ISOLATION & SYLLABLES
/k/: To produce the /k/ sound, open your mouth, relax your tongue, and make a coughing sound as you push the air out of your mouth. The back of your tongue will come up as this happens and make contact with the roof of the mouth in the far back. Sometimes it is difficult to get little one’s to keep their tongue down to make a good /k/ sound. It often comes out sounding like a /t/ sound. I will use a tongue depressor to keep the front of their tongue down as we practice /k/ in isolation. If we still can’t get the sound, have them lie down on their backs and open their mouth. Their tongue falls in the back of their mouth naturally, which is the place for /k/. Add vowel sounds after the sound to produce syllables. (kay, key, kie, kou, coo) These still might have to be separated to get a good /k/ sound: ie. k—ay, k—ey)
/g/: To produce the /g/ sound, repeat steps for /k/, but turn your voice on. You can put your fingers (or have them put their fingers) on their “adam’s apple” spot to feel their voice turn on for /g/ and off for /k/. Sometimes it is difficult to get little one’s to keep their tongue down to make a good /g/ sound. It often comes out sounding like a /d/ sound. I will use a tongue depressor to keep the front of their tongue down as we practice /g/ in isolation. I also find it helpful to let them growl like a bear to get a good /g/. If we still can’t get the sound, have them lie down on their backs and open their mouth. Their tongue falls in the back of their mouth naturally, which is the place for /g/. Add vowel sounds after the sound to produce syllables. (gay, gey, guy, go, goo) These still might have to be separated to get a good /g/ sound: ie. g—ey, g—o)
WORDS When beginning to work on the sound in words, you might have to break up the word into smaller parts first. (ie. k—ey , g—oose) After some practice, try to blend the sounds in the word together (ie. key, goose). key cow back joke because kiss can pink talk monkey cone cat pick take lucky kite cap neck bike bacon
goose gas big doggy give golf pig again game gold hug bigger get gate egg sugar good go bag begin
Blends- these words might be harder because they have another consonant to blend with the /k/ and /g/ before the vowel. They must produce the sound after the /k/ and /g/ correctly to have much success with blends. Most blends are later developing and will be targeted at a later age.
You might have to break up the word into smaller parts first. (ie. c—ry, g--rab) After some practice, try to blend the sounds in the word together (ie. cry, grab). cry grab crack grey crawl grade cream grow clean grin cloud glad
PHONOLOGICAL PROCESS: FRONTING (Substituting a “t” for “k” and “d” for “g”)
K & G- minimal pairs
Use this list to practice by reading the words, drawing pictures, having your son or daughter repeat the words. tap/cap down/gown tan/can date/gate take/cake bed/beg bite/bike deer/gear tape/cape dough/go pat/pack bud/bug tall/call Ed/egg sit/sick tub/cub sat/sack tea/key bat/back
PHRASES & SENTENCES
Have your child use the above words to make up phrases and sentences to practice. While reading books, look for his/her sound and have them repeat or read the sentence in the book to you with their “good sounds”.