speech therapy words that start with f

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230+ F Words, Phrases, Sentences, and Reading Passages

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Initial F by Syllables

Father's Day

Ferris wheel

finger print

fire fighter

football field

Philippines

fashionable

Fiji Islands

fundamental

photographer

photography

Medial F by Syllables

bike safety

boating safety

certificate

climbing safety

confidential

safety glasses

water safety

affiliation

bibliography

informational

modification

sophisticated

unforgettable

Final F by Syllables

carving knife

handkerchief

pocket knife

weatherproof

choreograph

Indian chief

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Initial F Phrases and Sentences

fall season

bird feather

white fence

strong fist

number five

new football

thick forest

phone message

The leaves turn orange and yellow in the fall.

The fan cools the air in the room.

Every summer he visited his grandparents on the farm.

You can tell that the horse is fast.

The feather is light.

The fence went around the land.

The baby is grabbing her finger.

Let's cook hot dogs over the fire.

She caught a fish that was bigger than a dog.

He pounded his fist on the table.

He ran in lane five.

She held the babies tiny foot.

The boys enjoyed playing football every Saturday.

Many trees are in the forest.

You will need a fork and knife to eat dinner.

She will be four years old in October.

What does the fox say?

Give me a phone call in 10 minutes.

Medial F Phrases and Sentences

letters of the alphabet

eat breakfast

brown buffalo

slimy catfish

ground coffee

smiling dolphin

baby elephant

orange goldfish

white golf ball

loud headphones

young lifeguard

microphone check

brown muffin

empty office

smooth saxophone

heavy traffic

gold trophy

hot waffles

Katie can say the letters of the alphabet in order.

I love bacon, eggs, and orange juice for breakfast.

We saw buffalo at Yellowstone National Park.

We caught six catfish in the pond.

This coffee is too hot!

The dolphin smiled at me.

The elephant is washing himself.

The goldfish has a white tail.

He put the golf ball on the tee.

Turn the music down in your headphones.

The lifeguard blew his whistle.

Turn on your microphone.

That chocolate muffin looks good.

The office workers were all gone.

I have played the saxophone for three years.

There is heavy traffic on the highway.

He won a trophy for his science project.

I want waffles for breakfast.

Final F Phrases and Sentences

steep cliff

little cough

elf princess

tall giraffe

cut in half

sharp knife

orange leaf

new sheriff

The baby calf was close to its mother.

The chef made the best pasta.

The Indian chief was the leader.

Be careful, you don't want to fall off the cliff.

I have a cough and a runny nose.

My shirt cuff got food on it during lunch.

The elf was a beautiful princess.

The giraffe has a long neck.

We ate half of the pizza.

A horse's foot is called a hoof.

The knife is made of metal.

I laugh every time I see him on TV.

The leaf fell from the tree.

Turn off the TV and go to bed.

The roof was made of clay tiles.

We have colorful books on our shelf.

The sheriff took the robber to jail.

All we could hear was a wolf howling.

F Reading Paragraphs

Saxophone loving fish.

Philip lived on a farm. He loved to fish on Friday.

That Friday after breakfast, Philip was walking through the forest to his favorite fishing hole when he heard a saxophone. Philip put his finger to his mouth fast and said, "Shhhhh, you'll scare the fish away!" "Fish can hear a leaf fall off of a tree," he said.

The little girl playing the saxophone said, "I'm Fay, and the fish like my music."

Philip looked into the water and saw five fish swimming. He began to laugh and said, "Will you meet me here every Friday?"

There was a fire at the zoo last week. All of the animals lived, but an elephant, giraffe, buffalo, and fox got out through a burnt fence.

The sheriff and the fire chief have their staff looking for them right now. They hope the animals didn't run into the forest or fall off a cliff.

They heard the animals like the smell of coffee, breakfast, waffles, and muffins, and may try to find the animals using these four things. They want to find the animals fast.

Football Team

I have played football for five years now. This fall season is the first time we have come close to winning a trophy. They will give us the trophy if we win the next four games.

Our football team has started to practice for a half an hour each day, five days per week. We eat a big, healthy breakfast and in our time off we learn football plays.

One day I thought I was coming down with a cough, but it went away. I was happy it went away so fast because I want to play in our games. 

This list of functional words was professionally selected to be the most useful for a child or adult who has difficulty with producing the "F" 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 "F" 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 "F" 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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How To Teach The F Sound

To make the /f/ sound bring the lower lip up to the top front teeth and blow air out.

Note: It may help to tuck the lip behind the teeth when practicing the sound by itself or in words. When speaking in conversation the lip will just quickly touch the bottom of the teeth.

At What Age Should a Child Say the F Sound?

Most English speaking children can say the F sound around age 2-3.*

What is the Difference Between f and /f/?

The written symbols, F and f, refer to the name of the letter “f”. When you see the f between diagonal lines, /f/, that refers to the sound the letter makes, /f/.

F is a letter name.

/f/ is the sound it makes.

What Are F and V Sounds?

F and V are paired together because they are made the same way, with one difference, our voice. The muscles in our mouth move the same way to make both sounds except our voice is “turned on” for the V and not the F. This means we vibrate or move our vocal folds as air passes through them to make a sound.

V is voiced.

F is unvoiced .

Hold your hand to your throat and say /v/. Can you feel the vibration?

Now say the /f/ sound. Just air, no vibration.

(Learn more voiced and voiceless pairs of sounds here.)

How Do You Practice the F Sound?

It depends.

Understanding why your child is having difficulty making this sound is important. A speech therapist can do an evaluation to make a diagnosis. What words you choose and activities will vary depending on the cause.

Click here to read more about types of speech sound disorders and treatment

Initial F Word List

Medial F Word List

Final F Word List

Activity Ideas for Practicing the F Sound

Practice Common Words

Write down a list of words with F that your child uses. Think of as many things (nouns), actions (verbs), and descriptive words (adjectives) as you can.

Nouns: fish, elephant, muffin…

Verbs: laugh, fall, fill …

Adjectives/Prepositions: fun, five, off…

Games and Toys

Look for games and toys that include a lot words with F in them.

