I wanted to share this video to show you how you c I wanted to share this video to show you how you can break up minimal pairs therapy with a meaningful and fun activity!

We are working on /s/ cluster reduction, and took a break from “the cards” to work on nap vs. snap using an iPad game (we also practiced no vs. snow).

We pretended our hands were the machine and said “snap” and then the reinforcer is to tap the screen and pick up (or “snap”) the snow.

I find that kids really respond to these meaningful tasks as it emphasises how our words have meaning, and you can get a lot of organic practice trials in 💪🏻

BTW... I just ❤️ my kids!!!

#speechtherapy #speechpathology #slp #slpeeps #minimalpairs #speechdevelopment #privatepracticeslp #preschoolslp
I am just LOVING this prosody cues deck! I’ve g I am just LOVING this prosody cues deck!

I’ve got three on my caseload at the moment who respond so well to the emotion visuals, and it’s so lovely to hear some change in their voice vs. a monotone, robot-like voice!!

CARDS: @bjoremspeech @iowaspeechie @bjoremspeechpublications

#apraxiaofspeech #slpeeps #childhoodapraxiaofspeech #speechtherapy
Binding. It’s a simple little joy that makes my Binding.

It’s a simple little joy that makes my SLP life easier.

And no, I don’t have a binding machine... I take it to my local office shop and it costs me around $5 to do!!!

Any other binding fans out there???

#binding #slpsofinstagram #slplife #slpeeps #slpsontpt #speechies #slporganization
Just because you are contrasting /t/ vs. /k/ words Just because you are contrasting /t/ vs. /k/ words using minimal pairs, DOESN’T mean that you are forbidden from using any other cues!

Many times, my kids need some additional types of cues, whether it be gestures (point to the throat), a mirror (to see the tongue go back), metaphors (front vs. back sounds), or placement cues (move your tongue back) to help them be accurate so that they aren’t frustrated.

Many times those cues get dropped pretty quickly... but I still use a pragmatic cue where I question what the child means (did you mean tea or key?).

And yes, I used fronting as my example because GOSH IT’S A STUBBORN PATTERN sometimes. And I need aaaaaalllll the cues 🤣 do you agree??

#adventuresinspeechpathology #speechpathology #slpsofinstagram #slpeeps #slp #speechtherapy #speechdelay #preschoolslp
Have you ever felt like you don’t know what you Have you ever felt like you don’t know what you NEED to know when implementing a new therapy approach?

I made this Minimal Pairs Therapy plan to help make sure you have thought of, and planned, the elements to implement the approach.

This means choosing the approach, picking the patterns and sounds that will make the most impact, completing generalization probes, and REALLY thinking about your treatment intensity.

So many times I have people say the child isn’t generalizing, and I wonder if they have planned for all of these elements?

Is it really the child, or has the SLP not planned the therapy correctly????

TAKEN FROM: the Minimal Pairs Handbook

#Adventuresinspeechpathology #minimalpairshandbook #phonology #slp2b #slpgradstudent #speechdelay #slpeeps #preschoolslp #ebpslp #speechtherapy #speechpathologist
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You don’t need fancy toys to do minimal pair tasks!

I upload minimal pair resources to my iPad so I can bring them up when I’m on my school visits.

We literally put animal figurines in the sections, and then after we “earned” them all, we picked them up and tried to throw them back in the container.

Also.... love how this little one correctly said “go” after we had that communication breakdown. The POWER of minimal pairs therapy 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

#minimalpairs #speechdelay #speechpathology #speechtherapy #preschoolslp #schoolslp #privatepracticeslp #adventuresinspeechpathology
I pulled out this shopping game (again) today for I pulled out this shopping game (again) today for minimal pairs!

We practice our pairs, then flip a picture over to see what the item is, and who’s list it belongs to.

Simple, but very motivating for Miss 4 today!!!

#minimalpairs #speechtherapy #slp #speechdelay #speechpathologist #Adventuresinspeechpathology #preschoolslp
Here are some truths: 1. I always wanted to be a p Here are some truths:
1. I always wanted to be a psychologist
2. I never wanted to work with kids

Then I changed degrees and
3. I thought I’d be a medical SLP

Then I realised I didn’t like dysphagia and brain stuff as much as I thought so
4. I thought I’d enjoy working with complex communication needs

Then I really found a love for:
5. Social communication ❤️ I still enjoy everything I learned, and gosh did I do a lot of PD. But I felt like my kids never moved off my caseload.

