5 Fun and Functional Ways to Target Articulation in Sentences in Speech Therapy

Getting bored of the same articulation target flash cards that you use every session?

Or perhaps you have some really fun articulation activities but they only target the word level... 

I know.. it can be really hard to move past the word level.  But with the right tools and approaches, it doesn't have to be.

I have 5 FUN and FUNCTIONAL ways that YOU can easily target articulation at the sentence level in your speech therapy room!

1. Use any coloring page with your articulation targets.  Model silly sentences about the picture and challenge your students to make their own silly sentences about the picture using the articulation targets.

This approach is so easy, because the sentences don't necessarily have to make sense.  That's why they are silly!  So if my student chose a Spider-Man coloring page and my articulation /s/ target is "sun," the student might say:  Spider-Man is swinging from the sun!  

One thing I would try to keep in mind is to keep the sentences as syntactically sound as possible even if the content is silly!  Model appropriate sentence structure!

2. Use a funny sentence strip with your articulation targets.

Often times, students are not able to come up with sentences on their own and they need a model or sentence frame to follow.  In that case, provide them with one or two silly sentence strips that they can use.  For example, if I am targeting /s/, my silly sentence strip might be "I sink the silly _____." They can put all of their /s/ words into that blank to practice at the sentence level even if they sound a little funny!  I promise it'll bring lots of laughs!

3. Read a picture book and place articulation visuals in the scenes.  Make a sentence that changes the story!

Once again, the students can use all of the creativity in the world.  Their sentences don't have to be about the story.  The purpose of this activity is to target the sound at the sentence level!  Have fun with it!

4. Use a picture scene that's already filled with your articulation targets.  Make fun sentences!

Unlike the previous ideas, this takes a bit of planning.  However, it can be very successful.  You might find a picture in a book or a picture online that's loaded with objects; then you can make a list of all the words with your target sound.  Or, as with the other ideas, have your students do that work searching for items with your target sound! Then they can make their sentences.

5. Use a book with repetitive sentences and change one of the words in the repetitive sentence to your target word.  Have students repeat the sentence with different target words.

This is the perfect way to incorporate modeling and sentence frames for students that need a bit more guidance.  Your sentences will be silly with this approach but you'll effectively improve your student's target sound at the word level!

Want it all done for you?!

I spent over a year doing all the work for you!  I created 225 pictures scenes with 1,470 articulation targets and 225 visual sentence strips so that you can easily and systematically target all of your students’ articulation sounds at the word and sentence levels!  These pictures scenes are highly interactive; students have to cut, paste, color, and practice!!  The sentence strips are truly a game changer and my students LOVE them!  The truth is they have truly been a career-changer for me and a tool that I will use for the rest of my life!

Written by: Rosie Sepulveda, Language Encounters