Phonetics

1

100

What is residual articulation disorder?

Mild, persistent errors (often /r/, /s/, /z/, /θ/) after age 8.
Typically phonetic distortions rather than phonological errors.

Treatment involves refined placement cues, auditory feedback, and self-monitoring.

200

How does speech intelligibility relate to overall communication effectiveness?

Intelligibility measures how well speech is understood by unfamiliar listeners, but true communication effectiveness also involves pragmatics, rate, and prosody.

Therapy should target both accuracy and function in real contexts.

300

What is the relationship between SSDs and literacy?

SSDs, especially phonological ones, increase risk for reading and spelling deficits due to weak phonological representations.

Early intervention and collaboration with educators are essential to support phonics and decoding.

400

How can phonological awareness therapy support speech sound outcomes?

Integrating sound awareness (rhyme, segmentation, blending) into SSD treatment improves both speech intelligibility and literacy readiness.
It strengthens the sound-symbol link vital for reading.

500

What’s the difference between a delay and a disorder in speech sound development?

• Delay: child follows typical sequence but slower rate.
• Disorder: atypical patterns, inconsistent errors, or poor intelligibility beyond age norms.

Delays often resolve with maturation; disorders require structured intervention.

2

100

How can speech sound therapy be adapted for bilingual children?

• Assess both languages; errors may transfer across languages.
• Identify shared vs. unshared phonemes.
• Treat shared sounds first for cross-linguistic generalization.
• Respect language dominance and cultural context.

Bilingualism does not cause speech delay.

200

How should dialectal differences be addressed in treatment?

a

• Focus only on errors outside the dialect system.
• Use dialect-appropriate stimulus words.
• Avoid “correcting” dialect features that are linguistically valid (e.g., /th/→/d/ in AAE).

Goal = intelligibility and communication, not conformity to one dialect.

300

What cueing strategies are most effective in articulation therapy?

• Phonetic placement cues (describe articulator position).
• Tactile cues (PROMPT, tongue depressor).
• Visual cues (mirror, diagrams).
• Auditory models (discrimination training).

Use multimodal cues initially, then fade as accuracy increases.

400

How can generalization of correct sounds be facilitated?

• Use multiple contexts and real communication tasks.
• Gradually fade cues.
• Include self-monitoring and auditory discrimination.
• Practice across settings and partners.
  *Generalization is a key indicator of functional therapy success.

500

What is the general hierarchy of speech sound treatment?

1 Isolation → 2 Syllables → 3 Words → 4 Phrases → 5 Sentences → 6 Conversation.

Progression ensures motor learning and automaticity across contexts.
Drills should be variable, distributed, and functional for retention.

3

100

How should SLPs determine treatment target priorities?

1. Sounds that improve overall intelligibility.
2. Sounds with high functional load (frequent in language)
3. Stimulable sounds for quick gains.
4. Nonstimulable but developmentally appropriate sounds for broader generalization.
5. Patterns that affect multiple phonemes (e.g., cluster reduction).

200

What are common assessment tools for speech sound disorders?

• 
  Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation (GFTA-3)
• Khan-Lewis Phonological Analysis (KLPA-3)
  HAPP-3 (Hodson Assessment of Phonological Patterns)
• CAAP-2 (Clinical Assessment of Articulation and Phonology)
• DEAP (Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology)

These tests identify error patterns and guide evidence-based treatment.

300

How can SLPs analyze phonological patterns efficiently?

• Use pattern frequency tables from standardized tests (e.g., KLPA, HAPP-3).
• Group errors by process type and sound class.
• Determine developmental appropriateness and targets with highest functional load.

This approach helps prioritize therapy efficiently.

400

How is severity of a speech sound disorder typically measured?

• Mild: >85%
• Mild–Moderate: 65–85%
• Moderate–Severe: 50–65%
• Severe: <50%

PCC helps quantify progress and determine intelligibility impact.

500

What are “idiosyncratic” or atypical phonological processes?

Uncommon patterns not seen in typical development, such as:

• Initial consonant deletion (e.g., “dog” → [ɔg])
• Backing (alveolars → velars)
• Glottal replacement
• Vowelization of consonants (e.g., “ball” → [bɑʊ])

Presence of atypical processes often signals a disordered (not delayed) system.

4

100

What are typical correlates of severe phonological disorders?

Limited phonetic inventory.

• Extensive use of simplification processes.
• Poor speech intelligibility (<50%).
• Delayed expressive and receptive language.
• Family history of speech or reading problems.

Early, intensive intervention is key for long-term academic success.

200

What is the difference between consistent and inconsistent phonological disorder?

• Consistent: predictable, rule-based errors (e.g., always fronting /k/→/t/).
• Inconsistent: variable productions of the same word (e.g., “cat” → [kæt], [tæt], [æt]).

Inconsistent patterns may indicate phonological planning difficulties rather than pure articulation issues.

300

What is the difference between consistent and inconsistent phonological disorder

Limited phonetic inventory.

• Extensive use of simplification processes.
• Poor speech intelligibility (<50%).
• Delayed expressive and receptive language.
• Family history of speech or reading problems.

Early, intensive intervention is key for long-term academic success.

400

What factors contribute to the etiology of speech sound disorders?

Hearing loss (especially high-frequency).

• Oromotor dysfunction (e.g., tongue thrust).
• Structural anomalies (cleft palate, malocclusion).
• Neurological conditions (CP, TBI).
• Genetic syndromes (Down, Fragile X).
• Environmental deprivation or limited linguistic input.

Most SSDs are functional (no clear organic cause).

500

What are early-, middle-, and late-developing sounds according to Shriberg’s (1993) norms?

Early (2–3 yrs): /m, b, j, n, w, d, p, h/
Middle (3–6.5 yrs): /t, ŋ, k, g, f, v, tʃ, dʒ/
Late (6.5–8 yrs): /ʃ, θ, s, z, ð, l, r/

These norms guide clinical decisions and expectations for typical sound mastery

5

100

What are phonological processes, and why are they used?

Simplification strategies that children use to make speech easier while developing adult targets.

They are rule-governed, predictable, and gradually suppressed with age.

Persistent use beyond expected age = phonological disorder.

200

What are examples of common phonological processes and their typical suppression ages?

• 
  Final consonant deletion: gone by ~3 yrs.
• Cluster reduction: gone by ~4 yrs.
• Weak syllable deletion: gone by ~4 yrs.
• Fronting (e.g., /t/ for /k/): gone by ~4 yrs.
• Stopping (fricatives → stops): gone by ~5 yrs.
• Gliding (/r, l/ → /w, j/): gone by ~6 yrs.

Persistence suggests phonological delay or disorder.

300

What’s the difference between an articulation disorder and a phonological disorder?

Articulation disorder: difficulty with motor production of specific sounds; consistent errors (e.g., lisp).

Phonological disorder: difficulty with sound pattern rules; multiple errors reflecting underlying system gaps (e.g., fronting, cluster reduction).

Phonological disorders affect intelligibility more globally.

400

What are common characteristics of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS)?

• 
  Inconsistent errors on repeated productions.
• Difficulty sequencing sounds/syllables (groping).
• Disrupted prosody (equal stress, pauses).

Often better automatic speech than volitional.
It’s a motor planning/programming disorder, not weakness-based.

500

What are distinguishing features of dysarthria in children?

• Weakness or paralysis due to neuromuscular impairment (e.g., cerebral palsy).
• Consistent errors, slow rate, monotone, reduced strength, poor breath support.

Speech errors follow patterns of muscle weakness, not linguistic rules.