K and G ( also called "velars" or "back sounds")
For the "K" sound, I encourage the kids to keeptheir tongue tip down in the front of their mouth. ( tucked
behind their bottom front teeth) This will allow the back of the tongue to goup and touch as the "kuh"
sound is formed. Somekids need assistance keeping their tongue tip down in front. If so, I will use
a sucker, or a flavored tongue depressor to keep the tipdown. I use a visual prompt of tappingthe side
of my jaw, almost by my ears to show them I am touching inthe back of my mouth. I verbally prompt,
"Open, up in back." The "K" and "G" sound areformed the same way, but with the "G" the voice is turned on.
You can feel the vibration in your neck.
Final "T" sounds
As the children learn to place final sounds on words, it isimportant to have them watch your face and mouth as
you"close" the words with these endingsounds. Point to your upper lip for thefinal "T" at the end of the word.
Stand side by side in front of a mirror as you practicethese final "T" words together. Remind your child to watch
their mouth to see if their tongue tip is up at the end ofthese words. If your child can not say the words
correctly, have him/her watch your mouth as you read thewords - placing volume and emphasis on these
ending "T" sounds.I tap my upper lip to remind kids that my tongue tip goes up behindupper front
teeth for the final "T" sound.
Words that contain a front and a back sound can be achallenge for kids. The tongue has toplan
for the front sound ( ex. "T") then the vowel ,and last move all the way to the back of the mouth
for a "K" or "G"sound. These will come in time. ( ex.cat, duck, gate, kite, goat, tag, )