Enjoy a game of Go Fish

Play with farm animals

Talk about food while playing grocery store

Find books with a lot of words that have F in them.

Think about characters, places, and objects (nouns)

What F action words does it have?

Does the book use descriptive words (adjectives with F words?)

Make your own F word book!

Speech Therapy Materials

Check out the resources on the right side of the page for ideas.

Or Shop Here .

McLeod, S. & Crowe, K. (2018). Children’s consonant acquisition in 27 languages: A cross-linguistic review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. doi:10.1044/2018_AJSLP-17-0100. Available from: https://ajslp.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2701897

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Complete /F/ Words List for Parents & Speech Therapists

When your child is learning to speak, the /f/ sound is usually one of the earliest to develop and on average, is mastered by around 3-4 years old. 

However, if your child still finds it tricky to pronounce words like ‘fox’, ‘fairy’, and ‘food’ after this age, you may want to try home speech therapy or ask a professional for help. 

Many children who struggle with this common sound substitute it with a stop sound like /b/, saying ‘bish’ instead of ‘fish’, or even the similar /v/ sound, saying ‘vish’. Although many people will find this cute, this speech difficulty can make your child sound younger, cause communication problems, and affect their overall confidence. 

We’ve created this comprehensive guide to the /f/ sound so you have all the tools you need to help them articulate the sound properly. You’ll also find a clear, step-by-step pronunciation guide, an /f/ sound word list, short phrases and sentences and even games and activities you can use for extra practice alongside your Forbrain headset . 

Word list: /F/ soundlist  

Use the following word list to help your child see where this common sound appears in everyday language and help them start improving their articulation skills. 

We’ve included plenty of short, child-friendly words and provided you with great examples of words where the /f/ sound appears at the beginning (initial /f/), middle (medial /f/), and end (final /f/) so you can get maximum benefit. 

What is the /F/ sound?

The /f/ sound is what we call a voiceless labiodental fricative. This means that when you pronounce the sound, you are not using your vocal cords (voiceless) and you’re creating friction (fricative) using your bottom lip and top teeth (labiodental). 

It’s also useful to know that this sound is the counterpart to its voiced equivalent, the /v/ sound. Both the /f/ and /v/ are pronounced in similar ways, but with the /v/ sound, your vocal cords are vibrating. 

Therefore, if your child can already pronounce words like ‘vampire’, ‘travel’,  and ‘wave’, you already have a head start. Try asking them to say the word ‘safe’ but ‘turn their vocal cords off’ and say ‘save’ instead. This can often help significantly. 

If you and your child need further help articulating the /f/ sound correctly, keep reading to find a step-by-step guide. 

Further /F/ sound word practice using short phrases and sentences

By sitting down with your child and reading through the above /f/ sound word list above, you may have discovered which words or sound blends (two sounds together) are the most challenging for your child. 

Often, these types of sound transitions are more challenging than pronouncing the /f/ sound itself because it requires good speech muscle control and plenty of practice. 

That’s why, in the next part of this /f/ sound article, you’ll find the phrases, short sentences, games, and activities you need to give your child plenty of opportunities to practice and stretch their skills.

Use them alongside the scientifically proven Forbrain headset to further improve your child’s articulation skills, build their confidence, and enhance their overall communication skills. 

Here’s what our team of language experts at Forbrain recommends for your home or professional speech therapy program. 

• Start by reading through the /f/ word list with your child, encouraging them to repeat the words after you. If you need extra help, keep reading to find the /f/ sound articulation guide then return to the list when you’re ready. 
• Next, use the list of carrier phrases we share below to help them use their new articulation skills in real sentences and in real-life contexts.
• Then, when your child appears to feel more comfortable, turn your attention to the short phrases and sentences for the /f/ sound.
• Continue with the child-friendly games and activities, making sure that you’re also spending time each day reading with your child.
• Throughout the process, use the patented Forbrain headset for as little as 10 minutes per day. This will provide them with the tailored practice they need and help them further improve their pronunciation.

Carrier phrases 

Carrier phrases are widely used in speech therapy because they can help your child ‘jumpstart’ a sentence and expand it beyond a single word. By using them, you will help your child master the art of connected speech, move from one sound to another and boost both their articulation skills and confidence. 

We’ve provided a list of the best carrier phrases below. Use them by selecting any of the nouns we shared in the wordlists above, slot it into place, and then encourage your child to practice. For best effect, choose a selection from the initial /f/ words, medial /f/ words, and final /f/ words.

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…”

Here’s an example of what your /f/ sound phrases could look like: 

• “I want a FISH”
• “I like FORESTS”
• “She found an ELEPHANT”
• “I see a MUFFIN!”
• “I found a LEAF” 
• “He likes to LAUGH” 

Short phrases for the /F/ sound

Once you’ve used the carrier phrases above and can see that your child’s articulation skills and confidence are growing, move onto the following list of short phrases for the /f/ sound. 

Short sentences for the /F/ sound

Further improve your child’s articulation of the /f/ sound and help them master longer sound transitions by working through the following list of short sentences for the /f/ sound. We’ve kept them as child-friendly and fun as possible. 

Games & Activities with /F/ Sound Words 

Learning is faster and more effective when you can make it fun! This is especially the case with children who are struggling to master their articulation of tricky sounds. 

They may also lack confidence in their abilities and need entertaining and child-friendly games and activities to help them relax and discover that they can do it. 

Here are some of the best games and activities you can use to help your child practice those /f/ sounds while having fun. 

What kid doesn’t love to play an impromptu game of I Spy? Whether you’re driving them to preschool, playing at home, or even in the supermarket, you can play this game for some quick /f/ sound practice. 

There are two effective ways to play this game for home speech therapy practice.

1. Play a regular game of I Spy with your child,  giving them extra points for those /f/ sound words. This could include a reward, a big hug, or even a high five. 

2. Play the game, but ONLY focus on those /f/ sound words. This can be tricky so is likely better suited to older children. 

Play Go Fish! 

