
If you're interested in a printed version of I Can Say the R Sound, you can purchase it on Amazon here.
One more thing! You can use the code DWIGHT to get 10% off the mug pictured at the beginning of this post.
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If you do articulation therapy, you need a mouth model! I have been an SLP for over a decade and I’ve been collecting mouth models since day one. So which models are the best? How can you effectively use them in therapy? I’m here to share my collection and recommendations with you! I’ve got links to all the models I’ve purchased, so you can just click on the images below to buy your own!
]]>If you do articulation therapy, you need a mouth model! I have been an SLP for over a decade and I’ve been collecting mouth models since day one. Not only is it one of my most-used items in therapy, my mouth model looks fun displayed on a shelf and is an excellent conversation starter.
So which models are the best? How can you effectively use them in therapy? I’m here to share my collection and recommendations with you! I’ve got affiliate links to all the models I’ve purchased, so you can just click on the images at the end of this post to buy your own! You'll see a list with links at the bottom of the page.
I made a video about my mouth models in 2019, but since then I’ve actually purchased a few more and have new feelings about them so I wrote this post and plan on making an updated video as well.
A note about mouth puppets: I used to use the puppet-style mouths, but I don’t anymore. They are tricky to move and challenging to properly clean. I talked about them in my first video, but no longer use or recommend them. I have had more success teaching tongue placement with the other models I mention below.
For this post, I’m dividing my mouth collection into three categories: Giant Mouths, Smaller Mouths, and Budget-Friendly Mouths! I’ve also numbered them and you can click on the mouth images below to purchase them on Amazon.
GIANT MOUTH MODELS
After years of using puppets, I bought my first giant mouth model (Mouth #1) in 2016 and it was a game changer. This beauty is big, opens wide, and is great for teaching placement. I love the calm pink color and clearly defined alveolar ridge. You’ll see this one makes an appearance in most of my speech sound videos! This one is my most used for in-person therapy, and can be purchased here. It’s important to note that while I love this mouth, it does not come with a tongue! I wear a pink glove and use my hand as a tongue, so it’s not a big deal. But if you want a tongue, read on!
Giant Mouth Models With Tongues
Mouths #2 and #3 are similar in size to the first one I bought and they have tongues! They almost look like they could have been made with the same mold! The main difference is the coloring. Mouth #2 (Ultrassist) features a lighter colored tongue and brighter pink gums. Mouth #3 (Evotech) has lighter, bubble-gum pink gums and a darker tongue. Mouth #3 is a teeny tiny bit smaller, but it’s hardly noticeable. They both open and close smoothly, come with toothbrushes, and seem to be very high quality. The tongues come attached to the floor of the mouth with a single screw that can be easily removed. I used both of these during teletherapy sessions and the bright colors showed up well on the screen. The alveolar ridges aren’t as clearly defined, but can still be seen. These are both excellent choices
A while back, I got Mouth #4 (SMKF) - it was actually my first mouth model with a tongue! It was okay, but made an annoying creaking sound whenever I opened or closed it. While it was a great size and worked fine during sessions, I prefer the #2 and #3 models listed above because they are smooth and quiet. This one is still a fine model and I used it with success during many sessions, so if you don’t mind a little creaking - go for it!
Mouth #5 is the only giant mouth model I definitely do not recommend! It looks nice when you first take it out of the box, but it has issues. The tongue was sticky and the paint/wax on it got smudged on everything! The mouth model teeth were covered in smudges, my fingers got all stained and sticky.
SMALLER MOUTH MODELS
So far, I’ve only talked about giant mouth models! Let’s talk about smaller options!
Mouth #6 (Kouber Science) is 4x5x7 inches and comes with a tongue. It is great for using play-dough to make your own tongue, since the mouth is smaller and you only need one can of play-dough to get the job done. The bigger mouths require multiple cans to make a proportionate tongue. This one is high quality and I like it a lot. If you don’t mind not being able to stick your whole hand in the mouth, this might be a great option for you!
