Embedded Files
/SH/ (back)
Sides of tongue touch upper back teeth
Air goes through a groove in the tongue (from the velum to the alveolar ridge)
"SH" is quiet (voice off)
/S/ (front)
Tongue tip UP on alveolar ridge (bumps behind upper front teeth)
Sides of tongue touch upper teeth (like when you're saying "EEEEE")
Air through small groove in center of tongue tip
"S" is quiet (voice off)
There are 5 pairs of words below for you to practice.
Submit your homework here.
Only move to Step 4 if they are accurate with Step 3.
More ideas for Steps 3 & 4 at bottom of page.
Step 1: Remind them of the rule.
Ex: "For some sounds we put our tongue in the front and for some sounds, our tongue goes up in the back." or "Let's practice our back sounds today"
push
puss
Step 2: Teach/remind them what each word means
Ex: "This picture shows a fox, it's this cute animal. This is a box, like what we get in the mail."
Step 3: Make sure they can hear the difference
Ex: "Point to the word I say. Fox. Box. Fox. Fox. Box." etc.
Step 4: Say the words
Ex: "You say fox or box and I'll point to the one you say."
mash
mass
Step 2: Teach/remind them what each word means
Ex: "This picture shows fun, like how we have fun when we ___. This is a bun, a bun is a way to do hair."
Step 3: Make sure they can hear the difference
Ex: "Point to the word I say. Loaf. Lobe. Loaf. Loaf. Lobe." etc.
Step 4: Say the words
Ex: "You say fun or bun and I'll point to the one you say."
plush
plus
Step 2: Teach/remind them what each word means
Ex: "This picture shows fun, like how we have fun when we ___. This is a bun, a bun is a way to do hair."
Step 3: Make sure they can hear the difference
Ex: "Point to the word I say. Loaf. Lobe. Loaf. Loaf. Lobe." etc.
Step 4: Say the words
Ex: "You say fun or bun and I'll point to the one you say."
sash
sass
Step 2: Teach/remind them what each word means
Ex: "This picture shows fun, like how we have fun when we ___. This is a bun, a bun is a way to do hair."
Step 3: Make sure they can hear the difference
Ex: "Point to the word I say. Loaf. Lobe. Loaf. Loaf. Lobe." etc.
Step 4: Say the words
Ex: "You say fun or bun and I'll point to the one you say."
dish
dis
Step 2: Teach/remind them what each word means
Ex: "This picture shows fun, like how we have fun when we ___. This is a bun, a bun is a way to do hair."
Step 3: Make sure they can hear the difference
Ex: "Point to the word I say. Loaf. Lobe. Loaf. Loaf. Lobe." etc.
Step 4: Say the words
Ex: "You say fun or bun and I'll point to the one you say."
Tip for Step 3 (discriminating between words)
If they can do Step 3 accurately, praise them, "Great! You heard my front sound in key and my back sound in T ("tee")."
If they cannot do Step 3, praise their effort, and keep practicing Step 3 instead of going to Step 4. Ex: "Listen, I'm going to say key with my back sound. Look in my mouth, see my tongue in the back? Key. Point to key. Great, now I'm going to say T ("tee") with my front sound, T ("tee"). Point here, to T."
Ideas to make Step 4 (saying the words) more fun:
Draw one pair of words on 2 papers (one picture on each page). Put a tally point on each page as your child says each word. Tell your student they win the game if they get more points on the page that has their target (the word that contains /k/ or /g/). It's okay if there are NO points on the other page!
Make simple play doh animals. Every time your child makes the /k/ or /g/ sound, point to the front of the animal. When they make a /t/ or /d/ sound, point to the front of the animal.
Each time your child says the word containing /t/ or /d/, gesture by pointing to the front of your mouth. Every time your child says the word containing /k/ or /g/, gesture by pointing toward the back of your throat (for example, you can point inward next to your ear or upward to your mouth with your finger close to your neck).
Find objects that have a front and a back (e.g. toy animals, houses, books, etc.) and talk about the fronts and the backs. Then look in the mirror and look together at the front of your mouths (point to your teeth in the front) and open your mouth to look at the back of your mouth.
Have your child draw a picture of each of the ten words above. Then, have them sort the pictures into a "front sound" pile and a "back sound" pile.
Use the front/back sound visuals below to cue your child as they produce the words.
General Tips:
Remember to keep the words in pairs (instead of just going through "ship, shine, shock" etc.). This therapy approach is meant to build your child's understanding that changing a sound can change the meaning of a word.
It's fine to have your child say the contrast word (the words containing /s/ like sock and sign), but you want to focus most time and effort on them saying the target pattern (the words containing "SH").
Build up your child's tolerance/ability to do more and more productions over time. Can they do 10? 20? 60?
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse