Does your Child have a Problem with English Pronunciation?

You are probably reading your Free Elocution Tips because you are concerned about your child’s speech and/or language.  You are not alone!  Many parents and carers face the same problem.  Findings suggest that in every school class there may be one or two children with difficulty in being understood due to their speech and language.

But, how can you help your child?

First, you need to identify if there is a problem.  And, if so, what the problem is with your child’s speech and/or language?  Why is it happening?  Is it normal?  Can it be corrected?

In this Free Elocution Tips, you will learn about the importance of close observation – watching your child!  It is important to gather as much information as possible so that you can measure your findings against the normal stages of development for a particular age.  We will look at the normal stages of development for a particular age in later Free Elocution Tips.  But, the first task is to collect information as to what is happening when your child speaks. At present, we will only consider observing physical factors which may be affecting your child’s speech and/or language.  We will consider about factors in later Free Elocution Tips.

What should I look for when observing my child?

Below is an observation check-list for physical factors for you to use:

General Observation

• Does your child show any physical difficulty when talking?
• Does your child speak quickly?

Tongue Position

• Does the tongue come forward touching the teeth?
• Can you see the tongue coming through the teeth?
• Are the sides of the tongue coming between the teeth?
• Is the tip of the tongue flexible?
• Can your child poke his/her tongue out into a point?
• When your child pokes his/her tongue out does it stay flat?
• Does the tongue float around in the mouth when your child speaks?

Teeth

• Are there any teeth problems?
• Are there too many teeth making your child’s mouth look crowded?

Lips, Jaw, Face, Mouth and Head

• What are your child’s lip shapes during speaking?
• Are the lips forward like a kiss?
• Are the lips pulled back into a smile?
• Do your child’s lips hardly move when speaking?
• Does your child’s jaw come forward when speaking?
• Do your child’s facial muscles move?
• Has your child ever had an injury to the head, face or mouth?

Co-ordination

• Does your child have co-ordination difficulties when walking or moving?

Breathing

• Does your child have difficulty in breathing?
• Does your child suffer from asthma?

This check-list will help you start to record your findings when watching your child speak.

Download your Free Elocution Tips Physical Factors Observation Check-List below:

Observation - Physical Factors Check-List

Remember – We are here to help should you have any concerns.

Happy Observation!