Articulation Troubles... {The /S/ Sound!}

This school year, I have a good number of students who come to work with me on improving articulation skills. Many of these students are working specifically on the /s/ sound. A common error pattern for a child who has difficulty producing S correctly is making the sound with his/her tongue protruding through his teeth. This results in the sound coming out more like a "th" sound as opposed to a good, clear SSSSS. Try it! Say "snake"...and now say "snake" while sticking your tongue out while you say the "s." Sounds kind of messy, does it?!

Verbal reminders to "keep your tongue inside your teeth" can be helpful, as can using a mirror so the child can WATCH for his/her tongue to "sneak" out in an errant fashion.

Here's some blog posts I've found with more tips for working on clear production of the /s/ sound:

http://communicationstationspeechtx.blogspot.com/2013/01/articulation-tip-simple-cues-for-s-sound.html

http://2galsspeechproducts.blogspot.com/2011/03/eliciting-sounds-s.html

http://www.chicagospeechandmore.com/2013/01/04/speechtherapy-tips-for-producing-the-s-sound/

As always, feel free to post questions or e-mail me at rlwells1 AT ilstu DOT edu with questions regarding this post, articulation skills...or anything speech/language-related!

Happy speaking!

~Mrs. Wells

HOORAY FOR SUMMER!!

Here comes summer, ready or not! Ok...I'm definitely ready {someone has a wedding to prep for that is just over 2 months away!}, but I also have a lot to wrap up here at school over these next few days. I know my educator friends and colleagues can relate :).

I'm currently working on putting together some packets of home practice materials for the students I worked with this school year and was thinking I should also post a blog update {Blogging is something I wish I could make myself take more time for!} with some summer suggestions. However, a quick Google search gave me a super-awesome find: a blog post "Practical Speech Therapy Activities for Home Practice" (click the link!!). Basically, this great blogger wrote a bajillion ideas...so there is no need for me to re-invent the wheel in an inferior fasion!  Check out her ideas!

As I wrote in the letters I am sending home with my speech kiddos...The biggest tip I can give you regarding summer speech practice is to keep things light-hearted and fun! Practicing clear speech, smooth talking, and all of the other things we worked on this school year is important, but try not to make it feel like intense drilling or work. One suggestion I like to give is to play a favorite game together while taking turns asking or answering questions before each turn while using clear, smooth talking. Or, you can choose one of your child's speech sounds (SH for example!) and take turns prior to each game turn saying a word with that sound in it in a clear manner.

Happy Summer! I am looking forward to hearing about the adventures each of our students has over the next few months when we return in the fall.

Oh....if you haven't heard....I am trading my name in for a new one in August! When we start our new school year, I will be Mrs. Wells! A MUCH easier-to-articulate, shorter name (albeit further down in the alphabet ;)) is more fitting for an SLP, wouldn't you agree?!

Take care,
~Ms. Matyasse-almost-Wells :)