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Teaching the R Sound in Speech Therapy

Teaching the R sound in speech therapy can be stressful for a speech therapist. Children with speech sound disorders may have difficulty with saying r words. In this blog post, I’m sharing a simple, 5-step strategy SLPs can use to teach the r sound successfully and without frustration. Many students with articulation disorders have difficulty producing the R sound. Older students who have been in speech therapy for years may be feeling frustrated. Luckily, there are many elicitation techniques that can be successfully used to treat R sound errors in speech therapy! Speech pathologists interested in teaching the R sound should make sure to bookmark this post for future reference. Trying different things can really change this game when treating this tricky sound!

This post contains affiliate links, which means we could receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended.

Different Types of R

When Speech Pathologists are working on the “R” sound, specific errors need to be identified. There are many different positions of a word that R can occur in. R can occur in the initial position, medial position, and final positions of words. R can be influenced by vowels, and are known as “vocalic R” sounds (examples: art, orange, car). It can also occur in blends (r blend examples include princess, friend, and grape). It is helpful to figure out specifically which R the student can and cannot say. Christine Ristuccia has developed a very helpful screening form, The Entire World of R. This is a great way to gather baseline information.

Common R Sound Errors

Many students with articulation disorders have a hard time producing a correct R sound. R sound errors can occur for initial r, medial r, and final r sounds. These sound errors can occur in isolation, at the word level, in phrases, at the sentence level, and in conversation. It isn’t uncommon that R and vocalic R sounds are the last sounds left to target in speech therapy.

Perhaps that’s why the R sound has the bad reputation of being a “pesky sound”.

• Oftentimes in younger children, the w sound is substituted for the R sound. An example might be “wabbit” for “rabbit”. Minimal pairs might be useful in this situation.
• Occasionally, students might substitute l for r (for example, “light” for “right”).
• R might also be substituted by a “y” sound (an example would be “ram” vs “yam”).
• Other R speech sounds might lose their “R” quality and sound more like a vowel sound. “ER” might be placed by a neutral schwa, for example.

A licensed speech-language pathologist can listen carefully to distinguish which r sound errors a student might be making.

References: Bauman-Waengler, J.A.  Articulatory and Phonological Impairments: A Clinical Focus . Third ed., Pearson Education Limited, 2013. 

Additionally, students may have difficulty with r blends. For example, in the word “frog”, a w might be substituted for an r (fwog).

Proper Tongue Placement

There are different ways to produce R . This is why it is helpful to establish what type of R sound a student will be most successful with during articulation therapy.

When teaching tongue position, it is helpful to use a visual cue paired with a tactile cue.

The retracted r is also called the bunched r. The tip of the tongue is retracted and the tongue is “bunched” and “lifted” toward the pharynx. In simplified language, it is “bunched up” and “pulled back”.

A retroflex R involves the tip of the tongue being raised to the roof of the mouth, specifically to the alveolar region. The rest of the tongue is essentially flattened.

Research, Videos, and CEU Courses

A speech language pathologist often reviews research-based articles and takes continuing education. Here are some recommended articles, videos, and CEU courses:

• R Techniques and Intervention to Correct R- Seven Steps, From Basics to Habituation – a CEU course by Sandra Holtzman, M.S., CCC-SLP, COM, QOM
• Successful R Therapy – a CEU course by Pam Marshalla
• How To Treat R – this is a youtube video I created to share my favorite tips and tricks!

Recommended R Materials for SLPs

There are some materials I like to have on hand when teaching the R sound. Here is a short list:

• Tongue depressor : a tongue depressor is a wonderful way to assist with tongue placement and positioning.
• A mirror : the use of a mirror allows my students to make sure they are not moving their jaw too much while producing the R sound.
• Comprehensive R Program

Some SLPs have found success using speech buddies . These include placement guides for producing sounds like R and S.

5 Simple Steps for Teaching the R Sound in Speech Therapy

Teaching the R sound in  speech therapy  doesn’t need to be so frustrating! Following this 5-step strategic process, which utilizes the foundational skills of orofacial myology, has been an absolute game-changer for me. I know it will be for you, too.

I always explain to my students the importance of being able to move the tongue without moving the jaw (or lips). These are orofacial myology basics. We need precise, controlled motor movements of the articulators. One thing I have noticed time and time again with my R students is the lateral shifting of the jaw when they try to say “er” in isolation. Others tend to jut the chin forward. Use a mirror and bite blocks to draw awareness to this. With a bite block or stacked tongue depressors , we work on tasks such as moving the tongue tip from one corner of the lips to the other, while focusing on only moving the tongue.

The first place I start is establishing the “er” sound in isolation . This is based off of  Sandra’s Holtzman’s R: Techniques and Interventions  ceu course, which was a game-changer for me. If you’re looking to take an amazing CEU course for treating R, look no further. You can establish “er” using either a  bunched r or a retroflexed r  tongue shape. How To Teach Bunched R (Retracted R): For a bunched R,  I like to use my arms to explain the spread and lift of the tongue . When my student says “uh” instead of “er”, I say, “Try that again. You dropped the sides of the tongue.” I hold my arms out in front of me (hands clasped together), and visually show them “raised sides” vs “flat sides” using my elbows. You can also use a tongue depressor to facilitate tongue movement and gently lift the tongue up and back. It may take a few tries, but this can also help elicit the correct production of er. Finally, I will also use my hand as a reminder to lift and pull the back of the tongue for the bunched R. How to Teach The Retroflex R I like to use my hand as a visual cue to teach the retroflex R, with the palm flat and upward, and the tips of my fingers pointing up. An older approach you might try is starting from the L sound, then having the student trace the tongue back along the roof of their mouth. This can assist with sound production for ER.

After your student can successfully say ER in isolation, you can move on to the next step! This involves practicing the “er” sound in lots of sounds and blend combinations (in both real and nonsense words). This step ensures that your student understands how to control, shape, and place the tongue, in a variety of contexts . For example, you would pair “er” with bilabial sounds (erber) in nonsense word combinations. Later, you would cycle back and practice bilabials again in the final position of words (Decem…ber).

You can use a strong foundation in “ER” to shape the other vocalic r sounds when working on R in speech therapy. You will slowly blend “er” into the other vowels or sounds, then try it again at a faster pace. For example, to say “RL” as in “girl”, we say “ER + L” (errrrrr…..L). To say “AR” as in art, we say “AH + ER”. ER is the foundation for all other R sounds.

And finally, to elicit the initial R, we can use our “ER” sound (“ERrrrrain…. rain). If you would like a great resource with ready-to-go worksheets and words that utilize this approach for treating R in your speech therapy sessions, be sure to check out my  Correct that R  resource on TpT.

Other things to consider when treating R in speech therapy

There are some other considerations to keep in mind when working on R.

Some of your students may have been in speech therapy for a long time. Trying a fresh new approach might be just what your student needs to see success. This R program incorporates foundational orofacial myology techniques and has allowed me to be highly successful with correcting R sound errors in speech therapy.

A speech pathologist can try wording things differently to describe how the parts of the tongue move and position while producing the target sound.

Also, remember that patience is key . When working on R in speech, I have spent up to two months trying to get “ER” in isolation. It takes focus and a lot of hard work!

Remind your students that their tongue is a muscle . That means they can control it, shape it, and move it.

Try using auditory discrimination. Read R word lists that target a specific sound to your R kids! It can help a little bit to learn to not only say the difference but also to hear the difference.

Some students need to consider lip placement . Sometimes retracting the lips (smiling!) while saying R can help eliminate W in the initial position of words (i.e. “wabbit” for “rabbit”).

Go-To Resources to Teach the R Sound in Speech Therapy

Need a go-to resource that will help you teach the R sound?

Although R can make SLPs feel frustrated to teach, there is good news. Hundreds of speech-language pathologists have trusted this R program, which is based on research, and have seen huge results. It involves a systematic, comprehensive approach that ensures success. It provides several visual supports, and ready-to-go worksheets and activities.

Jessica G, SLP, said, “I’m so grateful for this resource !!!! Targeting “r” was like my worst nightmare and when students weren’t making progress I felt so discouraged and did not know what else I could do to improve accuracy. Thanks to Karen and this amazing resource, I actually get excited to treat “r” now. The approach used actually works and my students finally seem to understand tongue positioning better (and maybe I do too!). This is definitely worth buying! Thank you!”

Watch this youtube video to learn even more about how to use this resource and approach to treating R.

In summary, it is very possible to successfully teach the R sound in speech therapy! You- and your student- can have great success with this sound! SLPs can teach either the bunched R or retroflex R in therapy. Starting with vocalic ER in isolation is useful before attempting to try to teach other vocalic R sounds.

• My go-to resource for teaching the R sound
• Try a new way of treat R- check out my favorite CEU course
• Here are my favorite tools for helping to teach the R sound: tongue depressors and a mirror

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Comprehensive Vocalic R Words List for Speech Therapy

While one of the most common sounds in the English language, the vocalic /r/ can be challenging to pronounce. 

This can be because it’s hard to understand what is happening with the mouth when it’s pronounced, it requires better muscle control and appears alongside vowels, requiring additional articulation skills. 

If your child struggles with this sound, they may substitute the /r/ sound with /w/, saying ‘fair-wee’ instead of ‘fairy’ or ‘here-wo’ instead of ‘hero’. As a result, they can appear younger than their peers and struggle to communicate effectively. 

In this article, we’ll be focusing on the /vocalic /r/ sound and sharing a list of /r/ words, phrases, and sentences that you can use in home speech therapy or as a resource to support your professional speech therapy practice. 

You’ll also learn which fun games and activities can provide extra practice, discover how to pronounce the sound effectively, and how the patented Forbrain headset can help. 

Word list: Vocalic /r/ word list 

Improving your child’s pronunciation of the vocalic /r/ sound at home can feel like a daunting task because of the many variations of this sound. 

However, if you can help them understand where this sound appears in real-life language and give them plenty of varied practice, you will soon see a difference. 

