When Is My Child Ready to Move On to the Next Word Position? 🎯

What Are Word Positions? 📝

In speech practice, there are three word positions where sounds can appear:

1. Initial Position: The beginning of the word (e.g., Sun).
2. Medial Position: The middle of the word (e.g., buSy).
3. Final Position: The end of the word (e.g., buS).

Knowing where to start can make a big difference in your child’s progress!

Step 1: Start Where Your Child Is Most Successful 🥇

Instead of working through word positions in a specific order, begin with the position where your child is already showing success.

A Quick Example:

Let’s take George, who pronounces his name as “Gorge.” He’s clearly able to say the ‘J’ sound at the end of words, so it’s a great idea to start with the final position. By practicing where he’s already strong, you’re setting him up for a confidence boost.

In the speech world, this is called a “facilitating context”—using a spot where your child is successful to help them transfer that skill to other, trickier spots (like the initial or medial positions).

Step 2: Aim for 80% Accuracy 🎯

The key to knowing when to switch word positions is tracking your child’s success. Here’s what to look for:

• Your child should be saying the target sound correctly in their current word position about 80% of the time.
• To measure this, listen to see if they get it right 4 out of 5 tries during their first attempt at the word.

For example, if George is working on the ‘J’ sound in the final position and nails it 4 out of 5 times, he’s hitting that 80% mark and might be ready to try saying the sound at the beginning or middle of words.

Pro Tip:

Track this over 3 separate practice sessions to ensure your child is consistently accurate before moving on.

Step 3: Move On to the Next Word Position 🚀

Once your child is consistently reaching 80% accuracy in one word position, it’s time to move on to the next! The order doesn’t matter—let your child’s progress guide you:

• If they’re doing great with the sound at the end of words, try it at the beginning next.
• If they start strong with the beginning, move on to the middle.

Every child’s journey is unique, so feel free to adapt based on what works best for them.

Be Flexible and Celebrate Small Wins! 🎉

It’s normal for kids to find some positions trickier than others. If your child needs extra time with a specific spot, that’s okay! Celebrate their progress, no matter how small, and keep practicing. Every step forward is a win!

Ready to try a new word position? Go for it, and have fun watching your child’s skills grow! 🎈🌟💪