Parent PacketBy Kristin Knight

Spring 2003

Working with your deaf or hard of hearing child to produce the /m/ sound

Abstract

Intended Audience: This packet is designed for parents of elementary school deaf and hard of hearing students

It will provide directions and explanations for providing meaningful word activities that will help the child elicit the /m/ sound using the book If You Give a Moose a Muffin.

Why is it so important to work on speech with Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Children?

Deaf and hard of hearing children miss out on the important stage of babbling in language development.

– This is due, in part, because they do not receive the auditory stimuli that normally hearing babies receive.

Language is primarily learned through listening. Developing listening and language skills goes hand in hand with the development of speech skills

This packet give parents of deaf or hard of hearing children the opportunity to work with their children on the /m/ sound, while providing meaningful word activities that promote automaticity*.

– *Automaticity proves that the sound has been truly internalized and that the child can produce on his/her own without a model from the teacher or parent.

If You Give a Moose a Muffin

If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Joffe Numeroff is a delightful children’s story about the doom of continuously offering various items to a nuisance-like moose.

For example, the title If You Give a Moose a Muffin leads into the statement, “he’ll just want some jam to go with it”.

This format continues throughout the entirety of the book and lends itself quite nicely for work on the /m/ sound.

To the right is a chart of all target words within the story containing the /m/ sound in varying positions within each word

Where the /m/ sound appears in the word >

Initial Medial Final

Moose Home-made

Some

Muffin remind Him

Mother Grand-mother

jam

make remember

More

mix

Much

First we’ll start with phonetic practice drills…

Drill sheets are repetitive pictures of the target word or sound that the child can point to while producing that word or sound using speech.

Running practice drills will help the child detect sound auditorally, while working to build that automaticity!

They also provide the child an opportunity to practice the target sound, /m/, in a variety of positions- initial, medial, and final- in increasingly complex combinations.

It helps familiarize the child with target words in the story and the story itself. It provides a repetitive activity that allows the child to self-judge his/her

productions by using the auditory channel. The drill sheets can be made using any computer clipart programs such as Print Shop or Boardmaker.

– If access to a program like this is unavailable, BE CREATIVE!

For example, an appropriate and simple way to createa drill-like activity for the /m/ sound would be to find one

a picture of your target word. For example, ifthe word Is “Moose”, have the child place 4-5M & M’s on one picture of a moose 4-5 times.

How can we elicit the target word or sound with our phonetic drill sheets?

IT’S EASY! First, model the target

word or sound. Remember, in order to produce communicative speech, we must first hear it! Model the word for the child and allow him/her a chance to imitate that model.

If the child does so correctly, give PRAISE!!

– For example, if the target word is “moose”, say the word clearly for the child.

– Next, allow the child a chance to imitate what he/she has heard.

(continued…)

Next, if the child’s imitation is unclear or incorrect, try that first process of modeling and imitation. Slow down your model and emphasize the target sound. This is sometimes called Acoustic Highlighting.

– In our case, the /m/ sound in “moose” is our target.

– If, for example, your child says “boose” for “moose”…

– Emphasize the /m/ sound by prolonging it slightly.

Allow the child another chance to imitate what he/she has heard

If the child imitate the word correctly, give praise!!!

Remember- encouragement is the key!

(continued…)

Finally, if the child is continuing to have trouble producing the target word or sound, model and add.

Add a visual or tactile cue .– In our case, a visual cue may

be the hand shape/sign for an “m”.

– A tactile cue may be the sign for the “m” placed on the side of the nose

This signifies the air stream that is directed through the nose for production of the /m/ sound.

Helpful Hints

Because deaf and hard of hearing children's mouths may not be accustomed to using the muscles involved for proper speech production, exploratory or oral-motor play is important.

To prime the articulators, the parent should have a mirror handy

– The child could watch his/herself correctly producing the /m/ sound with the lips tightly together.

Another strategy for eliciting the /m/ sound is the tactile cue mentioned previously.

This, again, involves the “m” hand shape on the side of the nose, signaling the air stream through the nose needed for correct production of the /m/ sound.

Possible Problems and Solutions

Nasality of the sound– The child may produce

the /m/ sound from his/her vocal chords, rather than from the nasal cavity.

– To promote correct production of the /m/ sound, the parent or teacher should provide the child with a correct model, allowing the child to feel the nose for the vibrations

This is similar to the tactile cue that may need to be offered.

/m/ in the final position– The child may produce the /m/

sound as “muh” when it occurs at the end of a word.

For example, if the target word is “him”, the parent may hear something more like “him-uh”.

– To avoid this, provide the child with an appropriate model of the target word, and come up with some kinesthetic “sign” that signals the “end” of the /m/ sound.

For example, the child could clap at the end of the word. If the target word is “him”, have the child clap while he/she says the /m/. This will remind the child to end the sound quickly and appropriately

Let’s Play a Game!!

To continue a fun and meaningful way to practice the /m/ sound, we can play a game!

The activity includes a turn-taking system which prepares the child for everyday communication.