To help you out, we’ve created a comprehensive list of the most common vocalic /r/ sounds used in English. This includes words where this sound appears in the middle (medial vocalic /r/) or end (final vocalic /r/) of the word. 

Use this list as an easy reference or encourage your child to read through them for extra practice. 

What is the vocalic /r/ sound?

Before we introduce the list of words, let’s take a quick look at what this sound is. 

The vocalic /r/ sound is a type of /r/ that happens when the letter appears after one of the vowels; a, e, i, o, and u. 

For example, the /r/ at the beginning of the word ‘ripe’ is pronounced differently from the /r/ that appears at the end of the word ‘pour’. 

There are six of these combinations in English:

• [-ar] as in the word STAR
• [-er] as in the word GIRL
• [-air] as in the word FAIRY
• [-ear] as in the word FEAR 
• [-or] as in the word SWORD
• [-ire] as in the word FIRE 

Further vocalic /r/ sound practice using short phrases and sentences

Your child should now be able to pronounce the vocalic /r/ sound in isolation, even if it does take a certain amount of effort and focus. The key to actually mastering this sound is to provide them with plenty of practice, using the word lists we provided above and then moving on to short phrases and eventually sentences. 

By doing so, their fluency will significantly improve, they’ll grow in confidence and they’ll also learn how to use their new skills to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts. 

Here’s a short home speech therapy program to help you do exactly this, recommended by the team of experts at Forbrain. 

• Check that your child is articulating the vocalic /r/ sound correctly by working through the wordlist we shared earlier. If not, repeat the articulation exercises until they are reasonably comfortable. 
• Next, use carrier phrases to encourage them to use these words in real-life contexts. 
• Practice using short phrases and sentences for the vocalic /r/ sound. 
• Play child-friendly games and activities and read with your child
• Perfect their skills using our easy-to-use, scientifically proven Forbrain headset.

Carrier phrases

If you want to help your child use these vocalic /r/ words in everyday contexts and get plenty of practice, carrier phrases should be your go-to- speech therapy tool. Just choose a phrase, insert a vocalic /r/ word then practice saying it aloud. 

Considering that there are six variations of the vocalic /r/ sound, we recommend that you practice with at least three words from each category in the word list. 

Here are some of our favorite carrier phrases: 

• “I found a…”
• “I want a…”
• “He found a…”
• “She found a…”
• “I have a…”
• “He has a…”
• “She has a…”
• “I like to…”
• “He likes to…”

Put into practice, it looks like this:

• “I want POPCORN”
• “I like VAMPIRES
• “She has a SPIDER”
• “I see a MARBLE”
• “I found a STAR” 
• “He has CEREAL” 

Short phrases for the vocalic /r/ sound

Keep reading to find useful short phrases that include the vocalic /r/ sound in the middle or the end of the word. 

Use these with your child for extra practice and you’ll help them further improve their pronunciation of the /r/ sound. 

Short sentences for the vocalic /r/ sound

Let’s now take it up a level and start practicing those longer sentences that help further boost confidence, and fluency, and help your child use this sound comfortably in real-world contexts. 

As before, these include the vocalic /r/ sound in the middle and the end of the word. 

Games & Activities with Vocalic /r/ Sound Words 

The best way to learn anything is to make it fun! That’s why playing games and activities with your child is an excellent way to master those tricky speech sounds. 

By doing so, they’ll also grow in confidence and be more likely to want to keep practicing the vocalic /r/ sound. 

Below are some excellent vocalic /r/ sound games and activities that are sure to tick all the boxes and are ideal for use with the patented Forbrain headset.

Play the Roar! Game

The easiest way to practice that vocalic /r/ sound is to encourage your child to roar like a lion.  If you can, find a fun picture of a lion and together, produce an exaggerated /r/ sound then repeat as many times as you like. 

Play the Pretty Parrot Game

This game encourages your child to repeat the sound that they hear. Find a picture of a parrot or even a stuffed toy then place it in front of you. Next, print the list of vocalic /r/ words and cut them out so they become flashcards. 

Hold the cards in your hand and ask your child to pull one from the stack. If your child can’t read the word yet, read it for them and then encourage them to repeat it after you. Every time they get the word right, give them a small reward. 

Play the Lucky Dip Game

If you have the resources available, playing the Lucky Dip game can be a fun way to reinforce their learning and encourage accurate pronunciation. 

Find a box or basket and fill it with items that include the vocalic /r/ sound (check the word list above for ideas), or find free images online and print them out. 

Then cover the box or basket and encourage your child to put their hand inside and pull out an item or picture. When they pull an item or image, encourage them to name it, using the carrier phrase, “ I found a [insert word] ”. 

There’s perhaps no better way to improve overall language skills, spark your child’s imagination and strengthen your parent-child bond than reading a good book with your child. 

Find books that include the vocalic /r/ sound and you’ll reinforce the home speech therapy you’ve been doing and have fun at the same time. 

Read the books in our recommended vocalic /r/ sound list and encourage your child to repeat every /r/ word you come across for the best effect. 

• Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
• We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
• Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman
• Clark The Shark by Bruce Hale
• Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson

How to Pronounce the Vocalic /r/ Sounds

Understanding the difference between the ‘normal’ /r/ sound and the vocalic /r/ sound can be tricky because they often appear to be the same sound. 

However, to teach others how to articulate this sound correctly, we need to start by checking what happens with our mouth, airflow, tongue position, teeth alignment, and vocal cords beforehand. 

The vocalic /r/ sound is a voiced sound made primarily by lifting your tongue back and up allowing it to move towards the roof of your mouth. Then the air should pass from your lungs, and over your tongue while you allow your vocal cords to vibrate. 

Here is more specific guidance. 

Pronouncing the vocalic /r/ sound 

Let’s choose one of the words we shared in the /r/ word list above such as ‘dark’ then practice saying it aloud, repeating it several times. 

As you do so, pay close attention to the shape of your mouth and lips, where your tongue is positioned, how the air flows from your lungs, and whether your vocal cords are vibrating or not.

You’ll see that your vocal cords are indeed vibrating, your tongue is pulled back and towards the roof of your mouth, your lips are slightly rounded and the air passes through your mouth and lightly over your tongue. 

Additionally, you’ll see just why it can be so hard for children to articulate this sound. Not only do they need to have excellent control over their tongue position, lips, and airflow but it’s very difficult to see how the sound is made from the outside. 

Despite this fact, most children can master this sound anywhere between three and nine years of age after they have mastered the ‘normal’ /r/ sound. If problems do occur, it’s usually because it’s difficult to transition from these vowel sounds to the /r/, and with practice, it can soon be fixed. 

Work through the vocalic /r/ sound list, phrases, sentences, games, and activities, read together, and use the patented Forbrain headset and your child will get the practice they need and have fun doing it. 

How to help your child produce the vocalic /r/ sound correctly

Ready to help your child get to grips with the vocalic /r/ sound? Follow these steps:

1) Ask your child to relax their tongue. You can encourage them to stick it out as far as they can and wiggle it around like a snake, ask them to blow a whistle, or try touching their nose with their tongue. 

2) Then ask them to find the back of their tongue and ask them to lift it to the roof of their mouth. You can tell them to imagine they are catching a fairy with their tongue if they need extra encouragement. 

3) Finally, ask them to push air from their lungs and use their vocal cords to say the word ‘fairy’. 

If they still find this difficult, keep practicing until they master how to articulate the sound. You can also watch this excellent video by The Speech Scoop for extra speech therapy help.

Using Forbrain to Upgrade Sound Practice

Enhance your child’s learning and mastery of the tricky vocalic /r/ sound by using our patented Forbrain headset. 

Used for just 10 minutes per day, your child will learn how to distinguish the sound, get instant feedback from the enhanced auditory feedback loop, and get the targeted practice they need to overcome speech challenges and grow in confidence. 

Scientifically proven and widely used by professional speech therapists, it uses cutting-edge technology and an innovative design to optimize learning, stimulate neural pathways, finely tune pronunciation, and sharpen articulation for effective, natural communication. 

Unlock your child’s potential with Forbrain today. 

Final Words

If your child is struggling to pronounce the vocalic /r/ word, don’t worry. Use the list of vocalic /r/ words, phrases, and sentences alongside the patented Forbrain headset and you’ll soon see a huge improvement. 

Reinforce their learning and make it fun by using games, activities, and books to help your child can improve their articulation, grow in confidence, and effortlessly use this tricky sound in everyday spoken language. 

Charlotte Witts

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This advice-column-style blog for SLPs was authored by Pam  Marshalla  from 2006 to 2015, the archives of which can be explored here. Use the extensive keywords list found in the right-hand column (on mobile: at the bottom of the page) to browse specific topics, or use the search feature to locate specific words or phrases throughout the entire blog.

Stimulating Postvocalic R

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I struggle with kids who are able to get initial but who cannot do final R. Is there some magic I can do here?

There is no magic; but I know three solid ways to go about this. We can: (1) Use the syllable, (2) Pair words together, and (3) Abstract R out of a correct word. I find the first method to be the easiest, and I shall explain it here.

Get the Syllable

If your child can say some initial R words, he probably can say one with initial Ruh– like “Rug.”

Have him say “Rug” several times.

Then have him add a schwa after the G. He will say “Ruh-guh.”

Then have him split the word into two completely separate syllables. He will say “Ruh” and “Guh” with a pause in between. Practice this several times.

Now you have “Ruh” in isolation.

Spell this all out for him on paper so he can see what you are doing. It will help him hear it.

Use the Syllable

Now have him use “Ruh” in the final position of a word as follows:

Pick a final R word. Example, “Car.”

Teach him to say the target without the final R. He will say “Car” as “Cah.” Make sure the vowel of this syllable is clear and true.

Now have him add his “Ruh” at the end as a separate syllable. He will say “Car” in two syllables as “Cah–Ruh.”