Go Fish is an easy and fun way to get extra practice with /f/ sound word articulation, get off those screens, and enjoy quality time with your family. Here’s how to play. 

• Print two copies of the /f/ word list we shared earlier. 
• Select ten common words from these lists and shuffle them. For the best effect, look for words that resonate best with your child and their interests. 
• Give five cards to your child and five to yourself then place the remaining cards face-down in the middle of the table. 
• Tell your child that the aim of the game is to find a pair of cards. 
• Your child should ask you if you have a certain card in your hand. Let’s say this is the initial /f/ sound word ‘fish’. 
• If you don’t have this card, you need to take a card from the pile in the center of the table and add it to the ones you have. 
• If, on the other hand, you do have this card, give it to your child. If they have a pair, they can put them together on the table next to them.
• Repeat the process, taking it in turns to ask if the other player has a certain card. 
• The winner is the person who runs out of cards.

Play ‘Articulation Bingo’

• Start by printing a copy of the word lists we shared above and cut them out to make flash cards. 
• Select ten cards, making sure you’re including some from the initial, medial and final column. 
• Shuffle the cards and place them in a pile in the middle of the table. 
• Ask your child to pick a card from this pile and pronounce it. 
• If your child gets it correct, give them a token (or other exciting item).
• When they can pronounce at least four /f/ sound words correctly, celebrate and tell them that you are so proud of them.

Numerous studies have shown that reading with your child is one of the most effective ways to boost overall language skills, increase vocabulary, enhance cognitive development, develop a bond with your child, and even improve their concentration, imagination, and creativity. 

Choose from the following list of books that include this /f/ sound and you can tick all those boxes and make it fun. Here is a list of our top picks:

• The Foggy Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt
• Huff and Puff by Claudia Rueda
• Open the Barn Door by Christopher Santoro
• Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins
• Find My Feet by Salina Yoon
• Who’s Hungry? by Dean Hacohen

How to Pronounce the /F/ Sound

For us adults, articulating the /f/ sound is something we do every day so we often don’t pay much attention to how our speech organs work together to produce it. 

In this short section, we’d like to help you understand the correct articulation of this sound so that you can help your child master it more quickly and effectively. 

In short, the /f/ sound is made by resting your top teeth on your bottom lip and allowing air to flow from your lungs and out through this small gap. You don’t need to use your vocal cords or shape your mouth in any other way. 

Pronouncing the /F/ word sound 

Now let’s take a few moments to explore how this looks in practice. 

Simply select a word from the above /f/ word list such as ‘fox’ or ‘fairy’ then say it slowly, paying close attention to what your lips, teeth, tongue and vocal cords are doing. 

Hopefully, you’ll notice that the air is indeed passing through that small gap between your top teeth and lower lip and your vocal cords are resting. 

How to help your child produce the /F/ sound correctly

Now that you’re clear on the correct articulation of the /f/ sound, you can help your child do the same. Here’s a step-by-step guide. 

1) Sit in front of a mirror with your child and say the /f/ sound. Encourage them to look at the shape of your mouth and try to copy you. Give them plenty of chances to practice, perhaps using several words from the /f/ word list we shared earlier. 

2) Next, tell your child to hold their hand over your mouth and feel what happens when you say an /f/ sound word. They should feel a small puff of air escaping. Then encourage them to do the same, holding their hand over their own mouth as they pronounce it. 

3) Keep practicing using the word lists, phrases, sentences, games, and activities alongside the Forbrain headset. If your child is still struggling, watch this fun video by The Speech Scoop . 

Using Forbrain to Upgrade Sound Practice

Help your child perfect their articulation of the /f/ sound and gain maximum benefit from their home speech therapy sessions by using the scientifically proven Forbrain headset for just 10 minutes per day. 

Backed by scientific research, the comfortable and easy-to-use headset helps retrain your child’s brain auditory feedback loops, helping them ‘hear’ the sound correctly and providing them with instant feedback. 

As a result, your child’s confidence will increase, their fluency will improve and they will start to overcome their speech delays or difficulties. 

If you want to learn more about our revolutionary device or invest in our headset, visit our website today . 

Final Words

Your child can improve their articulation of the /f/ sound with your help.

Whether you are doing speech therapy at home or attending a professional speech therapy program, use the /f/ sound word list, phrases, sentences, games and activities alongside your Forbrain headset to help them learn correct pronunciation and get the practice they need to excel. 

With just a few minutes of practice per day, you’ll soon see your child’s articulation, confidence, social skills and overall language abilities improve and get them on the right path for future academic success. 

Charlotte Witts

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F Word List

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Initial F and Final F Words for Speech Therapy

If you’re a speech-language pathologist looking for a quick list of initial and final f target words to practice during speech therapy, make sure to bookmark this post. You’ll also find some great ideas for making therapy more fun with a variety of engaging games, resources, and speech therapy activities for teaching the f sound. Not only does this blog post provide a list of initial and final f words, but it also suggests a variety of strategies for teaching correct placement.

Correct Production of F

The f sound is a labiodental fricative sound. To produce the f sound, the top teeth need to rest against the bottom lip. When the top front teeth are placed on the lower lip, the next step is to blow a small puff of air. The result will be /f/ in isolation.

Common F Sound Errors

A child with an articulation disorder or phonological disorder may substitute the p sound for the f sound. In other words, the place and manner of articulation have been modified. The fricative sound is changed to a stop-plosive sound. The result may be an error that a speech language pathologist might classify as “stopping”, because the airflow is literally stopped. An example of this would be saying “pish” for “fish”. Stopping can be a common process noted in young children with phonological disorders. You may find minimal pairs for stopping to be a helpful tool when correcting this substitution. These errors may impact a child’s speech intelligibility.

How To Teach the F Sound in Speech Therapy

Speech therapy suggestions.

It is often helpful to provide a tactile cue . This might be as simple as tapping or touching the bottom lip.

A fun way to remind your student about how to produce this sound is to give it a fun name that emphasizes “biting” down on the lower lip. You might give the f sound a silly name, like the “biting sound” or the “walrus teeth sound” or the “bunny teeth sound”.

