How to teach ds the diff between sounds of "sh" and "s"

amother

Moonstone

Tue, Oct 17 2023, 6:45 am

salt wrote:

Am I the only one who thinks it doesn't matter at age 5.

If he says the letters right in usual speech, it doesn't sound like such an acute problem.

He's not pronouncing both of them correctly.

amother

Tue, Oct 17 2023, 7:23 am

amother Viola wrote:

If he's not articulating it properly it can prevent him from differentiating between the letters and the sounds when it comes to reading. First step would be working on articulation. Make sure he can differentiate auditorally as well.

He's not articulating it properly and now that he's learning to read Hebrew, I would like him to learn to say it properly.
I know he can differentiate auditorally because he can tell me whose name starts with the sound he's trying to produce. He's a very bright kid and has amazing phonemic awareness.

To the poster who said it's not a big deal-I didn't say it's a big deal but I would like him to get positive feedback as he works on learning to read. Having his rebbi, classroom reading teacher, and even myself constantly correcting him or questioning him which sound he's trying to say is not going to help him feel more positive about reading. I don't see why it would hurt to help him learn to make the sounds properly.

amother

Alyssum

Tue, Oct 17 2023, 9:11 am

OP there are two things you need to do-
1) You child has an articulation issue which should definitely be worked on and not wait it out even though he's five. I think it would be worth it for you to meet with an slp for even one session and she could show you what to do, once you and ds have the knowledge, it's a matter of practice and drill. Do a few minutes every day NOT part of the kriah HW. Make your own words/phrases for him to say. Shaina got shoes, or I go to shul with Shaya. The sky is sunny, etc..
2) Since that will take time to accomplish the goal, in the meantime you want to make the kriah practice less frustrating for him and you/Rebbi/teacher. Create a visual cue that would help him express which sound it is. For one of my kids we had her pick up the right hand for Shin and left for Sin. Not all the way like raising a hand in class, just picking it up a bit. Or he could tilt his head to the right and left, something like that.
hatzlacha.

amother

Gold

Tue, Oct 17 2023, 2:38 pm

My daughter had a lateral lisp and her SLP taught her to say the shin sound by keeping her teeth closed and sticking out her lips (duck lips). Once she got the shin, she easily got the sin. She kept her teeth opened for sin.