Now he can say “Car” with epenthesis (adding the schwa) by saying “Cah–Ruh.” Adding a schwa is the way little kids often do it. It is a simpler and less mature way to say “Car.” It is a simpler movement pattern. It changes a CVC into a CV-CV. Therefore, it is also a simpler phonological pattern.

Take “Cah-Ruh” and put it into phrases, sentences, and paragraphs. Make this “practice fodder” void of any other R words so he can work on slow-to-fast speed of production. For example:

“Car” pronounced as “Cah-Ruh”

A Cah-Ruh My Cah-Ruh Dads’ Cah-Ruh Mom’s Cah-Ruh A Cah-Ruh wash A Cah-Ruh outside The Cah-Ruh in the shop My next Cah-Ruh A big Cah-Ruh Five Cah-Ruhs on the lot

I got a Cah-Ruh. Dad got a Cah-Ruh. Mom got a Cah-Ruh. We got a Cah-Ruh. The Cah-Ruh is blue. The Cah-Ruh is new. The Cah-Ruh is mine. The Cah-Ruh is fast. Five Cah-Ruhs need a wash. Ten Cah-Ruhs need to be fixed.

We got a new Cah-Ruh. I like it a lot because that Cah-Ruh is fast. It’s a black Cah-Ruh. I think I will get that Cah-Ruh when it is old, and when mom and dad buy a new Cah-Ruh. I can’t wait to have my own Cah-Ruh. See that Cah-Ruh? It’s old. It was made in 1925, so that qualifies it as an antique. I’m into antique Cah-Ruhs. I hope to have an antique Cah-Ruh some day. Jay Leno has many antique Cah-Ruhs. I wish I could see all of them. I love antique Cah-Ruhs.

Get Rid of the Schwa

After many weeks, or months, show him that the additional “Uh” is not necessary.

Prolong each syllable of the target word as he has been practicing it. He will say “Caaaah—rrruuuuuh.

Then teach him to blend the “ah” with the R, without a pause between the two syllables. He will say “Caaaaruh.”

Then take the “Uh-part” off by whispering or mouthing it without voice. Now it will sound like “Carrrrrr.”

Make the final R shorter over time.

Benefits of This Method

This method gives you a way to work on final R while he is still only able to do an initial R. Stay at this level for weeks or months, using dozens of different final R words this way. For example, he will practice:

“Door as “Doo-Ruh” “Bear” as “Bea-Ruh” “Steer” as “Stee-Ruh” “Jar” as “Jah-Ruh”

Keys to Success

There are at least three keys to success.

Make sure the client is making the vowel of the target word very clear and true. You might have to have him prolong it and say it louder to make sure of this.

Make sure the client also is making the “Ruh” syllable strong and true. Prolong it and make it louder, too.

The third key is to teach the client that it is okay to practice words this way. Tell him that this is how you are going to practice it for now, and that you will make it even better later. Make an analogy to sports. Talk about how coaches break skills down into small components, and they make their team practice these for a while before the whole thing comes together. For example, a basketball coach makes kids practice dribbling the ball without passing or shooting it. Then he makes them work on passing without dribbling or shooting, and so forth. Saying “Ruh” is one piece, and you are going to make it strong before you change it to make it sound more natural.

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Natalie Snyders SLP

Making the life of a busy school SLP easier and a bit more beautiful everyday!

in Articulation (Speech Sounds) · Helpful Ideas for Other SLPs · Therapy Ideas

How I Approach the /r/ Sound in Therapy

Help  what do i do with /r/.

One question I get asked a lot is, how do you teach the /r/ sound?  Now, I wouldn’t consider myself an /r/ guru by any means(!), but as an SLP in an elementary school, I have had a fair share of /r/ cases.  Today, I would like to share what has worked for me (disclaimer: it might be different for you!).

Some people approach /r/ from a traditional articulation perspective, and look at simply initial, medial, and final positions of words.  Personally, I have found that treating the different /r/ sounds separately has more success.

What are the different /r/s?  I typically look at initial (or prevocalic) /r/ and /r/ blends (such as in the word br ight), then the six vocalic /r/ sounds – /ar/ , /air/ , / ear/ , /er/ , /ire/ , and /or/ .

FIRST STEPS

First, I try to get a picture of how the articulation disorder is impacting my student by using my Articulation Student Self-Rating Scale .

Next, I do an overall screening of the /r/ sound to help determine if my student is stimulable for /r/ in any contexts.  I like to use my own progress monitoring tool for /r/ and either use the overall screening or administer all the probes at word level – another good option is the in-depth screening from the Entire World of R.

HOW TO RATE?

When I’m assessing the results, I look for the /r/ context that has either the most correct productions, or the context that has the closest to correct productions.  I have my own personal five point scale (rather than simply correct/incorrect) that I’ve found to be quick and easy for me to use.

Interestingly, a study by Schellinger, Munson, & Edwards from 2016 found that a visual analogue scale to rate articulation is a potentially useful clinical measure for the /s/ and voiceless /th/ sounds that they studied, which is similar to the scale I have for /r/.   (See citation below)

After analyzing the results of the screening, I start work on the /r/ context that has either the highest rate of accuracy, or the one that has the highest amount of close (~+) productions.

HOW TO WRITE IT OUT?

If I need to write this in the present level of the IEP, I typically use a template like this to fill in the individual student information:

I will attach a PDF copy of the rating scale to the IEP on the goal page to make sure a future SLP would understand what I mean by the different ratings.

HOW TO WRITE GOALS??

After getting frustrated with writing goals for mastery of /r/ when my students didn’t always get that perfect /r/ in all positions and contexts, I now use the above rubric and write goals such as:

“STUDENT will produce the TYPE OF /r/ in words or sentences with a 4 or 5 rating on the attached rubric with at least X% accuracy.”

I will often split the goals up into initial /r/, /r/ blends, and vocalic /r/s, but sometimes I need to specify each individual vocalic /r/ in a separate goal.  And for some students, I know the 4 or 5 rating may not be achievable, especially if it is a persistent error and they are starting across the board at a “1” rating – then I might make something like:

“STUDENT will produce the TYPE OF /r/ in words or sentences with a 3 or greater rating on the attached rubric with at least X% accuracy.”

(Don’t forget to attach the rubric to the IEP paperwork if you write your goals this way!)

WHERE TO GO IN THERAPY?

I typically start with on auditory discrimination – can they tell the difference between a /w/, weak /r/, and a strong /r/ that I produce?  I might have them give me a thumbs up, thumbs down, or a thumb sideways to see what they think.  This is also a good way to start a session – I often start my /r/ sessions with 10-20 auditory discrimination trials, even when we are further along with the sound.

Next, I typically focus with discussing placement in different ways – for some students, this only takes a few sessions, while for others, it can take a month.  Different things seem to “click” with different students, so I typically try them all until I find one that seems the most helpful.  A few things to try:

• The Sounds of Speech website offers helpful placement videos.
• This video from The Peachie Speechie helps explain placement very well.
• I have also used this dental floss trick to help students figure out exactly how far back their tongue needs to go.
• The Karla method works for some students – this video helps explain it at about the 2 minute, 10 second mark.

Once we find something that works, I start working on co-articulation.  This is where you use a stronger /r/ to help strengthen a weaker /r/, and usually uses a stronger final vocalic /r/ or initial, prevocalic /r/.

This isn’t fancy – I typically write a list of syllables or words and we work on “smashing” them together to “trick” our brains into using the stronger /r/.  Then we slowly fade the stronger /r/ word by whispering it, then saying the paired word at normal volume.  We work towards just “thinking” the stronger /r/ word, and then fading it out completely.  (Note – I tend to avoid using /r/ words with rounded vowels in this stage if they still have some closer to /w/ productions, as I’m trying to get them out of the habit of rounded lips.)  Some students really do well with this, and others spend more time here.

Once we’ve got it solidly in a certain context in one position of words, I use a more traditional articulation approach to strengthen it in all positions of words, then work up to phrases, sentences, reading aloud, and conversation.

One thing I have found that seems to be helpful when they finally find a “strong” /r/ – have them record a short video for themselves, talking through exactly what they did, because their own words and explanation will help them more in the future much more than your own ever will.

DON’T FORGET!

In all sessions, I’ve found it’s really important to continually talk about what our tongue and mouth is doing when making the /r/ sounds.  It’s easy to forget to review it once a student is farther along with the sound, but it’s very helpful to keep reminding.  Some students are better at explaining themselves than others – some, I have to ask questions like, “Now, can you tell me – was your tongue flat or up in the back on that word?”

One really exciting thing that I have observed over the years in articulation therapy is that strengthening one /r/ context also strengthens other /r/ contexts, even if you don’t work on them directly in therapy.  This is really neat to discover when you use a progress monitoring tool on a quarterly basis!

I hope these tips help, and please share any of your own tips for the /r/ sound in a comment below!

Sarah K. Schellinger, Benjamin Munson & Jan Edwards (2017).  Gradient perception of children’s productions of /s/ and /θ/: A comparative study of rating methods, Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 31:1, 80-103, DOI:  10.1080/02699206.2016.1205665

If you like these tips, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter for more great ideas!   bit.ly/NatalieSnydersNewsletter

December 9, 2020 at 9:42 pm

excellent information that is like a great review even for us elder seasoned SLP’s

February 9, 2021 at 11:06 am

Being in undergrad for speech, I have learned a lot about articulation and some about how to elicit sounds but I found this blog post to be so helpful! The /r/ sound seems to be a big struggle for a lot of elementary age students. I loved how you used a self assessment to gauge the student’s attitude towards producing this sound and how it impacts them in an educational environment. The resources on how to describe placement was also very helpful because each student learns differently.

