Tongue Tip Trouble- Fronting /t/ for /k/
How can you quickly solve the fronting of /k/? Tackle the tongue tip! Getting /k/ in isolation is easily achieved by keeping the child’s tongue tip from making contact with the alveolar ridge or teeth. Some ideas for doing this include:
• Use a tongue depressor to gently hold the tongue tip down while the child produces the /k/ sound.
• Use a lollipop to gently hold the tongue tip down.
• Have the child hold his tongue tip down with a clean finger.
We’ve got /k/, now what?
Once you’ve got /k/ in isolation, I find it easiest to work on /k/ in the final position, starting with the next smallest unit of production – syllables. I work through each vowel sound with visual cueing for the /k/ sound. Allow the child to put a pause in between the vowel and /k/ at first if necessary. Print out this page of k final syllables and trace the dashes with your finger or a marker while the child produces the sounds. If you laminate the page, you can use a dry erase marker to draw a line between the vowel and /k/ and then erase it and use it again.
Ready for words
Once the child is successful at the syllable level, move to short words like those in my k final picture cards. Go through them so the child knows what each picture represents and practice them one at a time, cueing as necessary.
Games
For practice and repetition, print out a second set of cards and play games such as “Go Fish” or “Memory” with them. Or, clip a paper clip to the pictures and give the child a magnetic fishing pole and have him “catch” each word and say it.
Moving on
Once the child is producing /k/ words successfully, move to short phrases and sentences. Play with nursery rhymes that are /k/ loaded, such as “Hickory Dickory Dock”. Have the child help make up stories with /k/ words, write them down and send them home for practice.
Printables
Once again, here are the links to the free printables included in this post. Print them out and enjoy them! Let your friends know about them too!
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Comments
I have two children (siblings) who front for all their velars. I’ve tried the depressor idea, and they simply pull their tongue back and over the depressor to touch their teeth. I’m afraid that if I put it any further back I’ll initiate the gag reflex! I’ve tried having them “feel” the sound, after modeling and having them feel my throat when I produce the sound. I have also told them to keep their mouth open and touch the back of their mouth with the back of their tongue. They just can’t seem to get that position! Any other ideas?! I’m at a loss, and I’ve talked with other SLPs who don’t have much else to suggest.
I am an SLP in the school system. Something else you might try is having the child look up toward the ceiling and say the /k/ in isolation. Since /k/ is a back sound, the tongue naturally goes back when looking up. This will help the child with placement, later have him look at you and make the same sound. Usually this works. Be patient! Keep trying.
I have been successful in decreasing fronting behaviors by having the child open their mouth wide and working from K sound combined with low vowels, progressing to high vowels word attempts. The gravity trick does really work, I have tried it with a recliner in the child’s home. A small piece of candy held in place under the truck has proven to be somewhat successful for K sound production.
I have been working with a student with the same problem. I was able to get her to say a correct /k/ sound when she said words such as cute, curious, cube, etc. Now she is able to say /k/ in the final position, but is still having difficulty with initial /k/. She can hold her tongue down and say the /k/ correctly, but her response is not automatic.
I am not a speech therapist but a homeschooling mom who has a passion to help other children with their reading and speech. Thank you so much for this lovely site. It has helped me tremendously with a friends daughter.
How can I help this little girl say TR instead of CH eg train is pronounced as chrain.
Thank you very much and looking forward hearing from you.
Esther