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Articulation is=
the way in which speech sounds are formed. A person has an articulation problem when he or she produces=
sounds incorrectly and listeners have trouble understanding what is being =
said. Many very young childre=
n omit, substitute or distort sounds, but words that sound cute when mispro=
nounced by young children can later interfere with the communication of old=
er children or adults. Articu=
lation problems may result from physical causes, such as cerebral palsy, cl=
eft palate, or hearing loss, or may be related to other problems in the mou=
th, such as dental problems. =
However, many articulation problems occur in the absence of any physical di=
sability and may be due to the incorrect learning of speech sounds. Children learn the production of spe=
ech sounds by listening to the speech around them. This learning begins ver=
y early in life and sounds are typically learned in an orderly sequence. So=
me sounds, such as "p," "m," and "b," are lea=
rned as early as 3 years of age. &nbs=
p; Other sounds, like "s,'' "r,'' and "l" often =
are not completely mastered until the early school years. Children should m=
ake all the sounds of English by 8 years of age. Many children learn these sounds much earlier. A child's overall speech will usually=
become more understandable as he or she matures, but some children will ne=
ed direct intervention to eliminate all articulation errors. You=
can help a child pronounce words correctly by setting a good example. Don'=
t interrupt or constantly correct the child. Don't let anyone tease or mock=
. Instead, present a good model. Use the misarticulated word correctly with=
emphasis. If the child says. "That's a big wabbit," you say &quo=
t;Yes, that is a big rabbit. A big white rabbit. Would you like to have a =
rabbit?" =
; Is it important to correct an articulation problem? Wh=
en you consider the possible impact an articulation problem may have on one=
's social, emotional, educational, and vocational status, the answer become=
s obvious. Our speech is an important part of us. The quality of our lives =
is affected by the adequacy of our speech. |
![3DArticulation](3D"articulation1_files/image003.gif")
![](3D"articulation1_files/image004.gif")