True or False: “Letters” and “sounds” mean the same thing and are interchangeable.
 

 
Answer: False

Letters are written symbols of spoken sounds. There are 26 letters in the alphabet but 44 phonemes (sounds) in the English language. Each sound can be represented by one or more letters. The “k” sound is heard in the words “kite”, “cap”, “Christmas”, “question” and “box”. The “sss” sound is heard in the words “sun”, “nice”, “psalm” and “scene” but not in the word “sure”. Digraphs are 2 letters that represent a single sound (like “sh”, “ch”, “th” and “wh”).

In speech therapy, the focus would not be on the letter “ess”, but rather the production of the “sss” sound. This has important implications for blending since the first sound in “fish” is “fff” not “eff”.  

If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development, call for a free consultation.

Which of the following are examples of phonemic (sound) awareness skills?

1)    Identifying the first sound in a word (e.g., “mmm” is the first sound in “map”)
2)    Identifying the last sound in a word (e.g., “sss” is the last sound in “bus”)
3)    Blending individual sounds into words (e.g., f – a – n -> “fan”)
4)    Breaking words into individual sounds (e.g., “moon” -> m – oo - n)
5)    Substituting one sound for another (e.g., changing “hhh” in “hat” to “mmm” -> “mat”)
6)    Letter recognition
 

Answer: #1-5

​Phonemic awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds. It’s important to distinguish between sounds (spoken) and letters (written). The letter “s” makes the “sss” sound. Sometimes 2 letters make a single sound (e.g., “ch”, “th”). Both phonemic awareness and letter recognition are important skills for literacy development. Children with speech sound disorders are more likely to have difficulty learning to read and write.  

If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development, call for a free phone consultation.

Which of the following are examples of receptive language (understanding) versus expressive language?

1. Following instructions like “get the book and put it on the table”
2. Looking for shoes when someone asks “Where are your shoes?”
3. Finding the picture of a car in a book when someone says “look, a car!”
4. Saying “I need help”
5. Writing the word “ball”
6. Using sign language to ask for more of something

 


​Answer: 1-3 are examples of receptive language skills
4-6 are examples of expressive language skills

Receptive language includes understanding words and concepts. Expressive language includes using gestures, signs or words to communicate ideas. Early on, children typically understand more than they can express. Sometimes children appear to understand words and instructions but they may be relying on other cues (e.g., pointing, doing what everyone else is doing) or following familiar routines. Children with language difficulties often need MANY more meaningful exposures to a word before they understand it and can use it expressively. Understanding language is important for participating in conversations and for success in school.

If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development, call for a free phone consultation.

Will my child be confused if I speak 2 languages at home?

1. Yes
2. No

Answer: #2

Bilingualism does NOT cause language delays. In fact, there are many benefits to learning more than one language. Your child may not become equally proficient in both languages but if your child has a true language delay, they will have difficulty in both languages. 

If you have concerns about your child's speech and language skills, call for a free phone consultation.

If your child has multiple speech sound errors, how do you decide what to work on first?

1. The child’s age
2. The types of errors
3. The frequency of the sounds in the child’s language
4. Stimulability (e.g., whether the child can imitate the sounds)
5. Personal factors
6. Can’t we just work on all of them at the same time?

 

ANSWER: #1-5 and MORE

Learning to produce new speech sounds is hard work! Trying to work on too many things at once will make it more difficult for a child to master these new skills. Speech-language pathologists assess speech skills to understand the nature and severity of the child’s difficulties then prioritize what to work on first in therapy. The child’s age is a starting point, but it is also important to consider what will have the biggest impact on the child’s overall clarity. Some speech sounds occur more frequently than others (e.g., “r” is more common in English than “th”). Personal factors (like the sounds in the child’s name) should also be considered.

If you have concerns about your child's speech and language skills, call for a free phone consultation.