There is also Mouth #7 (DentalMall), which is even smaller. This one can sit in the palm of your hand. It was designed to teach children how to floss, so the teeth are spaced apart more than other models. It does not come with a tongue. If you use play-dough with this model, it is likely to get stuck between the teeth, but you can let your students floss it out with dental floss which might add a little extra fun to your session! You can turn the metal piece to tighten the mouth and hold it open in a position of your choosing. Mouth #7 also falls into the next category of budget friendly mouths! If you would like this mouth with braces, click here! Also, check out these realistic tongue models that fit inside mouth #7.
BUDGET FRIENDLY MOUTHS
Don’t feel like spending much money on a mouth model right now? I totally understand! I’ve got some awesome, budget-friendly models that are all under $15. These mouths can be effective for teaching tongue placement and I have enjoyed each of them!
First up, Mouth #7 that I mentioned above was only $13 when I bought it!
Next we have this small plastic mouth model I snagged in the Target Dollar Spot a few years ago! We’ll label this one Mouth #8. It came as part of a little toy dentist kit. Sadly, I haven’t seen them at Target for a while. No worries, though, I found the kit on Amazon by a company called LBZE for $10. (Update: This one is no longer available.) It comes with some little tools. There is no removable tongue (just a molded tongue on the bottom of the mouth) so I use play-dough as my tongue. To watch me teach the R sound using this very mouth model, check out my video here!
Last but not least, I present to you a Paper Mouth Model (Mouth #9)! Why would you want a paper mouth model? Well, it’s super inexpensive (only $5), you can download it immediately, make multiple copies for your students, draw on them, laminate them and use them with play-dough, and send them home for practice! If you do group therapy and want each child to have their own model during a session, the paper mouth model is a budget friendly way to achieve that. This paper model is already included in my book, I Can Say the R Sound. So if you have that book you already own this one!
I hope this post helps you find the perfect mouth model for your therapy room!
Xoxo,
Meredith
P.S. Looking for a lip model for bilabials? Click here!
MOUTH MODEL | LINKED IMAGES |
#1. My favorite mouth model without a tongue | |
#2. My favorite mouth model with a tongue | |
#3. Another great big mouth with a tongue | |
#4. A good mouth model, but it makes creaking sounds when I open and close it | |
#5. My least favorite, I do not recommend it | |
#6. A great smaller mouth model with a tongue | |
#7. A very small mouth without a tongue, only $14 Also, check out these realistic tongue models that fit inside mouth #7. |
|
#8. A fun plastic toy mouth, comes with a dental kit. (Update: This one is no longer available.) | |
#9. Paper mouth model! Easy to email and send home to parents. A fun craft. Only $5 |
May is Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM)! This is the perfect time for speech-language pathologists to increase awareness about our profession and scope of practice. Sure, we could make a powerpoint and present it at the next faculty meeting but we are more creative than that! Instead of just providing information, what if we make them ask questions? What if we leave them curious about our profession and eager to learn more about it? That leads me my list of 5 silly ways school-based SLPs can increase awareness during BHSM.
When your coworkers ask you about these crazy things you’ve done, that is your opportunity to teach them about what you do! Engage in a discussion about the importance of our job and the variety of areas we are trained in. Because let’s face it – nobody wants to stay after school and read a powerpoint.
Disclaimer: Don’t worry work-friends, I won’t actually mess with the coffee. 😉
If you get any fun photos, be sure to tag me on Instagram! @ThePeachieSpeechie
❤︎ Meredith
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]]>So what causes this? And how do you correct it?
Well, let’s start by looking at what happens in the mouth when you produce an accurate S sound and compare that to what happens when you produce a lateral S.
When you say an accurate S, the blade of your tongue lifts so it almost touches the alveolar ridge. The lateral margins (sides) of your tongue lift up to gently touch the insides of your teeth. A groove runs down the center of your tongue and air flows down that midline groove, straight out of your mouth. Air can’t escape out the sides of your mouth because the sides of your tongue are up. This creates a clear S sound.
