Tactile/Visual/Auditory Cues for Speech Sounds

Tactile/Visual/Auditory Cues for Speech Sounds

P:  index finger in vertical position touches both lips and then bring finger away from the lips (as if the puff of air for the “p” sound is leaving your mouth).  Auditory cue:  “Bump your lips”.  “Popping corn” sound

B:  same position as in P but do not point the finger away from the body (no puff of air).  Auditory cue:  “Bump your lips”.  “Bouncing ball” sound.

M:  index finger is horizontal under the bottom lip.  Auditory cue:  “Press your lips together and hold”.  “Munching monkey” sound.

N:  place your index finger alongside the nose for the feeling of nasality.  “Noisy nest” sound.

T:  tip of index finger touches above upper lip/under nose.  Auditory cue:   “Bring your tongue tip up to the alveolar ridge/bumpy ridge”.  “Ticking timer” sound.

D:  tip of index finger touches the teeth (tongue is in the same position as for “t” except that you use your voice for “d”).  Auditory cue:   “Bring your tongue tip up to the alveolar ridge/bumpy ridge”.  “Dancing dino” sound.

K:  index finger touches on the side of the neck near the back of the throat (back of the tongue lifts up for “k”).  Auditory cue:  “Slide your tongue back in your mouth“.  “Clicking camera” sound.

G:  index finger touches the Adam’s apple (back of tongue lifts up for “g” but the sound is also voiced, that’s why you point to your voice box).  Auditory cue:  “Slide your tongue back in your mouth“.  “Gulping gopher” sound.

F & V:  index finger points to lower lip and rolls the lip in as the top teeth cover the lower lip.  Auditory cue:  “Top teeth bite your bottom lip”.  “F” = “Fast fan” sound; “V” = “Vacuuming vacuum” sound.

S:  hand strokes down opposite arm from shoulder down to hand (to signal that “s” is a long sound). “Sizzling sausage” sound; 

Z:  pretend you are zipping up your jacket (to signal that “z” is a long sound).  “Zipping zipper” sound.

S & Z option:  Place your finger under the lower lip on the left side.  Lightly draw your finger across to the right side of the lower lip while producing the sound.

L:  with right hand extend thumb and index finger (so the shape looks like a backwards “L”).  Place your thumb on the right side corner of your mouth and lift your index finger up as you say “L”.  Auditory cue:  “Bring your tongue tip up to the alveolar ridge/bumpy ridge”.  “Lapping lion” sound.

W:  place your thumb and index finger at opposite corners of the lips.  Apply slight inward pressure to elicit lip rounding as you are producing the sound.  Auditory cue:  “Round your lips; make a circle with your lips”.  “Willie washer” sound.

SH & ZH:  Place your thumb on one cheek and the index and middle fingers on the opposite cheek.  Apply slight pressure inward helping protrude the lips while you are producing the sound.  Auditory cue:  “Lightly bite the sides of your tongue with your molars”.  SH = “Ocean shell sound

SH option:  index finger to lips, just like when you tell someone to ‘be quiet’..SHHHHH!! 

 CH & J:  Use the same tactile cues as for “SH & ZH” but apply a brisk forward squeezing motion of the fingers to suggest a greater air explosion.  Auditory cue:  “Lightly bite the sides of your tongue with your molars and make the air explode.” “CH” = “Chattering Chipmunk” sound; “J” = “Jumping jump rope” sound.

CH option:  Same cues as “SH” but explode index finger forward to simulate a puff of air.

R: Place the thumb and middle finger on opposite cheeks approximately at the upper molar positions.  “Running robot” sound.

Y:  Use the “R” cue but also rapidly draw the fingers downward to suggest jaw opening while you produce the sound.  Auditory cue:  “Slide your tongue back, keep your tongue tip neutral”.  “Yackety Yak” sound.

TH:  Gently separate the lips with thumb and index finger to suggest outward movement of the tongue.  Auditory cue:  “Make a tongue sandwich”.  Voiceless “TH” = “Thinking thimble” sound