March 8, 2021 at 1:42 pm

This is a great post! I am an undergraduate student with the hope to become a licensed SLP following graduate school. In my years as an undergrad, I have found that the /r/ sound is a sound that causes trouble for a variety of kids. (It is one of the sounds that takes the longest to master). I enjoyed how you use a rating scale when screening or in simple activities to get a feel for where your students are when producing this sound. I think providing and using one of these scales it can make it easier for you as the SLP to get a feel for what students need to work on/improve on. I also like that you mentioned communication with students when working on sounds such as /r/ needs to be prominent. It is important for students to be aware of their position of the tongue and what is going on when they are producing sounds, as being aware of these things can benefit their understanding and overall progress.

May 24, 2022 at 8:30 am

This is an excellent description! Once I switched to this approach, students had significant gains.

October 28, 2022 at 3:19 pm

This is the first time I have actually come across anyone discussing how to rate /ɹ/ sounds! I love it. Thank you so much for this information. I am a CF working in private practice and am surprised to find that I am seeing kids on my caseload who really only need to be seen for the /ɹ/ and /θ / sounds! So at 5 years old, we are going for it as it seems to be indicated on the McLeod and Crowe 2018 article!

March 26, 2023 at 7:37 am

This is one of the most helpful posts concerning /r/ production and writing of goals that I have read. I have been an SLP for 25 years and have evolved in not only my instruction of the /r/ but in writing the goals. I have struggled with goals for /r/ in the public school setting as it can be so discouraging to students if their productions have improved but are still not perfect. This rubric is a great way fro them to see progress along the way. Thank you so much.

May 9, 2023 at 9:42 pm

Verrrrrrry helpful! I am a SLP who worked in the hospital environment for 19 years, and for the last two years, in the school environment. I have always found the /r/ to be tricky to consistently teach successfully. As I have gotten older, I too have started to classify /r/ in /r/ blends, prevocalic and postvocalic /r/ . I agree that this is a helpful method. However, I think your post is most excellent and helpful! I love how you break down the “different productions of /r/” , and give credit to the various productions. in your rubric. This seems ingenious to me! I also totally agree that it is very important to constantly verbally discuss tongue positioning. I am excited to incorporate your ideas for an IEP tomorrow involving a girl transitioning into middle school.

Thank you very much for this!

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Free SLP Initial R Materials, Games, Activities, Flashcards, and more!

Initial r virtual games and activities, freeslp offers tons of virtual slp materials for the r sound. to help target the r sound in the initial, medial, and final positions, we have created r tic-tac-toe, connect 4, virtual flashcards, virtual progression cards, battleship, spot-it, candy land, soccer, painting, and more to view our all free r sound virtual games and materials, click below:, initial r sound games and activities link.

Downloadable Initial R Materials

We also have tons of free no-prep downloadable r sound materials. r sound printables that we currently have include: r flashcards, qr code scavenger hunt, progression cards, spot-it, word finds, tic-tac-toe, bingo, candy land, connect 4, battleship and more if you're looking for more engaging ways to teach the r sound, hopefully you find these materials helpful to view our all free r sound virtual games and materials, click below:, initial r no-prep downloadables.

Initial R Sound Animated Videos

Animated videos for each sound teaching how to produce the sound as well as animated articulation adventures for each sound adventure across safaris, space, the world of minecraft, and more while teaching your child how to make awesome r sounds to view our all free r animated videos, click the link below:.

Initial R Artic Hierarchy Activities

Virtual materials to target r from the isolation level all the way up to the conversational level whether you're targeting sounds at the word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, story, or conversational levels, we have free and engaging speech therapy materials for each to view our all free r hierarchy activities, click below:.

Initial R Filterable Flashcards

Over 1,000+ flashcards that you can sort by target sound, position of sound, syllables, blends, and more add words to your custom word list and print out the flashcards to view our all free r sound virtual games and materials, click below:, initial r filterable flashcards.

Initial R sound overview page

What age should my kid be able to say the r sound.

Children typically are able to correctly produce the R sound around 5 years old.

Is the R sound a voiced sound?

Yes, the R sound is a voiced sound.

Is the R sound a liquid sound?

Yes the R sound  is a liquid sound.

How do I make the R sound?

How  to make the “r” sound:.

There are two ways that we can make the “r” sound.

• The retroflexed “r” which means we bring our tongue tip up towards the top of our mouth.
• The humped “r”which means we place the tip of our tongue on our lower gums behind the bottom teeth.  By doing so, the back of the tongue “humps” up

To find out which technique is best for the child, have them say target words from our flashcards targeting the different types of “r” listed above.  The first time, have the child say the words with a retroflexed tongue.  The second time, have the child used a humped tongue.  Each child is different, so try both and use whatever one sounds better / they feel most comfortable with.

Retroflexed “r”

• Have the child pucker their lips slightly and hold them there.
• Tell the child to make the back of their tongue flat and make it tight/strong.
• Raise the tip of the tongue towards the top of the mouth, but not touching it, and curl the tip of it backwards slightly.
• Turn  on  the voice (voice is the rumbling in your vocal folds.  Have your child/client place their hand on their/your neck during the production of “s” and “r”, and have them feel the difference between the two.  In the production of “s”, there should be no rumble or voicing.  While in the production of “r”, there should be a rumbling or voicing.)
• Release the air out over the tongue.
• Raise the back of the tongue towards the top of the mouth.
• Point the tip of the tongue towards the lower gums behind the bottom teeth.

Tricks and Tips for producing the “r” sound:

• Challenge the child to see who can make the best bear growl “Rrrrrrrrr!”
•   For the humped “r”, press the tongue tip down with the tongue depressor and typically the back portion of the tongue with hump up on its own.
• For the retroflexed “r”, place the tongue depressor under the tip of the tongue and raise it towards the top of the mouth.  When you raise the tongue tip, the tongue should naturally rise and curl backwards.

60 Initial (Prevocalic) R Words

50 medial r words, 50 final r words, what is a prevocalic r.

Prevocalic “r” words  are words where the “r” is produced at the beginning of the word in front of the vowels and include words like: road, red, run

What is a Postvocalic R?

Postvocalic “r” words  are words where “r” is produced after a vowel.  Post vocalic “r” often gives children the most issues because the vowel proceeding the “r” requires the articulators (tongue, lips, teeth, jaw, etc.) to be in different positions. To demonstrate this, look in a mirror or a camera and see how different your lips look while saying “ear” vs “or”.  Because of the placement required for the vowel, when saying a word like “ear” your articulators need to move fast to satisfy the placements for the “e” and then move quickly back to satisfy the placement of the “er”. Types of postvocalic r include: ar : artifact, farm, star or:  Orca, born, core er:  Earth, bird, mother ire:  iron, fireman, tire air:  airplane, fairy, hair ear:  earwax, beard, deer

R Sound Overview

If you are looking for tips and tricks on how to produce the perfect R sounds; click the link below:

Virtual Materials for Each Level of Artic Practice:

Target the R sound at the isolation level with 3 different activities: Isolation Animation, Pop the Bubbles, and Click the Button!

Target R at the syllable level with our virtual flashcards!

We have three activities for targeting R at the word level: 1.) Classic flashcards with initial, medial, final, and mixed sets. 2.) Minimal Pair Sliders 3.) Name the Photos (Have the computer give you feedback on your sound productions!)

R phrase flashcards with sets targeting R in the initial, medial, final, and mixed positions!

Target R at the sentence level with our rotating sentences activity!

Our R story is full of R target sounds and tongue twisters! Read it yourself or play it out loud and then repeat it back!

We have two ways to target R at the conversation level: 1.) Silly story scenes full of R target words. 2.) Conversation starter questions.

R Virtual Materials

List of All the Free R Sound Virtual Activities and Games

R flashcards, r progression cards, r soccer shootout, r escape from dragon's dungeon, r fish's flight to freedom, r witch's brew, r summer sundae dash, r fall apple quest, r halloween candy chompers, r thanksgiving treats, r cupid's valentines candies, r marshmallows' mad dash, r unicorn artic derby, r train track dash, r space race, r flashlight finder, r feed the bear, r pumpkin carving, r build-a-snowman, r thanksgiving dinner, r tic-tac-toe, r candy land, r connect 4, r battleship, r artic ninja, r volt runner, r artic clicker, r pizza jumper, r artic cruiser, r space invaders, r spot the differences, r treasure hunt, r crossword, r word find 1, r word find 2.

R Boom Cards

List of All the Free R Sound Downloadable and Printable and Games

R artic qr scavenger hunt, r artic progression cards, r artic spot the match, initial artic r flashcards, medial artic r flashcard, final artic r flashcards, r articulation carrier phrases, r articulation word find, r articulationtic-tac-toe, r articulation coloring sheet, r cartoon character flashcards, r articulation dice, r articulation flipbook, r artic bingo, r artic candyland, r artic cariboo cards, r artic battleship, r articulation connect 4.

R Downloadables

Free no-prep, virtual, and downloadable options available!

Free SLP articulation word lists, flashcards with pictures, downloadable PDFs and more!

Materials target the R sound in the initial, medial, and final positions!

Whether you are looking for printable, no-prep, or virtual materials, FreeSLP offers free R sound activities for students of every level!

We hope these R articulation activities and exercises for speech therapy help your child / student learn how to make s sounds!

Privacy Overview

Ridiculously Rousing /r/ Sound Articulation Activity Sheets – FREE DOWNLOAD

With 24 consonants and 20 vowels in the English language, it’s no wonder that many children end up struggling to pronounce at least 1 or 2. And of course, /r/ sound referrals are among the most common within the school-based SLP community. It’s likely for this reason that many creative activities for school-based therapy are focused on R words and /r/ sounds! In this spirit, we’ve developed 3 visually appealing R-packed articulation activity sheets that will bring some fun into your special education classroom or therapy session. Each is designed to address the /r/ sound in a specific part of the word.

