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Speech Sound Development: How to help?
- Value the message your child is saying, not how they are saying it. They are communicating with you
- Look at your child so they can see your face - it will help them know which sounds are in words
- Reduce background noise- It will be difficult to hear sounds clearly if there is lots of noise
- Where possible avoid asking your child to repeat what they have said- this can cause frustration
- Avoid correcting your child’s speech errors. When your child makes an error, repeat the word or phrase at a slower rate, and place emphasis on the word. For example, if the child says, “There’s a tat” say, “Oh, there’s a cat”. When you say the word it gives your child a model of how the word sounds
- Clap out new words, for example, ba.na.na. This breaks words down and the child can hear all the sounds in the word
- Children learn by listening. Help to develop your child’s listening skills so that they are more able to listen to their own speech. Music and rhythm activities develop your child’s awareness of sounds in a fun way.
- Use letter sounds, not letter names e.g. ‘d’ not ‘dee’
- Encourage an interest and awareness of speech sounds e.g. create a book/box of items beginning with certain sounds e.g. k: car, key, cake, comb, cat, carrot