SLPs could also elicit this sound by having the student practice moving a lightweight object, like a piece of dental string, across a table.

A lot of times, younger children might have a hard time and produce a “ stop insertion ” error while trying to say the f sound. In other words, while practicing the word “fish”, they might say, “f…bish.”

When this happens, I slow things down a bit. I model the f sound in isolation, pause, then open my mouth really wide. I exaggerate the vowel and then say the rest of the word. “F….AAAAAn” or “F….IIIIIIIsh.”

If I am practicing the f sound at the end of a word, I keep it simple at first. Speech pathologists may benefit by having the child keep the jaw in an elevated position . I like to encourage jaw stability. I often choose simple CVC target words, like “huff”.

Speech Sound Word Lists for the F Sound

The following word lists contain words with the initial f sound, medial f sound, final f sound, and f in consonant clusters (both initial and final position). These articulation word lists allow the SLP to easily work on a target sound in speech therapy. Quickly pull these word lists up during your speech therapy session and pair them with the game or activity of your choice.

Initial F Word List for Speech Therapy

Here is a list of f words in the initial position to use in speech therapy (f in the beginning of the word):

Medial F Word List for Speech Therapy

Here is a list of f in the medial position of words to use in speech therapy (f in the middle of words):

Final F Word Lists for Speech Therapy

Here is a list of f in the final position of words to use in speech therapy (f at the end of words):

Initial Consonant Clusters with F Word List for Speech Therapy

Here is a list of initial consonant cluster f words to use in speech therapy:

Speech Therapy Activities for the F Sound

Are you a school speech therapist looking for some great activities to work on the F sound? I’ll share 2 of my favorite go-to articulation activities that can be used for targeting this speech sound.

Initial F and Final F Picture Cards for Speech Therapy

A school speech therapist has a busy schedule and needs effective activities to use in therapy. These initial f and final f articulation picture cards are wonderful because they provide a speech sound mouth placement visual . They are also easy to send home for home practice. Family members can easily review the articulation f words as a carryover activity to work on their child’s speech.

To assemble, simply print out the cards, laminate them, then cut them out. Assemble them together using a binder ring for easy storage.

Playdough Articulation Activity

This activity targets a variety of speech sounds at the word level. Have fun practicing the f sound while creating “ speech therapy manicures “! Simply pick the playdough of your choice, then practice a target word. After that, smash dough on the playdough smash mat and cover a nail. After practicing all of the target words, the manicure will be completed!

More Articulation Ideas for Speech Pathologists

Need some more articulation word lists or ideas? Check out the initial k and final k word lists . You’d also love this post with suggestions for using minimal pairs in speech therapy.

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F Words Speech Therapy for Children at Home

Have you ever heard your child say "fish," and it sounds more like "ish"? You're not alone! The F-sound, a seemingly simple phoneme, can pose significant challenges for children with speech delays.

For some children, mastering this tricky sound is a battle cry, a hurdle to overcome on their journey to clear communication.

In this article, we explore the reasons behind this common hurdle and delve into effective strategies used in speech-language therapy to help children master this crucial sound. Whether you're a parent, therapist, or simply curious about speech development, join us as we unlock the secrets of the F-word!

Understanding F Sounds: The Basics

F sound production: techniques and tips, common f sound errors and solutions, target words and lists for f sound therapy, high-frequency functional words in f sound therapy, tips for parents and speech-language pathologists, frequently asked questions, how connected speech pathology can help you.

The F sound is a fricative sound produced by pushing air through a small gap between the upper teeth and lower lip, causing friction. Younger children typically master the F sound around the age of 4. A variety of factors can influence a child’s mastery of the F sound, including:

Perception and production of consonants

Ability to perceive and produce vowels

Mastery of consonant clusters

Language development

The Fricative Sound

In speech therapy, a fricative sound is a type of consonant sound produced by narrowing the vocal tract, resulting in turbulence in the airflow. These sounds significantly affect language development, contributing to speech clarity and overall communication skills.

The F sound, mainly, is a voiceless fricative produced by the friction between the bottom lip and top teeth. Fricative sounds, such as the F sound, form the foundation for mastering other sounds, particularly at the beginning of words.

Age of Mastery for F Sound

Children who can speak English start learning to form the F sound around 2 or 3 years of age . This sound is usually one of the easier for young children to use. By age 4, about 90% of children have mastered the F sound.

If a child hasn’t mastered the F sound by their age, some strategies can help. Parents can:

Work on one sound appropriate for their child’s age

Exaggerate the F sound

Show the correct mouth and teeth positioning

Encourage the child to copy their pronunciation

Consistent practice and, if needed, professional help from a speech therapist or clinician can further support the child’s F sound development.

Accurate production of the F sound is critical for articulate speech, and specific techniques can assist. Maintaining the proper lip position, distinguishing between voiced and unvoiced F sounds, and practicing with specific target words can all support correct F sound production.

Correct Lip Position

The correct lip position is crucial for producing the F sound accurately. To make the F sound, lightly touch your upper teeth to your lower lip and then breathe out. Some common mistakes with lip position for the F sound include not having the lower part of the upper teeth touching the lower lip or not having the upper teeth lightly touching the lower lip.

Practicing the correct lip position can aid children in enhancing their pronunciation of the F sound and reducing speech errors. Here are some steps to follow:

Encourage your child to observe your mouth and teeth positioning while you produce the F sound.

Ask them to imitate you and practice the F sound with the correct lip position.

Consistent practice can help them develop the muscle memory needed for correct F sound production.

Voiced and Unvoiced F Sounds

The difference between voiced and unvoiced F sounds lies in the vibration of the vocal cords. Voiced F sounds produce a vibration in the vocal cords, whereas unvoiced F sounds don’t. Voiced F is essentially the V sound. Voiced F sounds include the words “vine” and “cave,” while unvoiced F sounds can be heard in words like “fan” and “fist.”

Teaching the difference between voiced and unvoiced F sounds can be achieved by:

Explain the role of vocal cord vibration and having your child feel for the vibration near their Adam’s apple.

