How Do I Identify Which Sounds My Child Is Saying Incorrectly? 🗣️🔍

Step 1: Make a List of Commonly Mispronounced Words ✍️📋

Start by writing down a list of words that your child often says incorrectly. Need some ideas? Here are a few categories to think through:

• Names (e.g., “Sarah,” “Charlie”)
• Characters from favorite shows (e.g., “Elsa,” “Paw Patrol”)
• Foods (e.g., “pizza,” “banana”)
• Toys (e.g., “blocks,” “doll”)
• Verbs or action words (e.g., “jump,” “throw,” “give”)

If you’re having trouble coming up with words, ask others close to your child, like grandparents, caregivers, or teachers, for any words they’ve noticed your child struggles with.

Step 2: Say the Words Out Loud and Listen Closely 👂🔍

Once you have your list, say each word out loud and focus on the sounds, not the spelling. Here’s why:

• Sometimes the letters don’t match the sounds we hear. For example, in the word “judge,” there are two /j/ sounds, even though the second one is spelled with a ‘dge’.

Watch Out for Confusing Errors! 🚩

It’s easy to get confused about which sound is the actual problem. For example, let’s say Rudy says “thun” instead of “sun.” His parents might think he has a problem with the /th/ sound, but the real issue is the /s/ sound being replaced by /th/ (a frontal lisp).

What to Do:

• Circle the sounds that your child is saying incorrectly.
• Write down any patterns you notice (e.g., mixing up /s/ and /th/ sounds).

Step 3: Check Out the “Tips and Tricks” in the Parent Portal 🛠️💡

Once you’ve identified the tricky sounds, head over to the Parent Portal and check out the “Tips and Tricks” for each sound. These handy tips will help you understand how to produce the sound and give you strategies to teach it to your child.

Step 4: Test the Sounds in Single Words 🎯🗣️

Now it’s time to test the sounds. Using the words you wrote down earlier (or simple three-letter words like “bat,” “sun,” and “red”), see if your child can say the sound correctly in single words. For example:

• If testing the /s/ sound, try words like “sit,” “bus,” and “sun.”
• If testing the /r/ sound, try words like “red,” “car,” and “rat.”

How to Test:

• Ask your child to say each word naturally.
• Listen carefully—can they say the target sound correctly without any help?

If yes, awesome! They might be ready to start practicing at the word level. If no, don’t worry—there’s more we can do!

Step 5: Ready to Practice? Let’s Start! 🚀🎮

If your child can say the sound correctly in single words, it’s time to start practicing at the word level in At Home Articulation. Here’s what to do:

1. Open the Game Menu.
2. Select the target sound.
3. Choose the word position (initial, medial, or final).
4. Pick the WORD level and choose a game to get started!

Step 6: Can’t Get It Right? Try Another Sound 🔄

If your child isn’t able to say the sound correctly in single words, try the same process with a different sound from your list. It’s all about finding the right starting point where your child can experience success.

Step 7: Time to Reach Out to a Speech-Language Pathologist? 📞👩‍⚕️

If your child isn’t able to say any of the identified sounds correctly in single words, it may be time to consult a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP). They can provide a detailed assessment and create a tailored plan to help your child improve.

Step 8: Start Practicing at Home! 🏡🎉

As soon as your child can say the sound correctly in single words, they’re ready to start practicing with you at home using At Home Articulation. Have fun playing the games and watching your child’s progress!

You’ve got this! With patience, practice, and a bit of persistence, your child will be well on their way to clearer speech. Happy practicing! 🌈👏💬