A child of 4 years old does not pronounce the letter L. The child does not pronounce the letter L. Incorrect pronunciation options

A fairly large percentage of parents are faced with a problem when their growing baby does not pronounce words and certain letters. For some, it can go away on its own, as they say, the child is pronounced. And other kids need to work to learn how to pronounce this or that sound correctly.

Clear pronunciation of sounds is very important, since school performance and confidence in yourself and your strengths largely depend on this. Speech defects can play negatively already in adulthood and interfere with self-realization and success.

Among all the letters in the alphabet, there are those that are difficult for most children to pronounce - this is the sound "r", for example.

If we talk about the letter "l", then it is considered easy to pronounce, and it is possible to teach children to pronounce it correctly in a few lessons. In this article we will tell you how to teach your baby to pronounce the letter "l".

From this article you will learn

Why speech defects occur

Before teaching children to pronounce the sound "l", it is important to understand what led to the development of just such a speech defect. There are several main reasons.

• Oddly enough, one of the reasons why pronunciation problems arise is the habit of lisping with your child. If you notice that the baby began to pronounce sounds poorly, then analyze your speech when you speak to the child.

If you mispronounce a letter, then most likely your baby will speak the same way. Since he simply did not hear anything else and considers it normal. Try to speak clearly with all sounds.

• The second reason for the underdeveloped sound "l" is the anatomical features of the child's development. They include too short a bridle, soft palate, cleft lip. All these developmental anomalies interfere with the proper movement of the tongue and uvula, which makes it impossible to pronounce the sound in words containing this letter.
• Another reason that can affect the fact that a child begins to speak incorrectly is a developmental disorder of the hearing system. In this case, he simply hears the letter incorrectly, which leads to the formation of a defect.

A speech therapist will be able to determine the true reason that led to the formation of an incorrect pronunciation. This specialist should be consulted if the child has defects after 4.5 years.

Until this age, the sound "l" can form itself. It is believed that after 4.5 years, the baby has a fully formed speech apparatus, and any incorrect pronunciation should be corrected in time. The faster you try to teach how to do it right, the better for the child.

How should the articulatory organs be located when pronouncing "l"

Incorrect pronunciation of words containing the letter "l", children can also notice different things:

• passing a consonant when pronouncing a word (horse - horse);
• replacing the sound "l" with "y" (shovel - uopata) or the sound "y" (spoon - yozhka);

Incorrect pronunciation can only be noticed when speaking words containing the letter "l" in a soft or only hard version.

The sound "l" is pronounced by pressing the tip of the tongue against the upper teeth, the forced air is quite strong and passes along the sides of the tongue. However, they do not rest against the lateral dentition.

Interestingly, numerous studies have shown that for every adult who can correctly pronounce words with "l", the position of the articulatory organs may change slightly, but the principle of their location is the same.

Teaching a child to say the letter "l" is not particularly difficult. This can be done easily at home, after spending several sessions with the baby, using the correct speech therapy exercises.

A set of exercises for setting the correct pronunciation of the sound "l"

Before any speech therapy lesson, it is necessary to warm up the organs of the articulatory apparatus. This is the same warm-up gymnastics.

For children, such classes are playful and they really like it. Ask your baby to show you his tongue, smile, twirl his lips in a tube, open and close his mouth wide.

Spend a few breathing exercises... This will be enough to tune the child's vocal apparatus for further work and teach children to pronounce words correctly.

• Smile. This exercise is very fun for children. Ask the baby, without opening his lips, to smile with his whole mouth and freeze in this position for up to ten seconds. This can be done up to 8 times.
• Delicious honey. Opening your mouth a little, ask your child to lick his lips with the tip of his tongue, as if after tasting delicious honey. The exercise should be done for one minute minimum.
• Breeze. Blow out the air through your slightly open mouth, while biting the tip of your tongue. The exercise takes about three minutes.
• The clatter of the horse. Show pictures. Ask the kid what kind of animal it is and ask only to click his tongue, as a horse does. First, speed up the pronunciation of the sound, and then mute it.
• Show me your tongue. This exercise is also very entertaining for children, as adults allow him to do things that were previously forbidden. Ask the child to push his tongue forward as much as possible and try to reach them to the chin. The next step is to reach the tip of the nose.

If the parents are faced with the task of teaching the child to pronounce "l", then it must be remembered that the learning process should be interesting for children. To do this, use bright pictures, for example, horses for the exercise of the same name.