The first articulation activity sheet focuses on words starting with R: Rug, Robot, Rake, Ring, Rocket, Rain, Ribbon, Rocks, Rabbit, Raccoon, Radio, Rope, Rose

The next articulation activity sheet encompasses words with R in middle: Bird, Squirrel, Fork, Horse, Heart, Carrot, Turtle, Earth, Camera, Pirate, Worm, Giraffe, Lizard, Shirt

And finally, the final articulation activity sheet includes words that end in R: Star, Tire, Door, Lobster, Dinosaur, Feather, Hammer, Car, Helicopter, Flower, Tiger, Pear, Square

These activity sheets are colorful, easy to download, and (best of all) free! The /r/ sound activity sheets combine visual scanning skills with initial, media, and final /r/ sounds.  Without even realizing it, your students will be working on building their vocabulary and visual perception skills!

How does it work?

Each activity sheet is comprised of 2 pages. Students will count the images on the first page and then count the quantities in the space provided on the second page. Have students see how many objects they can find and then say each one aloud to elicit the /r/ sound.

• R Initial Articulation iSpy
• R Medial Articulation iSpy
• R Final Articulation iSpy

We hope these articulation activity sheets are helpful in your SLP job! What are your current “go-to” /r/ sound activities? Share in the comment section below!

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How to Teach the R Sound

I have had a few readers recently write inquiring how to teach the R sound. This sound is among the toughest sounds to teach. It is unlike other sounds, meaning it is produced differently leading or following different vowels and consonants. The truth is when you talk about teaching the R sound you are actually talking about eight different variations of R that appear in initial (beginning), medial (middle) and final word positions comprising 21 different types of R. Evaluating, eliciting and training all these different variations of R can be a daunting task even for a Speech-Language Pathologist. Don’t be discouraged however, I have recently learned about a program called, The Entire World of R by Say it Right that breaks down R at every level. The Entire World of R teaches you how to assess which R errors are occurring, how to train the correct production of the R in error and gives you materials to help you move that difficult R from the sound in isolation all the way into conversation. I was thrilled to learn about this program and have just ordered a copy of The Entire World of R Book of Elicitation Techniques  for myself. I will be doing a follow up post once I have had a chance to read the book myself and apply it to some of my clients. It is my hope that it will make teaching an R easier for me as well!

Say it Right has posted an article from Advanced Magazine that has the basics on evaluating and treating vocalic r and the 21 types of /r/ that is very well written and most informative. I learned so much!

Say it Right also has a blog that is dedicated to R problems exclusively. It may be helpful to visit that site and read some of the questions and answers that have been posted, or ask “Mrs. R” a question yourself.

UPDATE! I am so pleased to have Christine Ristuccia, the author and creator of The Entire World of R, share her introduction on teaching the R sound in a more recent post on this blog. You can read it here .

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150+ Vocalic R Words, Phrases, Sentences, and Reading Passages

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**NEW** Click on words for picture, audio, & extra practice content!

Vocalic r words, vocalic -ar phrases and sentences.

alarm clock

shuffle cards

old garbage

white garlic

security guard

play the harp

glass marble

start running

yarn basket

He pushed the button on the alarm.

The soldiers in the army stood at attention.

You can see art at the museum.

The dog's bark is scary.

The car is fast.

We will play a game with cards.

It was dark, but the moon was out.

Every summer he visited his grandparents on the farm.

Take the garbage out today.

My food needs garlic.

The guard watched the hallway.

She has played the harp for years.

He is holding a red heart.

I found a marble on the floor.

The star was hanging on the tree.

It was the start of the race.

I work in my yard a lot.

I have many different colors of yarn.

Vocalic -AR Reading Paragraph

When you live on a farm, your day starts early in the morning. The alarm goes off around 4 a.m. It is always dark outside when we wake up, but the stars are pretty to look at.

Some days it feels like your heart needs a jump start. My dog, Barney, helps me wake up by licking my face. Sometimes he will bark at me too. He makes a great guard dog.

Once we get our hearts going, we go downstairs and eat a big breakfast. When breakfast is over, we pick up the yard a little and head to the barn. Working in the barn is like being in the army, there are a lot of rules to stay safe. The barn is quiet in the mornings.

When morning chores are finished it is time for lunch. After lunch we work with the crops until dinner. After dinner we relax from a hard day's work. We like to look at the stars, play marbles and cards, and sometimes we take a ride in the car. Then we go to bed and get ready to do it all again in the morning. 

Return to Top of Vocalic R Words Page

Vocalic -AIR Phrases and Sentences

asparagus bunch

hungry bear

beware of dog

wooden chair

run a marathon

married couple

sad nightmare

open parachute

happy parents

talking parrot

nice to share

new sheriff

square block

She is holding an arrow.

I eat my asparagus steamed.

The bear was hunting for food.

The sign says beware of dog.

Matthew sat down on the chair.

They had fun at the fair.

She has long, pretty hair.

The marathon had 500 runners.

They are a married couple.

I had a nightmare yesterday.

He floated down using his parachute.

They love being parents.

How does a parrot talk?

Can I have a bite of your pear?

She is nice to share her ice cream.

The sheriff took the robber to jail.

A square has four sides.

Don't make me tear these papers.

Vocalic -AIR Reading Paragraph

Sheriff of fairview.

Gary was the Sheriff of Fairview. He had lived in Fairview his whole life. His parents and grandparents had lived in Fairview their whole lives too. Gary knew everyone. He remembered that his scariest nightmare was about living somewhere else and not knowing anyone.

Fairview was a town where Gary had experienced a lot of "firsts" in his life. It was where he shot his first arrow, ran his first marathon, saw his first bear, and bought his first parrot. He was even married in the Fairview town square.

Every year, Fairview held its annual fair. It was some of the best fun the town members had all year. They often shared their stories with each other from years before.

During last year's fair, Gary warned everyone to beware of the bear around the town. It had been looking for food and wandered into the town square right during the fair. It scared a lot of people, luckily no one got hurt.

That was the first call Gary received as the new sheriff. He was able to make enough noise and use a chair to scare the bear away after he got to the town square. It was one of the more memorable town fairs in Fairview's history. 

Vocalic -ER Phrases and Sentences

butter popcorn

family dinner

shovel dirt

first place

dirty germs

hurt finger

tall ladder

white paper

white skirt

stir around

classroom teacher

male turkey

whisper softly

I put butter on my popcorn.

They sat down for a family dinner.

He had a shovel full of dirt.

He won first place.

He combed the poodle's fur.

Germs are growing on the dishes.

The girl is sitting on the pink chair.

The little boy hurt his finger.

Use the ladder to reach the fruit.

They are both learning math.

Please take out a sheet of paper.

She takes her purse everywhere.

She is wearing her favorite skirt.

The spider waited for flies in the web.

I need to stir the soup.

She is our 5th grade teacher.

A turkey sounds funny when it gobbles.

She whispered into the girl's ear.

Vocalic -ER Reading Paragraph

Favorite teacher.

My science teacher, Mr. Kerr, is my most favorite teacher in the world. Every class period we do the coolest experiments. We have made paper planes, studied what spiders eat for dinner, learned the molecular differences between dirt and butter, and looked at germs under a microscope.

At first, most of our class was nervous to do all of these crazy things, but after studying butter and dirt we were amazed at how cool science is. We told Mr. Kerr our concerns and he reassured us if we would give the experiments a chance, we wouldn't be sorry.

Mr. Kerr is dedicated too. Last year he hurt his shoulder playing basketball. He had to have surgery on it and I'm sure he was in a lot of pain. He didn't care though. He still came to school and taught our class how to make a liquid into a solid by stirring specific materials together. Then he had us climb a ladder and pour it off onto the floor.

He also likes to surprise our class with opportunities to learn. During November, we had a lesson about what has to happen to a turkey before we can eat it. The class thought it would be gross, and some of it was, but we learned a lot about the process. The girl next to me and I agree that we will miss Mr. Kerr's science class. 

SEE ALSO:   The Best Free App for Speech Therapy

Vocalic -EAR Phrases and Sentences

bushy beard

hospital cafeteria

grocery store cashier

bowl of cereal

crystal chandelier

clear ocean

small hearing aid

side view mirror

near each other

tall pyramid

metal shears

cheap souvenir

steer clear

He is not going to cut his beard.

The hungry lady is in the cafeteria.

The cashier is giving change to the customer.

Have a bowl of cereal for breakfast.

A crystal chandelier is elegant.

They did a cheer at the pep rally.

The ocean is clear and beautiful.

He puts the hearing aid in his ear.

I checked my side view mirror.

The horses are near each other.

Walk to the end of the pier.

We saw the pyramid in the desert.

He is pruning the bush with shears.

He bought a souvenir to remember his trip.

The statue is holding a spear.

He will steer in the right direction.

He is wearing a weird costume.

It is almost the end of the school year.

Vocalic -EAR Reading Paragraph

Bearded storyteller.

The man with the beard had traveled everywhere. He had amazing stories that he would tell to people passing by on the pier. He had trouble hearing so you had to speak up to ask him questions.

He told stories about jobs he had. He was a cashier in Bosnia, a chandelier salesman in Denmark, and a spear sharpener at a museum in Australia. He had the chance to steer a boat in the Baltic Sea, go inside the pyramids in Egypt, and took a picture near the Mona Lisa in Paris.

He had pictures of lots of weird things he had seen all along the way. During his travels he had bought souvenirs at every place he had visited. He had a two way mirror from Nepal, a special wheat cereal from Dubai, a small gladiator spear from Rome, and some pruning shears from Rio de Janeiro that never needed to be sharpened.

He had traveled for years and seen many beautiful places. At the end of his stories he would tell listeners that he only had one regret. Then he would say how he wished he wouldn't have done all of his traveling alone.

Then he would encourage his listeners to find someone special to share their experiences with. People would often cheer because they liked what they learned from him. 

Vocalic -IRE Phrases and Sentences

roaring campfire

church choir

clothes dryer

Empire State Building

roaring fire

fireman courage

lost and found flier

see Ireland

metal pliers

sapphire ring

watchful umpire

scary vampire

The boy and his dad admire each other.

They got a first time buyer discount on the home.

They took marshmallows to the campfire.

The choir likes to perform.

She put the clothes into the dryer.