Provide examples and practice exercises, such as feeling for vibrations when producing different sounds, to help your child distinguish between voiced and unvoiced F sounds.

Improve their overall pronunciation during speech therapy.

Children may encounter various errors when producing the F sound, such as stopping and substitution, which can impact their speech intelligibility. Additionally, multilingualism can affect F sound production, making addressing these challenges during speech therapy crucial.

We will examine these common F sound errors and potential solutions.

Stopping and Substitution

Stopping occurs when a child produces a stop sound (like /b/) instead of a fricative sound (like /f/). Substitution happens when the F sound replaces another sound, such as saying “pun” instead of “fun.” Both stopping and substitution can affect a child’s speech intelligibility and must be addressed in speech therapy .

Correcting stopping and substitution errors involves:

Demonstrating the correct F sound for your child

Encouraging them to replicate your pronunciation

Exaggerating the F sound

Showing your child the right mouth and teeth positioning

Providing plenty of opportunities for them to practice the sound in various words and phrases

Multilingualism and F Sound Errors

Multilingualism can impact F sound errors, particularly for speakers of languages like Spanish , which have a different sound system. Children who speak multiple languages may struggle with the correct production of the F sound, requiring targeted strategies to address these challenges in speech therapy.

To help multilingual children with F sound errors, follow these steps:

Exaggerate the F sound and demonstrate the correct mouth and teeth positioning.

Encourage them to copy your exaggerated pronunciation and practice the sound in syllables, sentences, and conversation.

Provide ample practice opportunities and visual demonstrations to help multilingual children overcome F sound errors related to their language background.

Target words and lists have a significant role in F sound therapy, offering a structured method for practicing the F sound in various word positions, such as beginning, middle, and end. These target words can assist children in enhancing their target sound pronunciation and furthering their speech development.

Initial F Words

When looking for initial F words, such as “fan,” “feet,” “fun,” “fall,” “fame,” and “fawn,” you might come across an “f word list” that can help you expand your vocabulary and find more words starting with this letter.

These words are an excellent starting point for practicing the F sound in speech therapy. These words help children focus on the correct production of the F sound at the beginning of words, leading to improved pronunciation and enhanced speech development.

Parents and speech therapists can use initial F words in various exercises and activities to help children master the correct production of the F sound in this initial position—for example, practice saying initial F words in isolation, in sentences, or a playful game. Consistent training with initial F words will help children master the correct production of the F sound in this word position.

Medial F Words

Medial F words, such as:

Medial F words help children practice the F sound within words. This practice can be instrumental in improving pronunciation and speech development, particularly for children who struggle with the medial F sound.

Incorporate medial F words into various speech therapy exercises and activities . Encourage your child to practice saying medial F words in isolation, within sentences, or as part of a game. Consistent practice with medial F words will help children improve their pronunciation of the F sound in this word position.

Final F Words

Final F words, such as:

Final F words provide valuable practice for the F sound at the end of words. Focusing on final F words in speech therapy can help children improve their pronunciation and speech development, particularly if they struggle with the F sound in this position.

Incorporate final F words into various speech therapy exercises and activities . Encourage your child to practice saying final F words in isolation, within sentences, or in a playful game. Consistent practice with final F words will help children master the correct production of the F sound in this word position.

High-frequency functional words are essential in F sound therapy, as they provide a practical and efficient approach to practicing the F sound in everyday language. These words can help children improve their pronunciation and speech development more quickly than low-frequency words.

Benefits of High-Frequency Words

Using high-frequency words in F sound therapy has several advantages. Children can recognize high-frequency words more quickly than low-frequency words, allowing them to focus on pronouncing and articulating the words. High-frequency words can also help improve sentence comprehension, reduce language processing demands, and boost word recognition.

Working on early-developing sounds like the F sound with high-frequency words can help children get off to a great start and boost their self-esteem. Integrating high-frequency words in F sound therapy can lead to greater gains and improved accuracy of the treated sound, making it an essential component of effective speech therapy.

Examples of High-Frequency F Words

Examples of high-frequency F words for use in speech therapy include:

These words can help children practice the F sound in various contexts, leading to improved pronunciation and speech development through mastering speech sounds.

Incorporate high-frequency F words into various speech therapy exercises and activities. Encourage your child to practice saying these words in isolation, within sentences, or as part of a game.

Consistent practice with high-frequency F words will help children master the correct production of the F sound in everyday language.

Parents and speech-language pathologists play vital roles in supporting children’s F-sound development. By working together, they can provide a comprehensive and consistent approach to therapy, ensuring that children receive the support they need to master the F sound.

Encouraging Home Practice

Parents can play a significant role in their child’s F-sound development by:

Encouraging consistent home practice

Repeating the F sound with the child

Setting aside dedicated time each day

Making F sound practice a part of the daily routine

Positive reinforcement is crucial in motivating children to practice their F sound at home. Praise their efforts, celebrate their achievements, and provide constructive feedback to help them improve their pronunciation. Remember, consistency and patience are key when working on speech therapy at home .

Collaborating with Speech-Language Pathologists

Parents and speech-language pathologists can collaborate effectively by:

Exchanging information

Setting goals

Staying in touch

Practicing at home

Attending therapy sessions

Open communication and collaboration between parents and speech-language pathologists can help support a child’s F-sound development and address any issues or difficulties that may arise during therapy.

Speech-language pathologists can also involve parents in speech therapy by offering clear instructions, adapting session activities for home practice, and providing communication logs or handouts to keep parents informed. Acknowledging the importance of parental involvement in speech therapy and emphasizing their role in their child’s success can lead to more effective collaboration and better outcomes for the child.

1. How do you teach the F word?

Teaching the /f/ sound is relatively simple: rest your front teeth on your bottom lip and blow without vibrating your vocal cords. It can be helpful to model this on your mouth first and then touch their bottom lip lightly to show them how it should feel.