The lessons themselves should last no more than 5 minutes, since this is exactly the time when a 4-year-old child can concentrate on completing one task.

Children who have problems pronouncing a word containing the letter "l" should do more drawing, application, that is, exercises for fine motor skills. This helps not only to develop speech and teach how to pronounce words correctly, but also contributes to better intellectual development.

With the main organs involved in creating sounds. This can be done with the help of articulatory fairy tale gymnastics, which will interest the child and imperceptibly warm up the lips, cheeks, and tongue.

Work on speech breathing. Since speech is exhaled, improper air distribution during exhalation can greatly distort sound production. The most famous games that help develop breathing are games with soap bubbles, blowing out imaginary or real candles, and launching boats on water. So in a fun and relaxed atmosphere, he learns to control the released air stream. Make sure that he does not puff out his cheeks, but draws into the lungs.

Perform a set of exercises to develop the correct pronunciation of the sound "l" in front of the mirror. Slowly at first, if some movements do not work out, help with a spoon (handle). Sit in front of him so that he can clearly see your lips and tongue movements. Do the exercises with him. The purpose of all correction exercises for the sound "l" is to develop the mobility of the entire tongue and its parts, to adjust the correct air flow.
“The horse is the well-known sound of the clatter of hooves. Ask your child to smile by showing teeth and opening their mouths. In this position, let him click the tip of his tongue like a horse. Do it with him, slowly at first, then faster. And make sure that only the tongue works, and the lower jaw remains motionless.
“The horse runs quietly - this is a mandatory variation of the previous exercise. Invite the child to do the same with the tongue, but only without a sound, like a horse on exploration. The rules remain the same - do not stick out the tongue and do not move the lower jaw.
“The breeze is blowing. Smile with your mouth open, bite the tip of your tongue with your front teeth and blow. You should have two jets of air from the corners of your mouth. Teach your child this and control the movement of the air with a fluffy piece of cotton wool.
« Delicious jam... Open your mouth slightly with your baby and lick with the wide front edge of your tongue upper lip, making a movement of the tongue from top to bottom, but not from side to side. Do not move your lower jaw while doing this. If the child does not succeed, practice first keeping a relaxed wide tongue on the lower lip (the tongue should be pushed out and placed on the lower lip, without twisting it over the teeth). Then offer to lift the tongue and touch the upper lip.
“The steamer is humming. Invite the child to open his mouth and pronounce the sound "s" for a long time (like a steamer is buzzing). Make sure that the tip of the tongue is lowered and located in the depths of the mouth, and the back is raised to the sky.

Usually this sound "L" is put easily and quickly, but provided that the exercises are performed very accurately and correctly, for example, according to our method. All exercises are performed in front of a mirror in order to control the position of the lips and tongue of the child.

So, first things first. In order to correctly pronounce the sound "L", the lips must be in a smile, the teeth are not closed, the distance between the lower and upper teeth is about 1 centimeter. The tip of the tongue rests against the upper teeth. Children usually either skip this sound, or replace it with sounds - Y, Y, L, or B. If the back of the tongue is raised and the tip of the tongue is lowered and moved away from the teeth, then the sound "L" is replaced by the sounds "Y" or "Y". If the tip of the tongue is at the top, but moved away from the teeth, then the sound "L" is obtained. If the child raises the lower lip to the upper teeth, then instead of the sound "L", the sound "B" is heard.

And now let's start performing articulation exercises of the tongue to correct the soft sound "L" for a hard one.

Lip exercises:

Fence - Teeth closed, lips in a wide smile. The upper and lower teeth are clearly visible. Keep motionless for about 5-6 seconds.

TV - The teeth are closed and visible, the upper and lower lips are raised, the corners of the lips are shifted towards the center. The lips form a wide square, as with the sound "Ш". Two upper and 4 lower teeth are clearly visible. Keep motionless for about 5-6 seconds.

Smile - Lips are closed and drawn in a wide smile. Keep motionless for about 5-6 seconds.

Proboscis - Lips closed, corners of lips moved to center. Keep motionless for about 5-6 seconds.

Rabbit - Lips are closed and drawn in a wide smile. Lower the lower lip so that only the lower teeth are visible, and the upper ones are covered with the upper lip. Keep motionless for about 5-6 seconds.

Each exercise must be repeated 4-5 times.

Then you need to alternate exercises in pairs:

Fence - TV, Smile - Proboscis, Smile - Rabbit. First, alternate at a slow pace, repeat everything 5-6 times, hold each lip position motionless for 2-3 seconds. Then alternate at a fast pace 5-6 times.