The Empire State Building is in New York City.

The fire kept them warm.

The fireman was very brave.

They posted a lost and found flier to find their dog.

She wants to hire a new worker.

We are going on vacation to Ireland.

Her mom thought she was a liar.

Cut the wire with pliers.

The necklace has a sapphire in it.

He is tired from working hard.

The umpire called a strike.

We saw a vampire in the haunted house.

The fence had barb wire on it.

Vocalic -IRE Reading Paragraph

Vampire jeweler.

Megan was a vampire from Ireland. But she wasn't a typical vampire. She didn't hurt people or fight with anyone. She made sapphire jewelry. She used pliers, silver wire, and beautiful sapphires and other gems to make bracelets, rings, and earrings. Many people admired her work and she had buyers from all over the world who bought her jewelry.

Since vampires don't sleep and don't get tired, Megan had lots of time to make the jewelry. She would sit by a campfire, listen to her favorite choir, and make jewelry all night long.

One day when she was in town getting groceries, she saw a flyer posted in the store. The flyer stated that a person in her town had a fire in their bedroom and all of their belongings had been burned. It also said they had lost all of their jewelry in the fire and they wanted to hire someone to make them new jewelry.

Megan called the number on the flyer. She told the woman on the other end that she wanted to help her replace the jewelry she lost. The woman was grateful and hired Megan right over the phone.

Megan went to work making many new pieces of sapphire jewelry for the woman. Four days later, Megan visited the woman to show her all of the new jewelry.

A fireman had been to visit the woman to talk about how the fire had been started in her bedroom. The fireman told the woman that she was very lucky that the fire had not caught the rest of the house on fire. Megan went in and sat down on the woman's couch to show her the jewelry. The woman was very happy with the jewelry Megan made for her.

"Clean the jewelry one time each month, don't wear them for more than eight days without taking them off, and never put them in the dryer. That would melt the wire," said Megan, giving the woman instructions. The woman agreed, thanked Megan for her hard work, and Megan went home to finish making more jewelry. 

Vocalic -OR Phrases and Sentences

bored student

church chorus

yellow corn

thick forest

peel orange

ocean shore

play sports

clothing store

scary tornado

She was bored doing her homework.

The chorus sang beautifully.

We are having corn for dinner.

We knocked on the door three times.

The wood floor made the room look great.

Many trees are in the forest.

She will be four years old in October.

The horn is gold and shiny.

The horse is running fast.

He is going to eat the orange.

Let's eat popcorn during the movie.

Can I pour you a glass of water?

Let's go play by the sea shore.

The shorts were on sale.

You can choose to play many sports.

It was their favorite store to shop at.

It was a big lightning storm.

Mom read a story to her son.

The tornado destroyed many homes.

Vocalic -OR Reading Paragraph

Storm chasing.

Jordan has a cool but dangerous job. He is a storm chaser. He never gets bored. A few times per month, he and his four person crew jump in their cars and chase tornadoes. Jordan wasn't always interested in storms though, he has an interesting story about why he became a storm chaser.

He grew up farming corn with his mom and dad. He rode horses, played sports, and was a typical kid. When he was 17 years old, a tornado touched down in the city he lived in. It traveled four miles south of town and wiped out his family's farm.

Jordan and his family hid in their storm cellar and were not hurt from the tornado, but the tornado destroyed everything his family had. His family was poor for a few years following the tornado while he and his family looked for ways to earn money. Jordan made doors, worked at the grocery store, and even sold popcorn to make money to pay for food.

It was a hard time for Jordan and his family. As a result, Jordan decided to go to college to become a meteorologist. He studied weather and weather patterns. He wanted to learn how tornadoes moved so that he could warn people when they were coming.

About one year ago, all of his hard work paid off when he received funding for his research. Many storm chasers don't make much money, but Jordan didn't care about that. He had lived without a lot of money. Jordan wanted to help people. He was excited about how the money he received would help gather enough information to help more people in the future.

This list of functional words was professionally selected to be the most useful for a child or adult who has difficulty with producing the "Vocalic R" sound.

We encourage you to use this list when practicing at home.

Doing home practice will help your child make much faster progress toward correct production.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are only able to see students/clients 30-60 mins (or less) per week.

This is not enough time  for your child to overcome an articulation disorder with the "Vocalic R" sound. But with high caseloads...

...it's all SLPs can do.

There's  only so much time  in the day.

Every day that your child goes without practice  it becomes more and more difficult  to correct an "Vocalic R" error because he/she continues to say it incorrectly. 

SEE ALSO:   The Best Books for Speech Therapy Practice

We know life is busy , but if you're reading this you're probably someone who cares about helping their loved one as much as you can.

Practice 5-10 minutes whenever you can, but try to do it on a consistent basis (daily).

Please, please, please use this list to practice.

It will be a great benefit to you and your loved one's progress.

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”R” Words Speech Therapy

Kids with speech impediments or communication difficulties can struggle with producing certain sounds correctly. In fact, around 9% of young kids have some sort of a speech language disorder. So if you are feeling like your kid is alone, they are not. One of the sounds that children have most difficulty with is the /r/ sound.

When a child has difficulty pronouncing the /r/ sound correctly, it is called rhotacism . Kids struggle with the pronunciation of the /r/ sound. Your child’s speech-language pathologist may determine that your kid has difficulty with this sound. However, there are many activities to promote /r/ articulation.

How to Make the /r/ Sound

There is a reason that children struggle with /r/ sound and it is one of the sounds learned the last. One of the reasons that make this sound so challenging is that there are many different ways to pronounce it! The pronunciation depends very much on the letters that are combined with the /r/ sound.

We produce the /r/ sound with our tongues put near the roof of our mouth. To make this sound we also have to use our vocal cords. Through the narrow space in our mouths, the air flows. The tip of our tongue should be behind the ridge behind the teeth but not touch anywhere.

Another reason that the /r/ sound can be challenging is the vowels used in the production and its placement. The /r/ sound can precede a vowel, which is called prevocalic or the /r/ sound can be vocalic, meaning that it follows a vowel. This means that the /r/ sound pronunciation can change depending on the vowel.

Also, the combinations the /r/ sound makes with other vowels can also be placed in different positions of a word, which makes it more challenging to pronounce. The pronunciation changes yet again depending on the position of the sound, if it is at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the word.

The /r/ sound is one of the last sounds that kids master as it is so challenging. One other reason that it is so difficult to master is that it is produced only by manipulating the tongue position. This makes it difficult for kids to visualize how to make the /r/ sound in a certain position.

There are ways to stimulate your kid to make the /r/ sound. You can demonstrate the sound of a typical /r/. Explain to your kid that this /r/ sound is made by the tongue being slightly at the back and in the middle of the mouth, but close to the top of the mouth. In order to show how it works, you can use your hand, keep it in a flat position, your palm facing down. Then, put your right hand beneath your left hand and have the palms face each other. Explain to your kid that the left hand is the top of the mouth and the right hand is the tongue. Curl your fingers on the right hand in a way that they almost touch the left hand’s palm. This is pretty much how the tongue acts when producing the /r/ sound.

The steps to produce the /r/ sound is as follows:

• Raise the tip of the tongue just beneath the alveolar ridge but don’t touch it
• Then raise the body of the tongue in the mouth, still not touching anything
• Pass the voiced air over the tongue
• Then the velum is closed and vocal cords vibrate.

Variation of the /r/ Sound

The challenge of producing the /r/ sound comes from the combinations it makes with vowels in certain positions in a word. If it comes after a vowel, the /r/ sound takes on vocalic properties. This makes it difficult for children to master each and every variation of the /r/ sound.

Considering the initial r, medial r, and final r positions that the /r/ sound can be in a word as well as the combinations that it can make with vowels, there are 21 vocalic and around 32 allophonic types of the /r/ sound. These are er final, ar initial, ar medial, ar final, air initial, air medial, air final, ear initial, ear medial, ear final, ire initial, ire medial, ire final, or initial, or medial, or final, medial/final rl, br, kr, dr, fr, gr, pr, spr, str, shr, tr, and thr.

The big picture is that the /r/ sound seems like it has more variations compared to other sounds in the English language.

What’s the Age to Correctly Say the /r/ Sound?

Sound development happens at different rates for each kid. Although this is not a strict measure to live by, generally, children should correctly produce the /r/ sound by the age of six. However, this development doesn’t occur overnight. Children will acquire the skill to produce this sound correctly over time by hearing and practicing it. If you feel like your kid is falling behind in their sound development, it would be beneficial to consult a speech-language pathologist to have your kid tested and determine if any intervention is needed.

What is the Typical /r/ Sound Speech Development

In order to master the /r/ sound, kids have to go through certain levels of progress. Here is a typical progression:

• Isolation level, where the sound is said by itself
• Syllable level, where the sound is combined with a vowel, such as rye, ro, re
• Word level, where the sound is used within a word, such as “word, road”
• Phrase level, where several words with the /r/ sound is strung together into a short two or three-word phrase, such as “rainy winter”
• Sentence level, where more complex and longer sentences with words that have /r/ sound, such as “This winter is rainy”
• Conversation level, where /r/ words are used in connected speech during conversations accurately

Of course, this progress doesn’t happen overnight. The kid will have to practice saying /r/ words, where the /r/ sound is located in various places in various words, such as at the beginning, in the middle or final position. Also, since the pronunciation of the /r/ sound heavily depends on the vowel it is used with, the kid will also have to practice prevocalic and vocalic /r/ sounds.

Some children go through these phases quickly, some struggle at some point. The /r/ sound is a really complex sound to master, so a kid may not be able to master all of its variations at once. However, through practice and interventions the sound can be produced correctly.

Tips and Tricks for Encouraging Kids to Practice /r/ Sound

All of the variations of the /r/ sound makes it difficult to figure out the area the kid is struggling. However, this doesn’t mean that the child has to master all of these allophones. Finding out where the kid struggles is the key to providing them with the most suitable practices.

