Helping your preschool-aged child with pronunciation

Even if your child has good hearing, they may be mishearing or misremembering one or more words. If you think this is what’s going on with your little one, don’t worry. It’s actually quite common. You can always try to correct the problem by giving your child subtle hints about how the word is supposed to be pronounced. Simply repeat and emphasize the word your child is having trouble with, in the same context. For instance, 

• if your child says, “I want a tootie,”
• you can say, “You mean you want a cookie?” 

You can also get them to repeat the word they’re having trouble with by giving them a choice. For example, 

• if your child says, “I want a nanana,”
• you can respond, “Would you rather have a banana or an apple?”

Without overdoing it, you can also try to speak more slowly. By taking the time to use impeccable pronunciation, you’ll help your child remember how the words should sound. It can also help to crouch down to their level and ask them to look at you while you’re talking to them. This will ensure you have their full attention, which will help them learn.

Books are fuel for the imagination! They feed the reader’s curiosity and are great memory aids. In fact, books are fantastic learning tools because on top of everything else, they help children learn new vocabulary and how to pronounce words correctly. For this reason, try to read with your child as much as you can! To make reading even more enticing, you can make a habit of reading in fun ways:

• By flashlight
• Under the bed
• In the bath
• While eating a big bowl of popcorn
• Etc.

Speech-language pathologists, or speech therapists, specialize in communication. They can make diagnoses, perform assessments, and suggest techniques and exercises that will help your child. If you have major concerns about your little one’s pronunciation problem, or if things aren’t improving over time, don’t hesitate to seek help from an expert.