How speech sounds develop: The last lot
Some sounds are harder to say than others. If you haven't already, check out my first 2 posts on the 'early eight' and 'next nine' speech sounds that typically develop before these ones. Children can be developing these sounds anywhere between ages 1 and 8, though typically we'd expect most children to have all of these mastered before age 7.
To master a sound, children must be able to say these sounds at the start, middle and end of words. Note that the /R/ sound doesn't often occur at the end of words in NZ English (unless you roll your r's like those from Southland typically do).
🧦S as in "sock"
🐁R as in "rat"
🦒Z as in "zoo"
🦈SH as in "shark"
📐ZH as in "measure"
💭TH as in "think"
⬅️TH as in "there"
Yes - there are two types of 'th'! One is voiced and one is voiceless. Try saying the 'th' from 'think' on its own - it's really quiet and whispery. Now try saying the 'th' from 'there' on its own - it vibrates and it's noisy!
HOW TO HELP YOUR LITTLE ONE
🤣 Be silly with sounds. Babble these noises. Can you make a /s/ sound as you slither a snake across the ground or a /z/ sound for a bee?
👍when your little one attempts a word and it doesn't sound quite right, say it back clearly and positively with ZERO expectation that they repeat what you've said. Don't say "say____" and don't make it sound like you're correcting them. E.g. Child: "do"
Adult: "zzzzoo, we're at the zzzzoo, you're right".
👩❤️💋👩 be face to face with each other or look in the mirror at how your mouthes are moving. You can exaggerate the sounds, e.g. Stick your tongue far out as you say 'th' or make the /s/ sound with your teeth showing.
SING THE SOUNDS
My 'sing the sounds' resource on my website is a great tool for learning to sing and say sounds together in a fun, low pressure way. It also helps your little one to connect the sounds to the letter names, which is essential for literacy.
Is your little one using any of the last lot?