There are some practices that speech-language pathologists and parents and caregivers can try with their kid to produce the /r/ sound appropriately.

This is one of the most beneficial methods that can teach kids how to produce a certain sound. Try modeling producing the sound. However, this could be difficult for the /r/ sound as it is mostly done by the tongue movements rather than lips, so it could be hard to demonstrate for the kid to imitate. Here, the parents and caregivers can have the kid imitate animal sounds. These sounds will be fun to make. Try roaring, or barking like a dog.

Use mirrors

This is yet another great method to help the kid to visualize how to produce the sound. Through a mirror, the kid can get a sense of how their mouth or jaw moves, and their awareness of mouth, tongue, and lip movements increase with the use of a mirror.

Auditory bombardment

Auditory bombardment is a commonly used method to teach children sounds. In this method, the child listens to an r word list again and again. Select words that have the /r/ sound in various variations. This intense repetition will allow for the child to hear and imitate the sound they hear repeatedly. The rate of sound development of the child will improve through utilizing this evidence-based method.

This article is examined by Clinical Child Psychologist and Ph. D. Researcher Kevser Çakmak, and produced by Otsimo Editorial Team.

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400+ Prevocalic R Words List for Speech Therapy

As speech-language pathologists, we know that certain speech sounds can be more challenging for some individuals to produce than others. One such sound is the prevocalic r, which is the r sound that occurs at the beginning of a word or syllable. 

The production of this sound involves the coordination of the lips, tongue, and vocal cords, making it a complex sound to master.

I mean what speech therapist doesn’t love working on the pesky sound of /r/?!

If you are a speech therapist or parent looking for prevocalic r words to practice with your child or student then this blog post is just what you need! It has over 400 prevocalic r words that will help strengthen your child or student’s /r/ sound. 

Key Takeaways

• Prevocalic r is a complex sound that can be challenging for some individuals to produce.
• Correct production of prevocalic r is crucial for effective communication in the English language.
• Speech-language pathologists can use a variety of techniques and strategies to teach and practice prevocalic r production.

What is a Prevocalic R?

A prevocalic r is a feature of the English language that refers to the pronunciation of the sound /r/ before a vowel in a word.

Articulation Therapy and Prevocalic R

When it comes to treating speech sound disorders, in the schools or in a private practice setting, the speech therapist will begin with a complete evaluation of the client’s speech sound system. 

During assessment, we collect a detailed case history and conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the client’s speech sound system, including an analysis of prevocalic r production. We also consider other factors that may be impacting speech production, such as oral motor skills, hearing, and language abilities.

Based on the assessment results, we develop an individualized treatment plan that targets the specific needs of the client. Treatment may involve direct therapy, where we work one-on-one with the client, or indirect therapy, where we collaborate with family members, teachers, and other professionals to support the client’s communication development.

This evaluation helps determine whether prevocalic R is the only intervention target or if other sounds are also in need of remediation. Once it has been determined that prevocalic R is a good intervention target, we can begin working on this sound specifically. 

Our primary goal is to help individuals achieve effective communication by improving their speech intelligibility and overall communication skills.

The speech therapist may use a variety of techniques and strategies to help the client produce prevocalic R correctly. These may include auditory bombardment, modeling, and shaping.

During therapy sessions, the speech therapist will provide feedback and guidance to the client as they practice producing prevocalic R in various words and phrases. 

It is important to note that progress in therapy can take time, and clients may need multiple sessions to master the sound.

Correct Sound Production

In the English language the r sound is one of the most difficult sounds as well as one of the last sounds to develop. There are two different ways a Speech Language Pathologist can teach tongue placement for r remediation. 

First, let’s review the two different variations for tongue movements for producing the correct r sound:

• Retroflexed R

The two different tongue positions are very similar and vary in mid-tongue and tongue tip placements:

• Teeth: The /r/ sound is made by having a slight gap between the teeth.
• Lips: Lips should be in a neutral position and not rounded. (A rounded lip shape might lead to a w sound in place of an /r/ sound, such as “wed” for the word “red”.
• Sides of the Tongue: Be sure to place the sides of the tongue and back of the tongue against the upper side of your teeth to allow for the passage of air to go down the center of the tongue.
• Retroflexed Tongue Position: Have the mid-tongue somewhat tense but not bunched up. Then place the tip of the tongue pointing up to the roof of their mouth just past the alveolar ridge.
• Bunched Tongue Position: Have the mid-tongue bunched up near the roof of the mouth. Then place the tip of the tongue pointing down or straight.
• Air: Then blow a skinny stream of air over the center of your tongue (you do not want the air to come out the sides of the tongue).
• Voice: The next step is that the r sound is also a voiced sound so your voice box or vocal cords should vibrate. You can tell that their voice is turned on by touching your voice box on your neck and feeling it vibrate (the upper part of the throat).

Hardest Sounds

Please keep in mind that the r sound is a later developing sound and one of the hardest aspects is teaching the complexity of speech movements. 

Teaching the right way to place the child’s tongue can give you a hard time. 

That’s why it’s important to work closely with a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist to give you professional help to work with your child to find the right position for their tongue to produce a great sounding r sound.

R Speech Sounds

• Prevocalic R – is when the r sound comes before a vowel sound, such as initial r words as in “red”. 
• Vocalic R  Sound – is when the r sound comes after a vowel sound, such as: or, ar, er, ear, ire, air.

Target Words

When selecting target words and word lists, it’s important to consider the individual needs and abilities of the client. A speech-language pathologist can help identify appropriate target words and develop a plan for therapy sessions that is tailored to the client’s specific needs and goals.

Here’s a list of prevocalic articulation sounds for you to use in therapy or at home practice to work on your student or child’s new skill.

• For Example: red, rain, rest, right, race, rat, ride, ruin, rope, rake, read, rode, root, ripe, racket, raspberry, recess, retreat, run, rubber

See full list of words, phrases, and sentences below.

Be sure to grab my one page freebie of prevocalic sounds below. Simply scroll to the bottom of this post and grab your free copy!

Need Medial or Final R Words?

See full list of 1220+ R words at the word level, phrase level, and sentence level here. Plus this list provides words in the initial position of words, medial r words, and final r words. (I’m hoping to have an r blend list coming soon!)

Need a Different Sound?

You won’t want to miss out on my complete growing list of all my articulation word lists !

Word Positions: R Words Speech Therapy 

Initial position of words.

The initial position of the r sound is at the beginning of the word. For example, “rock” or “rain”.

Medial Position of Words

Some words have the r sound in the medial position of a word, such as “parrot”, “carseat”, and “pirate”.

Final Word Position

The final positions of words are when the target sound is at the end of the word. For example, “baker” or “tiger”.

Prevocalic R Words at Word Level

Some ways to practice include having your child or student say each prevocalic /r/ word one by one as they go through a list. 

Using a dot marker can also be a fun way to practice having your child put a dot under each prevocalic r sound. 

In addition, I’ve compiled an easy-to-download dot game of the prevocalic r sound below. Simply scroll down to the bottom of this post and download your free copy.

• 1 Syllable: ring, rich, red, rain, rock, rose, ray, ron, room, ram, rest, Ryan, rat, royal, rap, rage, rice, race, rush, Rome, ross, right, real, road, rad, run, row, roof, ride, rope, risk, rise, rum, rip, Rick, robe, rule, rep, rug, reach, rent, read, rod, rant, roll, rust, rob, rack, rough, Ruth, round, rhythm, ride, root, rag, ranch, ridge, raw, rot, ring, reign, rale, rim, rig, rave, rude, rub, reed, raft, rut, rear, rib, ritz, rye, rails, rouge, route, roe, rash, raid, reef, ruin, rocks, roar, roast, roach, rung, rein, rare, raise, ripe, rank, reek, role, roll, realm, rack, ruse, ramp, rink, runt, react, rasp, ratch, realy, reel, roost 
• 2 Syllable: Rachel, river, Rio, range, russia, robbery, rhyme, running, respect, riddle, rodent, raven, reason, rocket, robbin, roman, ready, rodger, reading, rainbow, rasta, random, Riley, reindeer, rising, rhino, reagan, region, rapper, riot, rabbit, racing, research, reaction, relief, ripple, romance, rosa, ruler, reward, romeo, raining, really, return, resource, runner, ruby, recall, roster, robot, recess, reptile, rally, randy, russell, rubber, rascal, rocky, ringing, ribbon, realize, routine, recipe, rooster, rifle, respite, robber, rubish, raddish, resist, rebel, raffle, rapture, regret, rowing, rustic, racket, redneck, rugby, retail, report, reject, request, rover, rubble, rodeo, raptor, royalty, reveal, radar, release, rapid, riches, rumor, roommate, repeat, rhyming, rusty, racist, resort, rumble, recon, repent, raided, rampage, records, runway, ruthless, roller, reunion, review, realtor, rooky, resume, relay, radar, retire, redo, ranger, rescue, rhombus, rental, relax, raising, reaching, recipt, rejoice, reggae, replace, regard, railway, results, raccoon, regain, richness, rancid, ruckus, refuge, reverse, raging, riser, runoff, refuse, realty, rival, realness, rocking, rematch, richer, refund, raincoat, remorse, roaring, rutter, railing, rabi, reeling, reckless, racer, remark, repair, recieve, restless, rabid, raisin, ruining, rupture, risking, reset, ruling, rifling, reflux, railroad, rinsing, remain, reform, rower, roaming, rider, rusting, ringer, replay, reply, rambler, respawned, rumbling, rested, raiser, rockies, rebate, ransom, rasping, rover, rotor, regards, redness, roomie, remote, refresh, rinse, relate, rattle, restart, recount, refine
• 3 Syllable: revenge, radio, remember, realty, republic, restaurant, recycle, radical, recycling, rainforest, receiver, register, resolve, religion, racism, relative, ration, raspberry, reminder, rebellion, Ramadan, radiant, Robinson, righteous, Russian, reflection, resistance, respectful, relentless, retina, remedy, recession, retriever, revival, rosary, rejection, reasoning, resentment, replica
• 4 Syllable: relaxation, retirement, relationship, righteousness, renovation, revolution, reciprocal, resolution, responsible, reference, retribution, resurrection, reservation, republican, remembering, rambunctious, revelation, relatable, recovery, remarkable, reciprocate, ravioli, renewable, recreation, restoration, reproduction, radiator, rosemary, recognition, registration, rhinoceros, reliable, remodeling, reinforcement, relocation, regulation, requirement, reformation, resignation, repercussion, regurgitate, respirator, reasonable, regenerate, repairable, reversible

Prevocalic R Words Speech Therapy

See also: 21 best reinforcement games for speech therapy.

