Developing Speech and Language Skills - Noel's ESL eBook Library

Target error pattern: either or both patterns can be addressedApproximant cluster reductionAction gameTarget sound: ‘tr’, ‘cl’ word initialContrast: ‘t’, ‘r’, ‘c’, ‘l’Words: trap, tap, wrap; clap cap, lapResources: one of each of the following items per child: a cup and plastic spider, apencil, a box and wrapping paper, a cap, a saucerActivityThe adult needs to familiarise the children with the pairs of words. Pictures could beused to help this. Do the actions together at first. Once the child has practised theactions a few times, the adult simply says one of the words and the child does theaction. The actions are as follows: trap (they catch the spider in the cup), tap (tap onthe table with a pencil), wrap (begin or continue wrapping the present), clap (claphands), cap (put the cap on and take it off again), lap (pretend to lap milk from thesaucer like a cat). It is important to just say the words in an identical phrase such as‘now trap!’ and then ‘now wrap!’, for example, as the child needs to listen carefully forthe approximant clusters. You need to present the activity as ‘fast and furious’,otherwise the child will become too engrossed in some of the more interesting activities!Further activitiesThe above activities are only a few of those that you can use to help the child who isworking on the ‘approximant cluster reduction’ error pattern. Many of the activitiescan be used with different pairs of words. Other word pairs and pictures are listed under‘Approximant cluster reduction’ in ‘Pairs and sets’ on the CD (pages 53–5).Specific activities to help children use approximant clusters in wordsThe activities above were all designed to help the child listen to and distinguish wordswith and without clusters. Activities on the CD, pages 32–9, are designed to helpchildren who can produce approximant clusters in words, but do not do so habituallywhen they speak. These activities can be used after discussion with a speech andlanguage therapist to make sure the child is ready for the change of emphasis fromlistening work to saying words with the target sounds.Important: Before trying these activities read the general information about using thegeneralisation and carryover methods described in Chapter 15.139