2. How do you help a toddler with the F sound?

Help your toddler with the 'F' sound by demonstrating how to make it - e.g., "bite your lip and blow" or "make a rabbit face and blow" - and giving them clear instructions such as "put their top teeth on their bottom lip and push air out – ffffff." Exaggerate the sound and movement of your mouth when you pronounce the sound and encourage your child to imitate you.

3. How do you practice the F sound?

To practice the F sound, have your child lightly rest their front teeth on their bottom lip and blow air out. You can demonstrate the correct technique by pointing to your mouth and showing them how to push air out — “fffffff.”

4. Are there any games or activities to make learning the F sound more engaging?

Yes, there are several fun and interactive activities to make learning the F sound enjoyable. Consider playing games like "Feather Fetch," where your child says the F sound each time they retrieve a feather with their mouth. Additionally, using flashcards with F words and incorporating them into storytelling or rhyming games can add an element of playfulness to the learning process.

Connected Speech Pathology extends its expertise to assist parents and caregivers in implementing effective "F words" speech therapy at home for children. Articulation challenges, primarily related to sounds like 'F,' can impact a child's speech development and overall communication skills.

Our speech pathologists provide accessible resources and guidance for parents to support their children in practicing and mastering the 'F' sound in the comfort of their home environment. Connected Speech Pathology offers creative and engaging activities that parents can incorporate into daily routines to make speech therapy enjoyable for children while addressing specific articulation goals.

Through virtual sessions, online resources, and personalized recommendations, Connected Speech Pathology empowers parents to play an active role in their child's speech development. The guidance includes techniques for proper tongue placement, vocal exercises, and interactive games reinforcing the correct production of the 'F' sound.

By integrating speech therapy into the home setting, parents can contribute to their child's progress and foster a positive attitude towards speech practice. Connected Speech Pathology's commitment to making speech therapy accessible ensures that children receive consistent and practical support, laying the foundation for improved articulation and enhanced communication skills.

F sound speech therapy is essential for developing clear and effective speech in children. By understanding the basics of F sounds, learning techniques for correct production, identifying and addressing common errors, and utilizing target words, materials, and activities, parents and speech-language pathologists can help children master the F sound.

Collaborating effectively and integrating high-frequency functional words into therapy can enhance the speech therapy experience. With dedication, patience, and the right tools, every child can succeed in their F sound development journey.

About the Author

Allison Geller is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the owner of Connected Speech Pathology. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida in Speech-Language Pathology. Allison has practiced speech therapy in a number of settings including telepractice, acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and private practice. She has worked extensively with individuals across the lifespan including toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, and adults. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of communication disorders including receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, voice disorders, fluency disorders, brain injury, and swallowing disorders.

Allison served as the clinical coordinator of research in aphasia in the Neurological Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. She is on the Board of Directors for the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN), a Lee Silverman Voice Treatment ( LSVT ) certified clinician, and a proud Family Empowerment Scholarship/Step-Up For Students provider. Allison is passionate about delivering high quality-effective treatment remotely because it’s convenient and easy to access. What sets us apart from other online speech therapy options is—Allison takes great care to hire the very best SLPs from all over the country.

Sound Production Treatment for Speech Recovery

How to master k words speech therapy at home.

Initial F Sound Words for Speech Therapy

Free initial f sound words for speech therapy printable flashcards featuring words with the "f" sound can be a useful tool for improving pronunciation and vocabulary. some of the flashcards included in this worksheets are:- fan, fair, farm, fish, file, fire, five, fork, fax, flag, flute and foam..

Download Printable Free Initial F Sound Words Articulation Flashcards

F Sound Articulation Worksheets for Speech Therapy

Do you need no prep articulation activities specifically for the F sound in speech therapy? Are you tired of buying an articulation resource that contains 1 sheet per target sound? I was, so that's why I created this articulation F sound no prep packet! Use these no prep speech therapy activities in your sessions or easily print off and send as speech therapy homework.

Includes over 50 no prep speech therapy worksheets for the F sound . There are 19 activities per word position, meaning there are 19 initial F worksheets, 19 medial F worksheets, and 19 final F worksheets!

Just print and go! Designed to get you high articulation trials in simple, engaging activities! This packet will have you covered for the ENTIRE YEAR with your students who are working on the F sound.

You can also use them with children with the phonological process of stopping!

Word Lists for F Sound

• January 8, 2020
• Activity Type , Articulation , F Sound , Materials , Speech , Word Lists

Print out these word lists and you’ll have 200 /f/ words ready when you need them! They can be used for auditory bombardment or as words to have your students practice.

Included are:

• Initial /f/ (1 syllable) – 50 words
• Initial /f/ (2+ syllables) – 50 words
• Medial /f/ – 50 words
• Final /f/ – 50 words

Related materials:

• Materials for the F Sound

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Speech Therapy For the F Sound

The f sound   frog, waffle, wolf, age of development:   50% of kids have "k" / "c" mastered by age:, 90% of kids have "k" / "c" mastered by age:.

The “B” is made when we bring our lips together to stop the airflow from leaving the mouth.  Before we open our lips to let the airflow out, we need to make sure to turn on the motor (vibrating our vocal folds).  The vibration of the vocal folds is mostly responsible us to produce a sound similar but noticeably different than “P”.

The “P” sound is called the cognate pair of “B”.  In short, this means that they are produced in a similar fashion, but differ by one of the sounds requiring the vocal folds to vibrate during production and one sound to have not have the vocal folds vibrating.

By placing the back of your tongue on the top of your mouth, the air produce from the lungs is stopped.  Once the tongue is lowered, the air forcefully shoots of the mouth to produce that crisp “k” or “c” sound.

Age of Development:   50% of kids have F / f mastered by age:

90% of kids have "k" and "c" mastered by age:.

A fun and tasty way to teach this sounds is to press down the tip the tongue with a lollipop or sucker so that the back of the tongue elevates.  A video of this activity can be seen here:

ENTER SUCKER VIDEO

A common error that kid’s have when trying to produce the “c” or “k” sound is a  phonological process ( fancy word for a pattern of errors) called fronting.

