Phonology

Speech sounds are the sounds we use for talking. As children learn to talk, they gradually learn to make more and more speech sounds. This means that they cannot say all speech sounds straight away. Children with difficulties in this area may present with the following: 
Presenting barriers and challenges

• Unintelligible which increases when excited, nervous or angry.
• Reduced clarity with increasing length of sentence.
• Uses sound substitutions and errors.
• Oro-motor difficulties, e.g. dribbling, eating, using a straw, blowing nose.
• Poor voice control.
• Omission of individual sounds, phonemes, consonant blends and/or distorted vowels.
• Reduced listening skills.
• Reduced phonological awareness.

Best practice strategies and provision

• Model correct word production Say words clearly to provide accurate examples without asking the learner to repeat difficult ones.
• Encourage alternative expression Ask the learner to show or explain in another way to support communication and reduce frustration.
• Ask clarifying questions based on the context (e.g. “Did this happen at home or school?”) to gather more information.
• Avoid vague questions like “What did you do over the weekend?”—instead, tailor prompts to their interests, e.g., “Did you watch a film or ride your bike?”
• Use a home-school diary (e.g. weekend activities) to prompt conversation and support topic recall.
• Use visual aids in conversation. Reinforce spoken language with photos, picture books, and objects to aid understanding.
• Record key names. Keep a list of family, pets, and friends—names are often hard to decode and useful for connection.
• Repeat back to the point of confusion. If unclear, repeat the part you understood to make it easier for the learner to clarify.
• Avoid non-committal responses. If you don’t understand, be honest—learners may sense confusion and feel discouraged.
• Don’t pressure learners to repeat difficult words. Repetition of incorrect speech can cause frustration—model instead.
• Communicate face-to-face. Learners may rely on facial expressions and gestures—this supports understanding and connection.
• Use a total communication approach. Combine speech with symbols, Makaton, pictures, choice boards, and diaries to support expression.
• Support reading and spelling awareness. Learners may spell words as they say them—encourage listening to correct pronunciation.
• Develop phonological awareness. Teach rhyme, syllables, and sound awareness to strengthen speech and literacy skills.