Monday Re-Post: Artic Old School

This post was originally published on 19 November, 2013:

You've administered an articulation test and have decided which sounds to work on.  Now what? I mentioned before that I'm very "Van Riperish" when it comes to articulation therapy.   I am a firm believer in the student being able to produce the sound in isolation before working on the target sound in words.  Sometimes it's pretty simple and the student is very stimulable for it.  Other times:  not so much.  

Through the years, I've tweaked my artic therapy to progress the student a little faster through the hierarchy so that they will correct their sound faster.  In a nutshell, here's my hierarchy:

1) Isolation

2) Syllables

3) Words

     a) following my model

     b) spontaneously

4) Sentences 

    a) Making up his own sentences

    b) Repeating "tongue twisters" after me

5)  Conversation

I will pair sounds together:  for example, /k/ and /g/ are worked on together, as are /s, z/.  I generally don't separate the sounds into the different positions; I will mix up initial, medial, and final positions and work with them at the same time.  There are exceptions, however.  From time to time, I will have preschool students who have major problems with their sound in one or two positions, but will have some success with the other position.   In that case, I will separate the sound into positions, until I think he's ready to have them mixed up. 

The only time I do oral motor exercises is for the /r/, or if the student isn't stimulable for the sound at all.  The latter very rarely happens, but when it does, it's usually with the /k, g/.  

Most of my students must achieve 80% accuracy for 2 consecutive data collection sessions for the isolation and syllable levels, and 90% accuracy for 2 consecutive data collection sessions for the remaining levels.

Materials:  At one of my schools, I use the Super Duper Fun Decks.  At my other school, I use some cards that I made when I first started working.   I had 2 of the Dr. Seuss Dictionaries, so I cut the pictures out, mounted them on index cards, and laminated them.  Over 25 years later, and they're still in fairly good shape.  I have the Articulate It! app on my iPad, and when I first got it I used it quite a bit.  I forgot my iPad at home one day, and the kids were ecstatic to get to use cards again.  Since then, I mainly use the cards.

For reinforcement, we play a lot of games.  Every now and then, I'll mix it up and we'll do something a little different, like pick out their sounds while we read a book.  The student will usually say 3 cards (or his sound 3 times, or 3 syllables) before taking a turn.  While one student takes his turn, I'm listening to the next student, so the sessions flows pretty well.  I make sure they know that they're in there to work on their sound, and that it's not about who wins the game, it's about having fun while we're working on their sounds.  If a student gloats, I will remind them to be a good winner.  If they continue, I will threaten them with not being able to play a game next time.  That usually takes care of the gloating! 

How does this compare with how you conduct artic therapy?