Fronting is when sounds that are produced in the back of the mouth(“c”, “k”, “g”) are replaced with sounds that are produced in the front of the mouth(“t”, “d”)

Examples of fronting: A child says “otay” for “okay”, “tat” for “cat”, “pumptin” for “pumpkin”

F Articulation Videos

Some of our favorite F articulation videos from the best Speech-Pathologists on Youtube

Free Downloadable F Articulation Materials

Initial f flashcards.

Medial F Flashcards

Final F Flashcards

F Carrier Phrases

F Word Find

F Tic-Tac-Toe

F Coloring Sheet

F Initial, Medial, Final Cheat Sheet

F Speech Therapy Activities

Click to hear "f" sounds.

Click all the "F" and "f" bubbles you see!

Drag and drop both pictures into the witches' pot to create a word, witches brew word creation only available on tablet / mobile devices, click the arrow to see what word you made.

Scratch Off to Show Answer

Syllable Flashcards (Consonant + Vowel)

Mixed f flashcards, name the photos, typically works best google chrome's browser.

Initial F Minimal Pairs

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Final f minimal pairs.

They have a

Initial F/f Story

Conversation

Conversation Starter Questions

F Speech Therapy Games

F sound matching game, f sound find the treasure game, f sound crossword, f words word search level 1, f words word search level 2, online members.

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120+ Final F Words Speech Therapy {+Free Articulation Lists}

Today I’m excited to share my complete list of final f words for speech therapy practice or for at home practice.

Final F Words Speech Therapy

As a speech therapist in the schools I was always on the lookout for word lists for articulation therapy organized by word positions.

Target Word

Here’s a list of the F final consonants for Speech-Language Pathologists or parents to use in their therapy sessions to work on your student or child’s target sound.

• For Example Targeted Words: laugh, leaf, tough, loaf, golf, stuff, tough, elf, half, sheriff, giraffe, roof, wife

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

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

Minimal Pairs

A great way to work on sound production is through minimal pairs .

A minimal pair is two words that differ by only one phoneme, in this case the /f/ sound.

For example, “face” and “vase”.

When you pronounce these words side by side, it’s easy to use auditory discrimination to hear the different phoneme in the initial sound.

Having a list of initial f minimal pairs is a great way to work on correct production especially for your students working on their phonological processes , such as consonant cluster reduction!

Final Consonant Deletion

Is your child or student struggling with final consonant deletion or weak syllable deletion of the final f sound? 

If so, a great way to work on final consonant deletion is to use minimal pairs to work on the difference between making the final f sound and deleting the final f sound.

If you’re on the hunt for a helpful visual or tactile cue for final consonants then be sure to check out this one by Panda Speech Therapy – End Sound Helper Freebie – for Final Consonant Deletion Phonological Processing by Panda Speech Therapy.

If your child or student does final consonant deletion on more than just the f sound then be sure to check out this freebie that focuses on final /p ,b, t, d, m, n, k, g, s, f/ – No Print Final Consonant Deletion Picture Scenes by Teach Speech 365 .

Word Positions: Final F Words Speech Therapy 

Initial position of word.

The initial position of the f sound is at the beginning of a word. For example, “famous” or “fire”.

Medial Position of Words

Some words have the f sound in the medial position of a word, such as “dolphin”, “gopher”, and “muffin”.

Final Positions of Words

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

Sound Production

Let’s review how to make the correct sound production of the f sound in the English language. 

• Teeth: The /f/ sound is made in the front of the mouth. The first thing to do is to place your upper teeth ontop of your bottom lip.
• Lip Position: Again the f sound is made by placing the lower lip under the top teeth.
• Voice: This sound is a unvoiced sound. You can tell that you’re vibrating your vocal folds by placing your hand on your larynx (where an adam apple is located) and feel for a vibration. This is the only difference between the v and f sound. 

Final Words at Word Level

Some ways to practice your student’s articulation disorder include having your child or student say each final /f/ 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 final f sound. 

In addition, I’ve compiled an easy-to-download one page overview of final f sounds below. Simply scroll down to the bottom of this post and download your free copy.

• 1 Syllable:  wolf, self, off, golf, leaf, elf, scarf, loaf, barf, roof, shelf, half, beef, surf, thief, proof, turf, chef, cliff, gulf, calf, chief, staff, grief, brief, hoof, reef, stiff, deaf, dwarf, bluff, stuff, cuff, fluff, woof, sniff, life, wife, knife, rife, strife, graph, morph, laugh, rough, tough, cough, if, off, goof, poof, snuff, spoof, wharf
• 2 Syllable:  yourself, relief, myself, sheriff, aloof, belief, mischief, herself, meatloaf, himself, behalf, bookshelf, mastiff, decaf, dandruff, sunroof, disbelief, soundproof, kickoff, windsurf, takeoff, standoff, safe, wildlife, midwife, giraffe, triumph, cutoff, engulf, itself, layoff, logoff, payoff, runoff, cookoff, earmuff, liftoff, handoff, playoff, airproof, blastoff, handcuff, moonroof, tradeoff, creampuff, fireproof, rainproof, rustproof, windproof, shockproof, smokeproof, unsafe, carafe, werewolf, oilproof
• 3 Syllable:  handkerchief, bulletproof, waterproof, autograph, telegraph, photograph, paragraph, polygraph, astroturf, babyproof, disbelief, overstaff, powderpuff, stroganoff, shatterproof, homograph

Articulation Flashcard Set – Final F Words

SEE ALSO: 21 Best Reinforcement Games for Speech Therapy

Short sentences or phrases.

When working on final f 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 final f word phrases to try:

Final F Words Speech Therapy in Phrases

Sentence Level: Final F Words Speech Therapy

The next step after working at the word and phrase levels is to work on the final f 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 final f sound. 

Another idea would be to give your child or student pictures with their final f 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.

Final F Words Speech Therapy in Sentences

SEE ALSO: Free Articulation Games for Speech Therapy

Final f words speech therapy ideas, board games.

Are you looking to add some fun and engaging activities to your therapy sessions? 

Board games are a great way to reinforce practice while working on your students’ sounds. 

