Speech Therapy – How to teach "Yo" Sound

Articulation delays are common in young children, and various speech sounds can be particularly difficult for children to master. One sound that challenges many children is the /l/ sound. /L/ is a fairly easy sound to teach because it occurs near the front of the mouth, making it easy to “see.” Children should be able to produce /l/ in conversation by age 5.

The most common mistake is to substitute /w/ for /l/. Some children may use /y/ for /l/ or omit /l/ altogether.

The /l/ sound is produced by placing the tip of the tongue behind the upper front teeth, against the gum line. The sides of the tongue are lowered to allow the voice to pass over the sides of the tongue.

Tips:

1. Model the correct placement of the tongue, using a mirror. Touch the crest of the gum with a spoon or popsicle stick to show the child where to make contact with the tongue.
2. Practice raising and lowering the tip of the tongue to strengthen the tongue and develop awareness.
3. Have the child open his mouth wide, hold an “ah” sound while raising the tip of the tongue to the /l/ position.
4. Practice babbling the vowels /l/…. “Lalala, loolooloo, leeleelee.” You may find that /l/ is easier to produce when combined with specific vowels. Practice the easiest syllables first.
5. Compare the sounds on the tip of the tongue. Have the child practice: “te, dee, nee, lee”, etc.
6. If the child substitutes /w/ for /l/, gently part the child’s lips to prevent rounding when producing /l/.

Once the child can consistently produce an L sound in isolation or in a short syllable, have him practice it at the beginning of words, such as light, lamp, let, and lip. Then he starts practicing /l/ in the middle and at the end of words and finally in sentences.

With consistent practice, you’ll soon see an improvement in your child’s speech!