Then I realised
6. I get A LOT of joy assessing and figuring out speech patterns and seeing kids make fast progress week-to-week targeting their speech sounds.

So here I am!

It’s definitely NOT the place I thought I’d be, but sometimes you have to try different things to know what’s right for you!

#adventuresinspeechpathology #slplife #slpsofinstagram
Nothing gets me up at 5:45am on a Saturday morning Nothing gets me up at 5:45am on a Saturday morning like the excitement of a new resource.

Seriously.

I’m a morning bird and do my best work when the whole house is asleep.

I don’t even have a coffee 😲😲😲

Sooooo..... I’m still taking requests for my next set of minimal pair toolkit resources. Drop them below 👇🏻

#adventuresinspeechpathology #minimalpairs #speechtherapy #slpeeps #slpsontpt #slpsofinstagram #preschoolslp
I have been hearing this phrase OVER and OVER agai I have been hearing this phrase OVER and OVER again lately!!

Many of you have been trying minimal pairs therapy either for the 1st time, or you’re implementing it differently...

... and the amount of times that I read a DM or feedback on TpT saying that things literally just “clicked” in a session was high enough that it warrants its own IG post 😂

See, THIS is why I love treating SSD, and I love the minimal pairs approach. Your child can make HUGE LEAPS within one session.

It’s amazing! It’s encouraging. And gosh it makes your job satisfaction high!

Do you know what I’m taking about? Have you ever seen things “click” with a child?
Tell me how 👇🏻

#speechtherapy #speechdelay #slpeeps #slp #slp2b #speechpathology #slpsofinstagram #phonology #ebpslp #schoolslp #privatepracticeslp
I wanted to share this video to show you how you c I wanted to share this video to show you how you can break up minimal pairs therapy with a meaningful and fun activity!

We are working on /s/ cluster reduction, and took a break from “the cards” to work on nap vs. snap using an iPad game (we also practiced no vs. snow).

We pretended our hands were the machine and said “snap” and then the reinforcer is to tap the screen and pick up (or “snap”) the snow.

I find that kids really respond to these meaningful tasks as it emphasises how our words have meaning, and you can get a lot of organic practice trials in 💪🏻

BTW... I just ❤️ my kids!!!

#speechtherapy #speechpathology #slp #slpeeps #minimalpairs #speechdevelopment #privatepracticeslp #preschoolslp
I am just LOVING this prosody cues deck! I’ve g I am just LOVING this prosody cues deck!

I’ve got three on my caseload at the moment who respond so well to the emotion visuals, and it’s so lovely to hear some change in their voice vs. a monotone, robot-like voice!!

CARDS: @bjoremspeech @iowaspeechie @bjoremspeechpublications

#apraxiaofspeech #slpeeps #childhoodapraxiaofspeech #speechtherapy
Binding. It’s a simple little joy that makes my Binding.

It’s a simple little joy that makes my SLP life easier.

And no, I don’t have a binding machine... I take it to my local office shop and it costs me around $5 to do!!!

Any other binding fans out there???

#binding #slpsofinstagram #slplife #slpeeps #slpsontpt #speechies #slporganization
Just because you are contrasting /t/ vs. /k/ words Just because you are contrasting /t/ vs. /k/ words using minimal pairs, DOESN’T mean that you are forbidden from using any other cues!

Many times, my kids need some additional types of cues, whether it be gestures (point to the throat), a mirror (to see the tongue go back), metaphors (front vs. back sounds), or placement cues (move your tongue back) to help them be accurate so that they aren’t frustrated.

Many times those cues get dropped pretty quickly... but I still use a pragmatic cue where I question what the child means (did you mean tea or key?).

And yes, I used fronting as my example because GOSH IT’S A STUBBORN PATTERN sometimes. And I need aaaaaalllll the cues 🤣 do you agree??

#adventuresinspeechpathology #speechpathology #slpsofinstagram #slpeeps #slp #speechtherapy #speechdelay #preschoolslp
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Adventures in Speech Pathology

Feel confident treating speech sound disorders

For SLPs, Therapy Activities · September 16, 2020

How to teach the ‘ch’ sound for speech therapy

Are you stuck trying to teach the ‘ch’ sound with your child and need some new ideas? In speech therapy, there is no such thing as ‘one-trick’ to teach a sound, because every child learns to say their sounds differently. The following ideas are a few of my tricks that I commonly try.

