CH & J

How to make these sounds:

  1. The air is stopped
    (“T” for "CH" and "D" for "J")

  2. The tongue tip lowers to allow air forward (“SH” or "ZH")

  3. "CH" is quiet (voice off), "J" is loud (voice on)

Tips:

  • If "CH" sounds like "ts," encourage them to "add more air" and exaggerate your model of the "CH" sound.

  • For other "CH" or "J" errors, ask your child's speech therapist for individualized cues

  • Contrast the error with the target. Ex: "You said tsin. I think you meant chin. Did you hear me add more air?"

Ways to make this homework easier:

  • Decrease the speed (keep your voice on, but say the sounds in the words slowly)

  • Decrease length of utterance (ex: If they can't say "cheese" correctly, have them just say "ch"

  • Model the word before each of their attempts.

  • Say the word at the same time as them, with them watching your mouth.

  • Give more feedback, after each production (ex: "Try again, don't forget to make the sound long" or "You said each with a good "CH" sound!)

  • Switch to modeling the practice words (and emphasizing the target sound) instead of having them produce the word.

Ways to make this homework more challenging:

  • Increase the speed (no speed-talking necessary, but add natural intonation and speed to their productions)

  • Increase length of utterance (if they can say the word, see if they can use the word in a phrase, then small sentence, then short sentence, then in conversation)

  • Give less feedback; wait until they are done (ex: "You said 7 out of 10 of those words with a great "CH" sound!")

  • Expand beyond these relatively simple words. Find more words here or here or while reading out loud together. (If you practice in other ways than the weekly assignments above, that's great! You can still click on the homework above and just add a couple words about what you did in the optional "comments" section.)