– The game includes two “roles”:

The speaker (parent) The Listener (child)

The activity promotes listening by requiring the child’s utterance to be in response to what the parent has said.

The response must be produced using speech, and in every case, both the original statement and the child’s response include target words containing the /m/ sound.

Playing the Game

Materials Needed:– If You Give a Moose a

Muffin– Game Cards

The game cards can be homemade quite easily.

– They can be made using a clip-art computer program for various pictures, or by simply writing out each statement on a note card

– If these materials are not available, simply pointing to each statement within the book itself will also work!

First things first:– Read the book If You

Give a Moose a Muffin aloud with your child

Playing the game- continued..

The game cards contain the first and last parts to the statements found throughout the book.

– For example, the first line of the book says, “If you give a moose a muffin, he’ll just want some jam to go with it!

– The parent should emphasize the /m/ sounds throughout each statement. Here’s how it’ll work:

Parent Card #1 would read: If you Give a Moose a Muffin Child Card #1 would read: he’ll just want some jam to go with it

Continued..

The parent reads his/her card aloud The child reads his/her card aloud The parent repeats the entire statement using normal communicative

speech The child repeats then entire statement

– For example Parent reads his/her card

– If you give a moose a muffin Child reads his/her card

– He’ll just want some jam to go with it Parents repeats the entire statement

– If you give a moose a muffin he’ll just want some jam to go with it. Child repeats the entire statement

– If you give a moose a muffin he’ll just want some jam to go with it.

Continued…

The parent may stop in between each set of cards to discuss the moose and the things he is requesting. This will reinforce use of the /m/ sound.

– For example, if, after card #1, the parent would like to reiterate that /m/ sound, he/she could discuss some of the following:

“What did the moose want jam for?”

“Who wanted a muffin with jam?”

Etc.

Continued..

This routine of card-reading and turn-taking will continue for each statement/idea throughout the story.

The parent should conclude each set of cards by saying the statement naturally with appropriate communicative emphasis on the words as they would be said in a normal conversation, and then allowing the child a chance to imitate that conclusion.

A Variation on the Game

Try mixing things up a bit once you and your child are accustomed to the format of the story.

– Mix the cards up in “Memory Game” fashion face down.– Take turns picking up each card, finding its match. And

uttering the entire statement using correct speech.– When it is the parent’s turn, ask the child to repeat the

entire statement.

THIS WILL ENCOURAGE LISTENING TOO!

Weaving this routine into everyday life

It is important to continue correct use of the /m/ sound even when not engaged in reading If You Give a Moose a Muffin.

One way is to capitalize on the child’s spontaneous use of words containing the /m/ sound.

This can be done using modeling and imitation.– Modeling and imitation is done by modeling the correct use of the

target word, sound, or phrase, and then allowing the child time to repeat what he/she has heard.

– Even if the child incorrectly uses the /m/ sound, try modeling it back to him/her the way he/she may have said it.

This gives the child an opportunity to self-correct using the auditory channel.

MAKE EVERY MOMENT A TEACHABLE ONE!

Everyday Situations for use of the /m/ Sound

Morning RoutineParent:Good morning!

Child: Good morning.

P:What will we do this morning?C:This morning we will…

P: After we brush our teeth with will really start our morning.C: We are ready for our morning!

Use of the word “more”Parent: Do you need another carrot?

Child: Yes, I need more carrots P: Can I get you anything else for your doll house?

C: I do not need any more dolls.

When something tastes delicious- YUM!Child: This ice cream is so good!

Parent: This ice cream IS good Yum!C: Yum! Ice cream!

P: How do you like the cake too?

C: Yummy!

Continued..

    If the child’s production is correct, repeat his/her speech production while using acoustic highlighting to emphasize the correct use of the /m/ sound.

   If the production is incorrect, repeat the child’s production while emphasizing error, allowing the child an opportunity to self-judge and make corrections accordingly.

Keep it going!

Create an interactive environment for your child while embedding constant use of the /m/ sound

into an activity together

-Plan to bake/make muffins together-Talk about all of the different ingredients you need more of-Discuss the way you must mix many ingredients together-Eat the muffins together-Yum!

Have fun and always encourage your child!

Speech is something we use everyday and take for granted. Yet it is something your child must work very

hard at. Create a positive, friendly learning environment for your child by encouraging and reinforcing them throughout the lesson

and in daily routines. When your child correctly uses the /m/ sound (or any sound for that matter), make a big deal of it! This will give

your child the OK to use the sound again! Have fun with your child and make every experience a learning one!

References

Waling S. & Harrison W. (1987) A speech guide for teachers and clinicians of hearing impaired children. Tucson, AR: Communication Skill Builders.

Koch, Mary E. (1999) Bringing sound to life:Principles and practices of cochlear implant rehabilitation. Timonium, Maryland: York Press

Ling, Daniel (2002) Speech and the hearing impaired child: Theory and practice. Washington D.C.: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Perigoe, Christina and Ling, Daniel. (1986) Generalization of speech skills in hearing impaired children. The Volta Review, volume 88, pp. 351-363