Celebrating Better Speech and Hearing Month: Understanding Speech Sound Development
As SLPs, we know one of the most common questions parents ask is: “When should my child be able to say this sound?” Today, I’m breaking down speech sound development norms with an easy-to-reference guide you can use with families!
🗣️ Speech Sound Development Norms
Based on research by Sander (1972), Shriberg (1993), and ASHA guidelines:
- Most children are 90–100% intelligible by age 4–5, even with some speech errors
- Individual variation is normal and expected
- These milestones represent when 90% of children typically master sounds
- Consistent difficulty with early-developing sounds may warrant an evaluation
Common Questions from Parents:
“My child is having trouble with R sounds. Should I be worried?”
The /r/ sound is typically one of the later-developing sounds, often not fully mastered until ages 5-6. If your student is struggling with this sound alone but is otherwise intelligible, this may fall within typical development.
“My 3-year-old replaces K sounds with T sounds. Is this normal?”
This process, called fronting (replacing back sounds with front sounds), is a common phonological process that typically resolves by age 4. If it persists beyond age 4, an evaluation may be warranted.
“How clear should my child’s speech be at age 4?”
By age 4, children are typically 75-90% intelligible to unfamiliar listeners, even with some speech sound errors still present. If a 4-year-old’s speech is difficult for strangers to understand, consider recommending an evaluation.
Engaging Speech Sound Activities for Better Speech and Hearing Month
- “You are extra hungry! Pick two more cookies!”
- “Your dog ate some of your cookies. Put three back!”
3. Show students a cards scene and have them identify all items containing their target sound.
Want the Cookie Game for FREE?
Need More No-Prep Resources?
- Speech Sound Scenes Articulation Cards -This resource includes scenes for the following sounds (plus the number of included scenes): B (15), CH (13), D (15), F (14), G (15), J (12), K (14), L (17), M (13), N (17), P (14), R (16), S (16), SH (13), T (18), TH (14), V (14), W (10), and Z (15).
- Complete Speech Sound Scenes Bundle – Money-saving bundle includes all 3 of my top-rated Speech Sound Scenes resources!
Understanding speech sound development helps us provide better support to the children we serve. By knowing what’s typical, we can better identify when intervention is needed and explain development to parents in clear, accessible terms.
Remember, while these norms provide helpful guidelines, each child develops at their own pace. Always consider the whole child and multiple factors when determining if speech therapy is necessary.
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