A lateral S is produced differently. The middle of the tongue is elevated and the sides of the tongue are lowered for production of a lateral S. This allows air to escape over the sides of your tongue, toward your cheeks. This lateral airflow is often described as sounding slushy, mushy, wet, or spitty.
Some people also have jaw sliding in addition to incorrect tongue placement and airflow direction. When their jaw moves to the side, air escapes out the side, resulting in lateral production.
To correct a lateral S, I teach proper tongue placement and airflow. If jaw sliding is present, I use a bite block to help with jaw stabilization.
My favorite method for teaching tongue placement and airflow is the Stretchy T Method. This is basically shaping the T sound into an accurate S sound.
Stretchy T Method
Why does the Stretchy T Method work?
This method works because it gets the tongue into the correct position and directs airflow down the midline groove in the tongue instead of over the sides and into the cheeks. In order to have success with this method, your student will need to be able to produce a clear and accurate T sound. If they don’t have that sound in their repertoire, work on it first. I’ve got a video to help you teach the T sound here.
Bite Block for Jaw Stabilization
If your student has jaw sliding, you can place a bite block between their molars to help them stabilize their jaw during practice.
General Tips for Treatment of Lateral S
Helpful Resources
Be sure to check out my huge collection of Speech Therapy Videos on YouTube! Tons of child-friendly explanations for different sounds and tips for SLPs, too!
Follow me on Instagram @ThePeachieSpeechie for daily speech therapy posts.
❤︎ Meredith
Thanks for reading the Peachie Speechie blog! Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page so we can keep in touch. 💌
]]>Chaining is a treatment approach during which you build on pre-trained sounds, gradually increasing the complexity of speech movements. For example, your students would say:
The targets in this example are “chained”, building on the base utterance, “ray”. The complexity of the speech movements and length of utterance increases as you move through the chain.
Speech motor chaining takes the principles of motor learning into consideration and has resulted in successful acquisition of target speech patterns and generalization to untrained words (Preston, Leece & Storto, 2019).
If you want to read more, here's an article: Speech Motor Chaining Treatment for School-Age Children With Speech Sound Disorders.
You know that I like to have eye-catching materials for these things, so I wrote a workbook that has over 300 chains for the R sound! This makes it easy to structure your sessions! Each chain follows this pattern:
You’ll want your student to find success at one level for 5-6 trials before moving on to the next utterance in the chain.
To see a video preview of this workbook, click here.
You can download the R Sound Chaining workbook here. And if you need more ideas for treating that tricky R sound, check out my free video library and my list of additional materials for success in your speech room!
Xoxo,
Meredith
Thanks for reading the Peachie Speechie blog! Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page so we can keep in touch. 💌
]]>You can hold it up to your mouth as you model the speech sounds for your students. Then, have them hold it up to their own mouth in the mirror to see their articulators move into place.
It super-sizes their view of your mouth, and this light-up version gives them an extra clear view. It’s also just hilarious to watch each other talk with giant magnified mouths. Go ahead, try it! I dare you not to laugh.
You can also use magnifying glasses to find speech words on worksheets, in story books, or around the room.
I started using magnifying glasses in speech way back in 2015. I even made a set of worksheets with teeny tiny speech words that my students had to find and read before practicing in the mirror. So, it has been an activity I’ve come back to year after year and it’s always a hit.
Click here to get your own glowing magnifying glass.
Enjoy!
Meredith
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]]>The one I’m sharing today is designed to help students who substitute /sh/ for /ch/. For example, they say ship instead of chip. The CH sound is an affricate, so you might hear SLPs calling this error pattern deaffrication.
Let’s take a closer look at what is happening during this sound substitution. Basically, the student is removing the “stop feature” of the CH sound and turning into an SH. The lateral margins of the tongue are lifted, which is great, but the tip of the tongue isn’t lifting up to the alveolar ridge, so pressure isn’t building for that explosive CH sound.
When I teach the CH sound, I call it a “burst of air”. It can be difficult for students to visualize this, and that’s where the water bottle comes in. I explain to the students that the SH sound is long and continuous, but the CH sound is a quick burst. I grab my water bottle and spray it, so they can see the burst of air (and water mist) puff out.
