Nova Zhang
The 'r' sound is one of the most commonly mispronounced sounds, and it is the most common speech disorder in children. There are many variations of the 'r' sound, and it is challenging to show someone how to position their mouth and tongue to make the sound correctly. To make the English 'r' sound, you should curl your tongue back into your mouth and make a vowel sound. Then, continue the vowel sound while uncurling your tongue. To make the /r/ sound, you should avoid letting the tip of your tongue touch the roof of your mouth, and instead, pull your tongue back so that the tip is positioned around the center of your mouth.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tongue placement | Curl the tongue back into the mouth but not too far. |
| Lip placement | Round the lips. |
| Vowels | Pronouncing the vowel, either long or short, holding the sound, and then adding an R at the end. |
| Practice | Repeat tongue twisters and sentences with the 'r' sound. |
| Exercises | Pretend to be animals and make growling sounds. |
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Tongue placement
The placement of the tongue is crucial when it comes to pronouncing the "r" sound correctly. The "r" sound is one of the most commonly mispronounced sounds, and it is the most common speech disorder in children.
To make the English "r" sound, the tongue should be curled back into the mouth but not too far. The tip of the tongue should be positioned around the center of the mouth and pointed slightly upwards, without touching the roof of the mouth. If the tongue touches the roof, it may result in an “l” sound instead.
For the “dr” and “tr” sounds, the tongue placement is similar to that of “t” or “d”, with the tip of the tongue lowered slightly. For “pr” and “br”, the tongue is placed further back in the mouth.
When pronouncing "r" with a vowel, the tongue position may vary depending on the vowel sound. For example, when combining "r" with a long "a" sound, the tongue is raised towards the front of the mouth, resulting in a sound like "air". On the other hand, when combining "r" with a short "a" sound, the tongue is lowered, resulting in a sound like "car".
Practicing tongue twisters or repeating words and sentences containing the "r" sound can help improve tongue placement and pronunciation. Additionally, associating the "r" sound with fun activities, such as pretending to be pirates or animals, can make the learning process more enjoyable and effective.
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Lip positioning
The R sound is challenging to pronounce due to the tongue's unique positioning and the level of tongue tension required. The tongue and lips are involved in producing the R sound, but unlike other sounds, the tongue's movement for the R sound occurs mostly inside the mouth, making it difficult to visualize and mimic.
To produce the R sound, the lips should be apart, and the top and bottom teeth should be lightly touching. A common mistake is to round the lips, which results in an "aw" or "oh" sound. Instead, the lips should be in a boxed shape, similar to when producing the "'shhh' sound" used to quiet a baby.
The tongue should be flattened out in the back of the mouth and towards the upper part of the mouth, known as the hard palate. The sides of the tongue may touch the inside of the top teeth. The tongue tip can be raised to the roof of the mouth, or the back of the tongue can be humped up towards the top of the mouth. This position is known as the retroflex R, and it can be practiced by starting with the L sound, which is made with the tongue tip in a similar position. Alternatively, one can start with the G sound, which is also made in the back of the mouth, and then slide into the R sound.
It is important to note that tongue tension is crucial for a crisp R sound. If the tongue is too loose, the sound becomes muddled, and if it is too tight, it may sound forced.
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Tongue and lip exercises
The /r/ sound is challenging because it requires specific tongue positioning and tongue tension, which are difficult to visualize and mimic. Tongue tension is essential—too loose and the sound becomes muddled, too tight and it may sound forced. The /r/ sound is produced with the tongue flattened out in the back of the mouth, towards the upper part of the mouth (the hard palate). The sides of the tongue may scrape the inside of the top teeth.
Bunched position practice
Open your mouth in front of a mirror. Try to bunch your tongue in the middle without touching your teeth or the roof of your mouth. It should look like a small mound or hill. This exercise helps you visualize and feel the bunched position.
Retroflexed position practice
Using a mirror, attempt to curl the tip of your tongue back towards your throat, touching or nearly touching the roof of your mouth at the back. This might take a few tries, but visual feedback from the mirror can guide your adjustments.
Tongue push-ups
Place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth. Press firmly against the roof of your mouth and hold for a few seconds before releasing. Repeat this motion to build strength and control.
Tension awareness
Alternate between making a soft “th” sound and a hard “d” sound, paying attention to the change in tongue tension. Then, transition into the /r/ sound, aiming for a tension level between the two.
Start with simple words
Begin with words that contain the /r/ sound in easier contexts, such as at the beginning of words (“run”, “rain”) or in blends where the /r/ is more pronounced (“brave”, “crisp”).
