Category — 2.10 Children with Communication Disorders: Articulation Disorders

Children with articulation disorders have trouble saying certain letters and letter sounds. Although they have typical intelligence, their cognitive and academic development appears to be slightly behind that of their typically developing peers.

Children with articulation disorders usually make the following mistakes when talking:

• Omissions: leaving out one or more sounds from a word,  for example,  saying “kool” instead of “school”;
• Additions: adding a sound to a word, for example, saying “p-a-lease” for “please”;
• Substitution: changing one sound for another, for example, saying “wabbit” for “rabbit” or “tlee” for “tree.”

To learn about the development of speech sounds in children in the English language,  visit this website. Children with articulation disorders usually receive speech therapy. In the classroom, teachers can help them by:

• Being patient and giving them all the time they need when talking;
• Not finishing their sentences for them;
• Saying what the child said wrong the correct way, but without reprimand (for example,  if the child says “I went to kool yesterday,” the teacher could respond by saying “You went to school yesterday, wow.”);
• Encouraging them to talk and read.

Most children with articulation difficulties grow up to be typical adults. Some overcome their difficulties and others do not.

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