Short Sentences or Phrases

When working on prevocalic r sound production, it’s important to work on short phrases once your child or student has mastered the sound at the word level at or near 80% or higher accuracy.

Here is a list of prevocalic word phrases to try:

Prevocalic R Words Speech Therapy in Phrases

Sentence Level: Prevocalic R Words Speech Therapy

The next step after working at the word and phrase levels is to work on the prevocalic r sound at the sentence level.

For example, you could give your child or student a list of sentences to read aloud while they work on their prevocalic r sound. 

Another idea would be to give your child or student pictures with their prevocalic r sound in them and then have them create a sentence about those pictures.

Below is a list of sentences to use with your child or students.

Prevocalic R Words Speech Therapy in Sentences

See also: free articulation games for speech therapy, correct production – effective r therapy.

Do you have any r kids who are struggling with the incorrect production of the r sound? 

If so, here are a handful of new strategies that therapists have had great success with helping their speech students produce the tricky sound of R. 

Start with one simple program below and if that doesn’t work you can keep working through the different strategies until you find one that your student finds success with.

You can even grab a tongue depressor to use as a tactile cue to help correct speech errors.

• Teach Tongue and Mouth Anatomy: The first step you can start with is by teaching the parts of the tongue and mouth that will help with cueing for articulation placement. Grab the R Sound Freebie – Anatomy of Tongue and Mouth for Speech Therapy by Speechy Things.
• Phonemic Awareness, Auditory Discrimination, & Articulation: Practice targeting all three skills with this free trial of Locate! Discriminate! Articulate! – /r/: FREE TRIAL VERSION by OTTeR Speech.
• Phonemic Awareness: Have your students start by identifying where they hear the r sound in a word. Use this Phonemic Awareness – R Freebie by michjco to get started.
• Perception Training: Start with R Perception Training by having the student identify the difference between the correct R sound and the incorrect R sound. Grab the R Sound Perception Training FREEBIE: Early R Speech Therapy Activities from Speechy Things.
• Vocalic R Sounds Visual Cue: Have students working on the vocalic R? Grad this free Vocalic R Visual Support- Free / English Only worksheet from The Spanish Speechie.
• Minimal Pairs: Use minimal pairs to work on the r sound. Have your students identify the /r/ vs. the /w/ sound with the Free r/w Minimal Pairs Hide & Seek Speech – School Theme – Boom Cards & PPT by Little Speech Shop.

Different Ways to Practice

Finally, there are many different ways to practice prevocalic r. These can include tongue twisters, reading aloud, singing, and other exercises. By practicing in different ways, students can become more comfortable with the sound and learn how to produce it more naturally.

Overall, teaching prevocalic r can be challenging, but with the right techniques and practice, students can learn to master this important sound.

Prevocalic R Words Speech Therapy Ideas

Below are some therapy materials that you might find helpful when it comes to working on prevocalic r with your clients.

It is important to have materials that are easy access and can be used in a variety of settings. This may include materials that can be printed out and used in therapy sessions or materials that can be accessed through a digital platform. We have found that having a variety of materials that are easy to access and use has been essential in our practice.

Boom Cards are digital task cards that can be accessed through a computer, tablet, or smartphone. They are a fantastic way to have a little speech therapy fun while engaging your clients in a fun and interactive way. We have found that Boom Cards are particularly helpful when working on prevocalic r because they provide visual cues and immediate feedback.

• FREE Articulation Sudoku Prevocalic /r/ BOOM CARD™ Deck – Distance Learning by KI Speech Therapy – Kristin Immicke is a great boom card resource that has students practice prevocalic r while playing a sudoku style game.
• FREE Prevocalic R Activity Boom Cards for Speech Therapy | Distance Learning by Talking with Rebecca is a fine scramble style game that is highly rated and engaging for students practicing prevocalic R! 
• FREE-Prevocalic R Superhero BOOM Cards by Leap into Speech is a really fun and engaging super hero themed boom card set! 

Using books in therapy is a great way to engage clients in a fun and entertaining way. There are many great books available that can be used to target prevocalic r. 

For Example:

The Little Old Lady That Wasn’t Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams and Megan Lloyd is one of the best children’s books out there. This story follows a little old lady who goes on a walk through the forest looking for herbs, nuts, and seeds and on her way home meets various clothing items that try to scare her, but she keeps telling them that she is not afraid of anything! This book is great for your older children who wouldn’t be afraid of scary clothing items following a lady home. 

Digital Version:

Articulation

• R Sound – ran, rocked

Get the complete list of children’s books for speech therapy .

A flip book is a tool that can be used to target a variety of speech sounds, including prevocalic r. It consists of a series of pages with different word lists that can be flipped through to practice different sounds. We have found that flip books are particularly helpful when working on prevocalic r because they provide a visual representation of the sound and allow clients to practice in a structured way.

• Phonic Flip Books (Bossy R) by Kaitlyn Campbell is a print and go flip book that is great for practicing prevocalic R!
• The 3 R’s of Earth Day Flipbook {FREEbie} by The Treasured Schoolhouse is a highly rated fip book that focuses on /r/ with an earth day theme!
• R.A.P. Flip book by Jessica Stearns is a fun flip book for younger ages! It is easy to print and go or to use interactively!

Digital Downloads

There are many digital downloads available that can be used to target prevocalic r. These include worksheets, flashcards, and games. We have found that digital downloads are particularly helpful when working with clients who are learning remotely or who need additional practice outside of therapy sessions.

• R Activities I Spy Game by Speech Therapy Store – If you’re looking for an amazing freebie and a great resource then you’re in the right spot. I’ve created a fun and engaging I Spy activity that any student is sure to love!

• R Word Search by Speech Therapy Store – Here is a fun and engaging Word Search that your students are sure to enjoy.

• 43+ Best R Speech Therapy Activities by Speech Therapy Store – You won’t want to miss out on this list of just over 43 different activities for working on the r sound in therapy.  

Home Practice

As speech-language pathologists, we understand the importance of home practice for our clients. 

When working with children’s speech, we know that consistent practice is key to improving their skills. Without regular practice, children may struggle to retain what they have learned in therapy sessions. This is why we encourage parents to work with their child at home, in addition to attending therapy sessions with us.

Home practice allows children to practice their skills in a comfortable and familiar environment. By practicing at home, children can work on their speech skills at their own pace, without the pressure of a therapy session.

We recommend that parents practice with their child for at least 10-15 minutes per day, 3-5 times per week. This can include practicing specific words or phrases that contain the prevocalic /r/ sound, as well as reading books or engaging in other activities that promote speech development.

It is important to note that every child is different, and what works for one child may not work for another. That is why we work closely with parents to develop a home practice plan that is tailored to their child’s individual needs.

In conclusion, home practice is an essential component of speech therapy for children who struggle with the prevocalic /r/ sound. By practicing at home, children can reinforce what they have learned in therapy and make progress towards their speech goals. As speech-language pathologists, we are committed to working with parents to develop effective home practice plans that meet the unique needs of each child.

• R Sound Articulation Lists by Speech Therapy Store – Grab my one page freebie of initial r words, medial r, and final r sounds with real-life photos perfect for older students working on the word, phrase, and sentence levels.

• Interactive Flash Cards by Speech Therapy Store – Have fun using our interactive r flash cards right from your computer! We’ve included 25 flash cards for the initial r, medial r, and final r for a total of 75 interactive flash cards to use with your students or clients right from your computer. 

SEE ALSO: 279+ Free Speech Therapy Digital Materials

In Conclusion: Prevocalic R Words Speech Therapy

We hope you have found this article helpful for working on your child or student’s prevocalic r sound. 

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Frequently asked questions, what are some activities to teach prevocalic r.

There are many fun and engaging activities that can help teach prevocalic r. Some examples include tongue twisters, word games, and singing songs that emphasize the r sound. You can also use visual aids such as mirrors or videos to help children see how their mouth moves when producing the r sound.

How can I improve my child’s prevocalic r pronunciation?

Consistent practice and repetition are key to improving prevocalic r pronunciation. Encourage your child to practice saying words with the r sound every day, and provide positive feedback and reinforcement when they make progress. You should also work with a speech therapist to help guide your child’s practice.

What are some common postvocalic r words?

Postvocalic r refers to the r sound that comes after a vowel in a word. Some common postvocalic r words include “car,” “bird,” and “star.” It is important to note that postvocalic r can be pronounced differently depending on the dialect or region.

What is the difference between prevocalic r and postvocalic r?

Prevocalic r refers to the r sound that comes before a vowel in a word, while postvocalic r refers to the r sound that comes after a vowel in a word. The two sounds can be pronounced differently and require different techniques for proper pronunciation.

Are there any online resources for teaching prevocalic r?

Yes, there are many online resources available for teaching prevocalic r. Some examples include speech therapy websites, YouTube videos, and educational apps. It is important to ensure that the resources are reputable and evidence-based before using them for practice.

How can I incorporate prevocalic r practice into daily routines?

Incorporating prevocalic r practice into daily routines can be easy and fun. You can encourage your child to say words with the r sound during mealtime, playtime, and even while reading books. You can also make a game out of finding words with the r sound in everyday objects or signs. Consistent practice and repetition are key to improving prevocalic r pronunciation.

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