​​Parents play a very important role in improving speech and language skills. Studies have proven that parents may play the most important role.*  The key is to practice, practice, practice!

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It is important to remember some guidelines when practicing speech.

• Be patient. Your child is learning a new skill. Some have likened it to learning to play the piano. You need to practice many times in order to master this new skill.
• Short sessions are better for most children. Five to 10 minutes of work can make a significant difference.
• 20 good productions are better than 50 bad ones.

• Unless your Speech-Language Pathologist instructs you otherwise, you should work on only one sound or blend at a time.
• Resist the temptation to move to the next level before the prior level is mastered. If your child is working on a sound at the syllable level, it is tempting to see if he can do it in words and in many positions of words. But moving too quickly can cause frustration and confusion.
• The sheets included on this page come from a number of authors and sources. Each has a slightly different way to describe proper production of sounds. If you find this confusing, please discuss it with your Speech-Language Pathologist.