Setting the sound "L"

Donkey's song - The mouth is slightly open, the lips are in a wide smile, the upper and lower teeth are clearly visible. Pull the sound "Y-Y-Y". (Possible mistakes - the sound "Y-Y" is pronounced "in the nose." To check the correct sound, place the back of the hand against the child's neck and feel a slight vibration). Then open your mouth wide and add the sound "A-A-A". Pronounce the syllable -NA- together, pull both sounds. (Possible errors - replacing the sound -А- with the sound -Я-).

Repeat the syllable "NA" several times and make sure that both sounds are pronounced correctly. Then pinch the tip of the tongue with your teeth (do not change the position of the lips) and pronounce the syllable -NA-, pull both sounds, with the sound -A- mouth open wide. If both sounds are pronounced correctly, the syllable "LA" will be heard. Pay special attention to the fact that the lower lip does not rise, otherwise the syllable "BA" will turn out instead of "LA". If instead of "LA" you hear the syllable "LA", then you should repeat the syllable "NA" several times, without pinching the tip of the tongue with your teeth, make sure that the sound "A" is not replaced by the sound "I".

Very often a child, having heard the resulting syllable "LA", involuntarily tries to say the syllable "LA" instead of "HA" and he gets the habitually distorted sound "L". Therefore, the first time, performing the exercise, it is advisable that you invite the child to say "NA", and not "LA".

The resulting syllable "LA" must be repeated many times to consolidate the correct pronunciation. To make it interesting to repeat, play the game "Shooting". Shooting Game - Draw 10 target circles on a piece of paper. Repeat the syllable "La". If the syllable is said correctly, then they hit the target - cross out 1 circle, if the syllable "LA" is pronounced incorrectly, then put a dot next to the target circle to indicate a miss. Agree in advance with your child that after how many "misses" you move on to the next target. When finished, count the number of targets hit and misses. Repeat the game 3-5 times and compare the results. First repeat the syllable "LA" one at a time, and then in groups of 2-3 syllables. You can draw targets from 2-3 circles.

Having achieved the absolutely correct pronunciation of the syllable "LA", proceed to working out the correct pronunciation of the syllables "LO, LU, LE, LY". Make sure that the tip of your tongue is clamped between your teeth. Most often, it is difficult to correctly pronounce the syllable "LU", since it is necessary to change the position of the lips.

When the child learns to pronounce all these syllables, you can proceed to the pronunciation of words with the sound "L". First, you should repeat the words beginning with the sound "L". In these words, it is easier to correctly pronounce the correct sound "L", since the child clamps the tip of his tongue with his teeth, pronounces this sound and only then the whole word. It is more difficult to pronounce the word after the preposition, because in this case it is necessary that immediately after pronouncing the previous sound, the lips and tongue quickly take the correct position for the sound L. " Therefore, it is better to repeat first single words with the sound "L". Choose 10-15 words that begin with the syllable "LA" and repeat them like this (pull the sound "L", achieve a clear solid "L"):

- 1st time - sound - syllable - word (LL - LLA - LLAk, LL - LLA - LLAPa, LL - LLA - LLAmpa and so on);

- 2nd time - a syllable word (LLA - LLAk, LLA - LLA, LLA - LLA, and so on.);

- 3rd time - one word at a time, pull the sound "L";

- 4th time - the game "fix an adult" - you repeat the words, alternating, correct and distorted "L". The child must determine if the word is said correctly and repeat it correctly;

- 5th time - in groups of 3 words (1st, 2nd, 3rd word, 2nd, 3rd, 4th word, 3rd, 4th, 5th word and etc.). This task is the most difficult because the child is old.

If the child is easily given the correct pronunciation of the sound "L", then you can start with the second task (syllable - word).

Here is a sample set of words for practicing the sound "L"

At the first stage, repeating syllables and words, pinch the tip of the tongue at the sound "L". But this position of the tongue is preparatory. When positioned correctly, the tip of the tongue is behind the teeth and rests on the upper front teeth. Therefore, gradually try to translate the tongue by teeth and try to achieve a clear solid sound "L" with the correct position of the tongue.

Very good, consistently selected and varied speech material can be found in the book by Yu.B. Norkina "Home notebook for speech therapy classes with children" issue 1, sound "L". In addition to words, sentences, poems and stories, the book contains many exercises for the formation of the correct grammatical structure of speech, as well as tasks for the development of coherent speech of the child.