Get the mouth ready for saying the CH sound

If your first few attempts at trying to teach a child the ‘ch’ sound don’t work, I always look at the mouth to make sure that it is ready. Their lips need to be round and the teeth are together or very close to touching. Sometimes changing the shape of the lips alone can really help to say the ‘ch’ sound correctly.

Try asking them to make common sounds

Many times when I ask a child to say the ‘ch’ sound on its own, it is incorrect. But often I find that they CAN say the sound when I ask them the three following questions:

  1. What noise does a train make (choo choo)
  2. Make the sneezing sound (achoo)
  3. What do you say when you hurt yourself (ouch!)

If the child is successful in accurately saying one of these, we will really practice that one word and then increase to other (sometimes silly) words and syllables to expand their production of that sound. For example, we might do a lot of “choo choo” practice, then change the last syllable to “choo chee, choo cha, choo chow, etc.,.”

SPEECH ACTIVITIES TO TRY TODAY: Use a train and teach that train makes a different sound. Drive the trains around the track, saying the sounds “choo choo, choo chee, choo cha”.

Get the explosion of air

I always teach parents that the ch sound is the ‘t’ sound plus the ‘sh’ sound pushed together. And this is important for speech-language pathologists to remember too. A child has to be able to use both elements to build up the air and release the sound as ‘ch’.

What if the CH sound is soft or weak sounding?

If the ch sound doesn’t have as much FORCE as the way you say it, I tend to two analogies that you can use actions for to really consolidate the learning

  1. The punching sound
  2. The chopping sound

The punching sound is where we teach a child that just like a boxer makes fast and strong punches, that the ch sound is like a punch too. We have to punch the sound strong and fast out of our mouths. Doing a punching action as you say the sound really emphasizes this. Have your child copy throwing some punches first, then add sound! If they still make a weak sound, imitate the child and throw a ‘soft’ or weak punch. Give feedback such as, “that was a soft ‘ch’, remember, it has to punch out of our mouths strong and fast.”

The chopping sound is very similar in teaching to the punching. You can use your hand like a karate chop, pretend to hold an axe and chop wood. The key idea is that the action of chopping has to be strong and fast. 

SPEECH ACTIVITIES TO TRY TODAY: Teach the chopping sound using play dough. Roll a playdough ‘snake’ for your child to chop with a plastic knife. If your child says the ‘ch’ sound too softly, show them how the knife won’t cut the play dough. This can give the motivation to make it stronger and more forceful.

Start with what your child can do

Most children are able to say the ‘t’ sound correctly. You might have success teaching them the following:

  1. Say the ‘t’ sound
  2. Now say it again, but with round lips (the sound should already start to change)
  3. Now let’s make the sound longer, stronger, or faster (depending on how they are saying it with round lips).

Teach the TR sound

This is another little trick that I have found to be successful; forget the ‘ch’ sound and teach words starting with ‘tr’. I want you to say the following words aloud: tree, trampoline, treasure, train.

Do you actually say train, or does it sound more like chrain? Teaching a more complex or harder sound like ‘chr’ sounds counterintuitive, but many times I have taught ‘tr’ words and the ‘ch’ sounds have come through without us having to work on them.

For some older kids who become frustrated or say that ‘ch’ is too hard, this trick works well because you can tell them that we’ll stop working on the ‘ch’ sound and learn a new one instead.

It is also a great target to choose if the child needs to learn their /r/ sound. You can focus on /tr/ words and hopefully see that ‘sh’, ‘ch’ and ‘r’ sounds are learned in the process.    

Speech-language pathologists look at children’s WHOLE speech sound system. If you have concerns that your child is having difficulties mastering this sound, please consult with a professional so that they can best support you.

Get resources to help practice the CH sound

Teach the ‘ch’ sound in isolation, move to syllables, then words, phrases, and sentences. This digital Boom Card deck can be played in face-to-face sessions, as part of your teletherapy practice, or you can even email the link as homework! Sound files to hear the ‘ch’ sound is included.

BUY ‘CH’ ARTICULATION

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Hi, I'm Rebecca.
I encourage SLPs to feel more confident treating speech sound disorders, and make faster progress with their students.

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