Some fan favorite board games to try can be found here: 29+ Best Speech Therapy Board Games .

Do you have a favorite of your own board game? Simply use any game as a form of reinforcement to work on any articulation sound.

Boom cards are another fun and engaging way to strengthen your child or student’s articulation skills.

Here are a few favorite boom cards to work on the final F sounds: 

• BOOM CARDS – Articulation Build a Fishbowl FREEBIE by H Groom Speech Therapy – Build a Fishbowl while you work on your students final F sound. There is also an open ended version for working at the syllable level.
• F Articulation Balloon Pop Game: Initial, Medial, Final Boom Cards + Real Game by Jenn-SLP is a fun and interactive set of boom cards that help students practice correct pronunciation of F in all positions. Students pop balloons in 2 different versions of this free game!
• F & V Piggy Bank – Boom Cards™ by Michelle’s Communication Corner is a fun activity that prompts students to put coins in the correct piggy bank as they practice F articulation. This game is distance learner friendly!

SEE ALSO: 279+ Free Speech Therapy Digital Materials

Book Companion

Are you a speech therapist looking for final f words to practice your clients sound errors? 

Here are a couple of book companions that you can use in your therapy room to work on your client’s articulation practice.

• Book Companion: My Truck is Stuck! By Hosp Speech Therapy is a 30 page companion to go along with the book “My Truck is Stuck”. It hits more than 200 target sounds for F articulation.
• Mother Bruce Articulation Word Lists by Miss Molly’s Speech Room is a great resource to print and use to help find target sounds within passages. It is prepared for many sounds, as well as Final F. 

Articulation Activities

Here are a few articulation cards and task cards to work on your child’s ability to produce the final f words. 

• 20 Initial, 20 Medial, 20 Final Words, Phrases, & Sentences – be sure to grab our free downloads at the end of this post for a simple way to practice articulation. Plus these are perfect for older children since they use photos of real words.
• Initial Medial Final Playdoh Smash Mat /s/, /sh/, /f/, /th/, /z/ by JackSLPStore – Use these smash mats as fun reinforcement activity or to put the words in sentences or silly stories.
• Monster /f/ Articulation Freebie by Carly Fowler is a fun and silly freebie game that prompts students to practice final f articulation. This game includes 18 final f targets. 
• Final Consonant Flies by Kari Radovich is a great game that prompts students to feed flies as the practice final f articulation. This is a highly rated favorite.

In Conclusion: Final F Words Speech Therapy

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

Be sure to grab your freebie of 20 words to start practicing 5 minutes a day!

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Tips for Saying the “F” and “V” Sounds

Photo Source: Photo Credit: harryalverson

Tips for Saying the “F” and “V” Sounds:

• Call the sound something that describes the hissing quality of the “f” (the angry cat sound) or the vibrating sound of the “v” (the vacuum sound). FYI: The “f” is a voiceless sound- your vocal cords do not vibrate when it’s produced in isolation. The “v” is a voiced sound – your vocal cords vibrate when it’s produced in isolation. Touch your voice box to try it out!
• Encourage the child to gently bite his lower lip with his upper teeth and then instruct him to blow.
• Use a tissue or hold hand in front of mouth while producing several long “f” sounds to draw attention to the “hissing” quality and continuous nature of the sounds.
• Tape tissue paper to the end of a pencil and encourage the child to move the paper in the wind.
• Touch the lower lip and bottom of the upper front teeth with a tongue depressor. Then, ask him to bring the upper teeth and lower lip together to touch where you touched.

I created  “f” Sound Articulation Cards with visuals to remind children how to say the “f” sound.

These flashcards are exceptional because a colorful placement visual is included on each card! Such visuals provide extra support to students/children who may need reminders on where to place their articulators. Included in this product are 36 /f/ flashcards with placement visuals! Each card contains a placement visual for the teeth and bottom lip. These placement visuals are carefully positioned on each card to correspond to the location of the target /f/ sound. For instance, for words that start with /f/, the placement visual is located at the beginning of the word. For words that end with the /f/ sound, the placement visual is located at the end of the word. An additional Initial, Medial, and Final Position Card Visual is also included to help students better understand the location of the /f/ sound in words

I love to use picture books and stories to bombard my clients with their targets and find that they enjoy it too because there is less pressure to repeat the target on command. These are just some of the books I use – there’s a ton more:

Books to Target the “F” Sound:

*Amazon Affiliate Links included.

I created  “v” Sound Articulation Cards with visuals to remind children how to say the “v” sound.

These flashcards are exceptional because a colorful placement visual is included on each card! Such visuals provide extra support to students/children who may need reminders on where to place their articulators. Included in this product are 36 /v/ flashcards with placement visuals! Each card contains a placement visual for the teeth and bottom lip. These placement visuals are carefully positioned on each card to correspond to the location of the target /v/ sound. For instance, for words that start with /v/, the placement visual is located at the beginning of the word. For words that end with the /v/ sound, the placement visual is located at the end of the word. An additional Initial, Medial, and Final Position Card Visual is also included to help students better understand the location of the /v/ sound in words.

Books to Target the “V” Sound:

Good for targeting “v” in the initial position of words.

The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

The word “very” repeats throughout the book!

I’ll Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Admittedly, when I first read this book – WAY before I had children – I thought there was a creepy aspect to it. Now as a mother to two young children, I realize its beauty and truth. Munsch was inspired to write this book after he and his wife suffered two still births. Life is a miracle and very precious.

As always, changing a pattern of speaking is challenging – remember to praise the process not the result.

Adapted from: Bleile, K. (2004).Manual of Articulation and Phonological Disorders: Infancy through Adulthood.Clifton Park: Thomson Delmar Learning.

I HIGHLY encourage using these tips under the guidance of an experienced speech language pathologist. This is because a speech language pathologist can provide models and troubleshoot and answer your questions. Kim Scanlon specializes in treating young children and adults who have articulation, phonological and language delays and disorders. She provides speech therapy in Bergen County, NJ. If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language skills, please do not hesitate to email: [email protected] .

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