It is better, of course, to consult a speech therapist, but you can try to fix it with the help of articulatory gymnastics. It helps to develop and improve the tone of the muscles of the tongue, lips, and improve speech hearing. It should be carried out in the form of funny games, fairy tales, so that children can quietly master the correct sounds. 1 Introduce your child to the main organs involved in making sounds. This can be done with the help of articulatory fairy tale gymnastics, which will interest the child and quietly warm up the lips, cheeks, and tongue. 2 Work on speech breathing. Since speech occurs on exhalation, improper air distribution during exhalation can greatly distort sound production. The most famous games that help in the development of breathing are games with soap bubbles, blowing out imaginary or real candles, and launching boats on the water. So in a fun and relaxed atmosphere, the child learns to control the released stream of air. Make sure that he does not puff out his cheeks, but draws air into his lungs. 3 Perform a set of exercises to develop the correct pronunciation of the sound "l" in front of the mirror. At first, slowly, if some movements do not work out, help the child with a spoon (handle). Sit in front of him so that he can clearly see your lips and tongue movements. Do the exercises with him. The purpose of all correction exercises for the "l" sound is to develop the mobility of the entire tongue and its parts, to adjust the correct air flow. "Horse" - the well-known sound of clattering hooves. Ask your child to smile by showing teeth and opening their mouths. In this position, let him click the tip of his tongue like a horse. Do it with him, slowly at first, then faster. And make sure that only the tongue works, and the lower jaw remains motionless. The Horse Rides Silently is a mandatory variation of the previous exercise. Invite the child to do the same with the tongue, but only without a sound, like a horse on exploration. The rules remain the same - do not stick out the tongue and do not move the lower jaw. "The breeze is blowing." Smile with your mouth open, bite the tip of your tongue with your front teeth and blow. You should have two jets of air from the corners of your mouth. Teach your child this and control the movement of the air with a fluffy piece of cotton wool. "Delicious Jam". Open your mouth slightly with your baby and lick your upper lip with the wide front edge of your tongue, moving your tongue from top to bottom, but not from side to side. Do not move your lower jaw while doing this. If the child does not succeed, practice first keeping a relaxed wide tongue on the lower lip (the tongue should be stick out and put on the lower lip, without tucking it over the teeth). Then offer to lift the tongue and touch the upper lip. "The steamer is buzzing." Invite the child to open his mouth and pronounce the sound "y" for a long time (like a steamer hums). Make sure that the tip of the tongue is lowered and located in the depths of the mouth, and the back is raised to the sky. 4 Develop the child's fine motor skills at the same time, because it stimulates speech development. Play finger games, draw, sculpt with your child.

While mastering speech skills, children often distort words. They also experience difficulties in pronouncing certain sounds. The notorious "rrrr" is known to many, but what if the child changes the letter "l"? The defect is easy to fix. Parents should show their child to a speech therapist - a specialist will establish the cause of the defect and determine the method of classes that will help eliminate it.

If speech disorders occur, it is better, if possible, to show the child to a specialist: he will determine the degree of deviation and help the family cope with it.

What influences the occurrence of a defect?

Most of the sounds are perfectly mastered by a child by the age of 4-4.5 years. If you notice that your baby is having difficulty pronouncing several letters or one sound "l", look for reasons. One of the factors can be a speech defect in an adult who is constantly in contact with a baby. The child imitates the speech of mom or dad. Pronounced irregularities in pronunciation and children growing up in bilingual families. It is difficult for a kid to master two languages \u200b\u200bat once, he gets confused, replaces the sounds of one language with the sounds of another. Among physiological reasons note the following:

• violations that have arisen during the development of speech hearing (the child hears sounds incorrectly);
• pathology of the hearing aid and speech breathing;
• changes in the structure of the articular apparatus (in the case of the sound "l" it may be a shortened frenum).

All anatomical changes are determined by a specialist. Self-diagnoses often lead to incorrect treatment and worsening of the defect.

If a shortened bridle is found in a child, do not worry. For a long time the defect was corrected with an incision, and today a new technique has been developed in which the bridle is stretched to the required size with the help of special exercises.

Pronunciation options for the distorted sound "l"

When trying to pronounce "l", the child can replace it with other sounds. There is no definite dependence on the cause that caused the defect - the baby speaks as it is easier for him. The sound can be like this:

• the child misses the letter "l" (shovel - opata);
• replaces "l" with "y" (horse - horse);
• pronounces the sound "y" instead of the sound "l" (milk - moyoko, spoon - yoshka);
• speaks hard "l" well and replaces the soft letter with another.