Tips for Teaching CH
When you are working on affricate sounds, CH and J, you may also want my workbook, I Can Say the CH and J Sounds. This workbook is designed for SLPs to use during therapy sessions. It has elicitation techniques and practice pages to help guide you as you work with your students. It even includes a page for using a water bottle as mentioned above.
Best of luck with your speech sessions!
Xoxo,
Meredith
Thanks for reading the Peachie Speechie blog! Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page so we can keep in touch. 💌
]]>How to do the Stick Trick for R
Why this works
Does it work for every single kid? Nope. Have I found some success with it? Yep. :) If you’re struggling with the R sound, the stick trick might be worth a try! Let me know how it goes!
Oh, and if you want to see a video of me doing the Stick Trick with a child, click here.
Need more materials and ideas for R? Check out this blog post and my free speech sound video library.
Xoxox,
Meredith
Thanks for reading the Peachie Speechie blog! Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page so we can keep in touch. 💌
The R sound can be challenging to correct, but visuals help! And play dough tongues are some of the best visuals I’ve used.
What makes play dough tongues helpful?
One of the reasons the R sound is tricky is because it is hard to see what your tongue is doing in your mouth when you produce it. If a child can see the tongue shape and feel it with their hands, it can help them understand what I’m telling them to do with their own tongue.
How do I use play dough tongues to teach my students the R sound?
First, you will want to teach them the two main tongue shapes for production of the R sound: Bunched and Retroflex. You can play this video to show them the difference between the two shapes.
Next, you can give them some dough and make tongues together! I recommend watching this step-by-step video on how to make a realistic bunched or retroflex shape out of the dough. You can have your student follow along with the directions in the video.
Once they’ve made their tongue, you can ask them to look in a mirror and try to make their own tongue match the shape of the dough tongue. You can provide verbal prompts such as “make your tongue tight” and “Keep the back sides of your tongue up” while you practice. You can also place the dough tongue in a plastic mouth model to assist in showing placement.
Make it extra fun with TONGUE DOUGH!
I have a recipe for a special play dough that I call TONGUE DOUGH! This tongue dough is easy to make, smells great, and looks a lot like a real tongue. When I was working as a school-based speech-language pathologist, I would make this frequently for my students. Here’s the recipe. If you make it, I’d love for you to post a picture of your tongue and tag me on Instagram @thepeachiespeechie ! I always love seeing what other SLPs and students make. If you want a pretty, printable version of the recipe, just download it here.
Peachie Speechie’s Tongue Dough Recipe
Ingredients:
Directions:
*Important note: If you think your students might eat the tongue dough, use vegetable oil instead of baby oil.
How to make hard, reusable tongue models
While I typically use soft tongue dough with my students to show movement, I have also created firm, reusable “tongue models” to go with my mouth models. I used Model Magic clay, which dries and hardens, keeping its shape. Then, I painted the tongue models pink and added a light coat of Modge Podge. The result was these lovely tongues that I can pull out as visuals anytime! Students can feel the tongue shape without worrying about squishing it or messing it up. I also hold them up to my mouth when I’m teaching the sound to make it easier for them to visualize what’s happening with my tongue.
More resources for the R sound
If you’re looking for even more resources to help you teach the R sound, I’ve got you covered! I have a FREE R Sound Toolkit you can download here. This toolkit gives you some basic visuals and tips for teaching R. It’s a great starting point for SLPs. I also have my step-by-step workbook titled I Can Say the R Sound. This book is packed with worksheets, activities and instructions for saying a clear, crisp R. You can watch all of my free R Sound videos on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to my channel here!
❤︎ Meredith
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]]>Looks like things are going to be a little different this fall. Fortunately, I’m prepared. Well, as prepared as I can be during a pandemic when the data and news stories change daily.
I went on an online shopping spree in search of the best PPE for school-based SLPs and I’m here to report my findings. So, sanitize your hands and keep scrolling.