Connect /r/ with the vowel sound “eee”
Say the vowel “eee,” hold it for a few seconds, and then combine it into an /r/ sound. Repeat this exercise with other vowel sounds.
Use visual cues
Visual cues can help teach where the tongue should be placed to improve /r/ production. A mirror or tongue model may be used.
Auditory discrimination
Listen to how each tongue twister or sentence is pronounced, paying attention to the /r/ sound. Record yourself repeating each sentence, focusing on the pronunciation of /r/. Repeat this exercise several times a day.
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Vowel sounds
The "r" sound is often easier to pronounce when combined with a vowel sound. For example, when pronouncing the long "A" vowel sound, aaaaaa, adding an "r" at the end creates the word "air" – aaaaaarrrrrr. Similarly, for the short "A" vowel sound, ahhhhhh, adding an "r" at the end results in "ahhhhrrrrr", as in the word "car". This technique helps individuals hear how the "r" sound blends with different vowels.
Parents can assist their children with fun exercises that incorporate vowel sounds. For instance, children can act like animals and make growling or roaring noises, rolling their "r's" as they mimic a cranky dog or a mighty lion. Another fun idea is to dress up as pirates and practice saying "argh", emphasizing the "r" sound.
Additionally, tongue twisters are an effective tool for improving "r" pronunciation. By starting slowly and gradually increasing the pace, individuals can focus on enunciating the "r" sound accurately. For example, the tongue twister "Robbie rarely shared his gear" contains multiple "r" sounds and can be repeated several times a day to improve fluency.
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Speech therapy
The R sound is one of the most commonly mispronounced sounds, and rhotacism is the most common speech disorder in children. Children usually master the R sound by the ages of 6–7, but some may not perfect it until as late as age seven. In most cases, rhotacism isn't addressed until a child approaches age seven or eight, but R sound speech therapy and coaching can start sooner.
Rhotacism is a speech sound disorder affecting mouth and lip placement. Tongue placement for /r/ is very specific and difficult to learn. Individuals with difficulty with /r/ typically produce it as a syllabic or vowel-like sound, which can make the word hard to understand and can make other sounds difficult to hear. Some individuals mispronounce r as l, and sometimes r sounds like w. For example, "rabbit" and "runner" may be pronounced as "wabbit" and "wunner".
The most common approach to speech therapy for rhotacism is articulation therapy, in which speech therapists work with a person to improve or correct speech sounds in a phonological system. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can perform a rhotacism assessment to determine if there is difficulty with the /r/ sound. During this evaluation, the SLP will review the person's history and concerns, observe how they pronounce the /r/ sound in different word positions, and check the tongue placement for /r/.
There are 32 different variations of /r/ (also known as “allophones”), and each allophone is considered a distinct sound. /R/ can occur in different places in a word (beginning, middle, and end) and can be combined with other consonants (e.g. /tr/, /br/, /str/).
Parents can assist their children with some fun exercises:
- Many children find it easier to say their Rs with a vowel. First, pronounce the vowel, either long or short, holding the sound, and then add an R at the end. For the long A, you would begin with them saying "aaaaaaa" and then adding the R to say "aaaaarrrrrr" as in "air". Then for the short, they would start saying "ahhhhhhh" and then add the R to say "ahhhhrrrrr" as in "car".
- Rs are very much like growls. Have your child act out being certain animals like a cranky dog growling or a mighty lion roaring. Have them roll the R out as they mimic each animal. Pirates also make an R sound when they say "argh." You can dress up as pirates to practice the sounds.
- Watch their favorite cartoon and whenever a character makes an R sound, have them shout it out or repeat it.
- Find opportunities to pronounce Rs with your child, whether pointing out foods in the grocery store with Rs, items in a park, or even when your child hears you say an R.
There are also some tongue twisters that can help with practicing the R sound:
- "Robbie rarely shared his gear".
- "Light | right, fall | far, bleach | breach, jaw | jar".
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Frequently asked questions
Repeat tongue twisters that include the 'r' sound, starting slowly and gradually increasing to a natural pace.
The 'r' sound is made by curling the tongue back into the mouth and making a vowel sound. Then, to let go, continue the vowel sound while uncurling the tongue.
The tip of the tongue should not touch the roof of the mouth, or listeners may hear an 'l' sound. Instead, pull the tongue back so the tip is positioned around the centre of the mouth and point the tip up slightly.
One exercise is to make the different vowel sounds, both long and short, and then add an 'r' at the end. For example, say "aaaaaaarrrrrr" (as in "air") and "ahhhhrrrrr" (as in "car").
Make it a fun activity by having the child act out being animals like a growling dog or a roaring lion and have them roll the 'r' sound. You can also dress up as pirates and practice making the 'argh' sound.