Correct articulation

To fix something, you need to know how it looks right. It's the same with the sounds we make. It is unlikely that you will be able to pronounce the letter "p" without joining your lips. In order to get the sound "l", you need:

• rest the tip of the tongue against the base of the upper teeth or in the gap formed between the upper and lower teeth;
• while pronouncing the letter, strongly release air along the sides of the tongue;
• the edges of the tongue should not touch the upper and lower teeth on the sides of the jaw.

If the speech therapist has not found any serious problems with the articulation apparatus in your baby, the correct pronunciation of "l" can be easily put at home. A few activities with the baby are enough to teach him to reproduce sound well. A few special exercises will make your task easier and your child's pleasure. They will improve the mobility of the muscles in the larynx, tongue and lips.

So that the child can understand where he makes a mistake, it is necessary to sit him in front of a mirror and work out the correct setting of the tongue and lips.

Learning to pronounce the sound "l"

Classes at home are comfortable for both the child and the parents. Experts have developed various exercises that you can do with your baby, making them a fun game. Children love to grimace, but our exercises are also beneficial. Through a fun and exciting action, we teach the kid, give the opportunity to train your language for the correct pronunciation of "l". Exercise List:

1. Smile. Ask your baby to smile broadly without opening his lips. Let him hold a smile for 8-10 seconds. Repeat the exercise 7-8 times a day.
2. Breeze. Open your mouth a little, stick the tip of your tongue between your lips, and "bite" it slightly, pressing your lips together. Leaving your tongue in this position, you need to blow strongly for three minutes.
3. Clinking. The kid should click like a horse, changing the intensity of the sound. Ask the child not to move the lower jaw, click only with the tongue and upper jaw. The first part of the exercise is done with acceleration, in the second, the clatter should be quiet, as if the horse is sneaking.
4. Delicious jam. Invite your child to lick their lips with their tongue as if they ate something delicious. Movements should be wide, circular.
5. Long tongue . Favorite exercise for kids. Children stick out their tongue to their full length and try to reach their nose or chin.
6. The tube. Several times a day ask your child to roll his tongue into a tube.
7. Long "s". The tip of the tongue is pulled back into the mouth, the back of the tongue rises to the palate, the child pulls the sound "y". The exercise is difficult, but it improves the flexibility of the language.
8. Breathing. Follow the lessons with improved breathing skills. Let the baby blow bubbles more often, encourage his desire to sing. In summer, the baby can blow off ripe dandelions.
9. Fine motor skills. Fine motor exercises stimulate nerve endings. Modeling, drawing, cutting and gluing applications have a positive effect on the development of speech skills and enhance the intellectual development of a little person.

It will also be useful to pronounce tongue twisters and combinations of letters in which “l” is adjacent to different vowels.

How to conduct classes correctly?

Before you start, remember what is in front of you small child. The best way teaching him something is a game. Speech therapy exercises, carried out under pressure, quickly bore babies, so you cannot force the child to repeat them for a long time. Start with 3-4 reps 1-2 times a day. Use your own example. Sit with your baby near the mirror so that he can see how he is doing. Children love to imitate the actions of adults, use their interest for educational purposes. Accompany each success of the crumbs with praise, explain to him what you are teaching and why.

In what situations do you need help from a speech therapist?

While it is easy to adjust the sound, it can happen that doing homework is not successful. The reasons can be different:

• your family speaks Russian as a non-native language, and its adults speak with an accent;
• some of the adults already have speech defects and find it difficult to conduct classes;
• long sessions could not help the kid learn to pronounce the letter "l".

In such situations, you must contact a specialist. The speech therapist will help you correct the exercises, suggest other ways to correct it.

You will need a lot of patience and the ability to lure the child. The slightest progress should be noticed and praised. If the kid does not succeed in something, do not scold him so as not to discourage the desire to learn.

Difficulties in the pronunciation of the letter "r" become a frequent problem (for more details, see the article :). We recommend that you refer to one of our materials telling you how to cope with this problem. The principle is almost the same: it is necessary to stimulate children to speak words with this sound more often. Learn articulation when pronouncing "p", show it to your baby. Use in the classroom pictures depicting animals with a "r" in the name, learn poems and tongue twisters with him.

Clinical and perinatal psychologist, graduated from the Moscow Institute of Perinatal and Reproductive Psychology and Volgograd State Medical University with a degree in clinical psychology