WINDOW MASKS
Window masks have a clear vinyl panel in the middle so people can see your mouth when you speak. Being able to see mouth movement and facial expressions make communication easier. They are also useful in articulation therapy sessions because kids need to see your mouth! I’ve tried multiple window masks from various places. The best window mask is from a company called The Hearing Spot. They are soft, high quality, and made in the USA. Did I mention SOFT? The one I ordered ties around my head (they have a tie option and an ear-loop option) and no metal nose piece which I like. I know what you’re thinking now: Great, but how do I stop it from fogging up when I speak? I have found two successful ways to stop fog. The first one is rubbing a 1/2 drop of Seventh Generation clear dish soap on the inside of the vinyl with a paper towel. The second one is using the anti-fog solution from The Hearing Spot. It is odorless and works just as well as dish soap. It comes in a handy little tub.
FACE SHIELDS
Face shields are an added layer of protection against exposure to respiratory droplets. And research supports their effectiveness! A cough simulation study found that a face shield could reduce a user’s viral exposure when worn near someone who was coughing (Lindsley et al, 2014), but it was still suggested that people wear masks with their face shields because particles can float around a mask and disperse into the air. So which shield is my favorite? This one from ArtToFrames on Amazon! It uses plastic glasses rims to stay on my face, which I prefer over a headband, it’s comfortable, and the shield curls around my face offering good coverage!
But what if you need to wear prescription glasses and can’t use a mask like this? I tried ZShield that goes around the neck instead of hanging on your head. This is a really neat idea if you need to wear glasses or get headaches from headbands/glasses putting pressure on your head, but I didn’t feel like it offered quite the same level of coverage.
SCRUBS
Yes, I know wearing scrubs to work in a school may seem a little unusual. Hear me out. Scrubs are designed to be worn by healthcare professionals (SLPs are healthcare professionals!) and medical SLPs wear them all the time. So it really isn’t that odd. Plus, they dry quickly, stand up to repeated high-heat washes, and can be used with harsh detergents to kill germs. Some scrubs market themselves as being made of “antimicrobial fabric” as an added feature, but I read some research on that and found that antimicrobial scrubs were shown to be ineffective in reducing bacterial contamination in hospitals (Anderson et al 2017) and in veterinary clinics (Freeman, Halladay & Crips, 2012). So, if you’re going to buy them, buy them for the durability and moisture-wicking features not for the antimicrobial claims. Oh also, they are amazingly comfortable. I ordered the Grey’s Anatomy Edge Scrubs and really like them.
Need to convince your school administrators to let you wear scrubs? I’ve got you covered with this nifty handout that goes over all the reasons school-based SLPs should wear scrubs.
You know what else looks extra fun at work? Scrub pants and a Peachie Speechie t-shirt! In fact, if you use the code SCRUBTOP you get 15% your next regular priced Peachie Speechie t-shirt at www.peachiespeechie.com 😘
PLEXIGLASS DIVIDER
Yep, even with my mask, shield, and scrubs, I wanted another barrier. So I ordered a plexiglass divider from Shop Pop Displays. They have a TON of options, but I went with the Economy Countertop Sneeze Guard with Pass-Through Opening because I have a small room with a small table and this one fit! Fun tip: Use dry erase markers to write on it! Might as well get some extra use out of it, right?!
UV LIGHT SANITIZER AIR PURIFIER
I’m sure you’ll be shocked to hear that I have a tiny, windowless, poorly ventilated therapy room at work. Oh, you too? Fellow closet-classroom SLPs will likely want an air purifier. I had surgery in June and noticed that my surgeon had this model in his office, so it seemed like a good choice. It’s called the GermGuardian and the company boasts that it “kills airborne mold and germs”. It’s relatively quiet and slim enough to fit in a corner of even the tiniest speech room.
OTHER STUFF I BOUGHT (THAT YOU WILL PROBABLY ALSO WANT TO BUY)
Face Mask Friend Strap: Handy straps to make sure your face mask never hits the ground! Keeps your mask around your chest like a necklace when you take breaks to sip your coffee.
Cloth Masks: Regular cloth masks are something in everyone’s wardrobe these days. I personally love the double-layered cloth masks from Athleta for when I need to venture out in public. They come in a handy 5-pack so there is one for every day of the workweek. However, they run a little small. Josh has a large head and can’t wear them. He prefers disposable masks.
Vitamins: I stocked up on Vitamin C to give my immune system a daily boost. I chose Olly Active Immunity Gummies because they have vitamin C and zinc but mainly because they taste good. I also bought the Olly Stress Gummies because let’s face it, this is going to be a stressful school year. And I can’t drink a margarita at school. So stress gummies it is! You can buy Olly brand gummies at Target or on Amazon.
And that’s it!! Remember when our back to school lists were for things like glue sticks and crayons and stickers? Back in the day when Lysol wipes were plentiful and getting sneezed on wasn’t cause for alarm.
Hang in there, fellow SLPs! Stay safe and keep being awesome.
Meredith
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It's a new adventure to quickly adapt to working from home. Some of our materials are over 300 pages, such as I Can Say the R Sound. You couldn't email that even if you wanted to. So how can you easily provide access to materials?
Luckily, it's easy & free to separate only the pages you need from a PDF.
You may need certain pages depending on your students' goals. It's also easier to share smaller files. Please see our FAQs to know what kind of sharing is allowed.
Let's get started. You'll want to use the Google Chrome browser. Other web browsers may work, but Chrome is reliable, fast, and free. You can download Chrome here.
Open your PDF into Chrome. You can open Chrome, then press Ctrl+O (⌘+O on a Mac) and select the PDF from your computer.
Click the print icon at the top right, or press Ctrl+P (⌘+P on a Mac).
Change the Destination to "Save as PDF". To choose custom pages, type the page numbers you want, separated by commas. For consecutive pages, you can specify a range with a dash, such as 1-5, 8, 11-13.
STEP 4:
Press Save. That's it! 😀
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]]>Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is an intervention delivered by a professional with the participation of an animal. While cats, rabbits, and other animals may be used for AAT, dogs are most common. AAT can be incorporated into a variety of disciplines including speech therapy.
Humans often bond with animals, and there has been research to support the use of animals to reduce stress and calm people in difficult situations. For many youngsters with speech and language impairments, therapy can be challenging! Therapy dogs can provide motivation, be a listening ear, increase communication, and bring a smile to the face of your client or student who is working hard to achieve his speech and language goals.
There is limited research in this area, but there have been studies to support using a dog in therapy to increase communication. A single-subject study carried out with an adult stroke survivor found that the introduction of a therapy dog resulted in an increase in social-verbal as well as social-nonverbal behaviors (LaFrance, Garcia, Labreche, 2007). The Winter 2016 publication from The Stuttering Foundation features an article about the benefits of using AAT with people that stutter. This article also reports “…the presence of a therapy dog is beneficial to learning, but may be particularly beneficial to language-impaired children” (Wilson, 2016).
Since AAT is goal-directed, the activities will vary based on the client’s therapy goals. Keep in mind that the dog is not doing therapy. The SLP is doing therapy with the participation of the dog. For lack of a better word, a dog is a tool used to help the SLP work with the client during a goal-directed therapy session. So what can the dog do? The dog can participate as reinforcement/ encouragement in the form of high-fives and snuggles. The dog can follow verbal commands to support a goal (commanding “sit” and “stay” while practicing the /s/ sound for example). The dog can be used to work on verbs (pet the dog, brush the dog, feed the dog, etc.) The dog can wear a doggie backpack and clients/students can pull articulation cards out of it to add an extra element of fun to traditional articulation drills! AAT will look different in various situations, so the key is figuring out what works best for your clients and your therapy dog.
AAT will look different in various situations, so the key is figuring out what works best for your clients and your therapy dog.
A therapy dog needs basic obedience training. Socialization is an important component of this training. Once your dog is trained, you can have him certified. There are a few different organizations that you can go through to become a pet therapy team including Therapy Dogs International (TDI), Alliance of Therapy Dogs, or Pet Partners.