Learning pronunciation

Learning to pronounce words correctly isn't easy for a child. To achieve this, they must learn to move their mouths precisely. This requires the use of up to 70 muscles. Learning to pronounce words correctly takes time and practice.

Pronunciation difficulties

Mispronunciation is a difficulty that all children experience, to varying degrees, before learning the correct way to say words. It is therefore It's normal not to always understand what a toddler is saying. who begins to speak.

Clipped or mispronounced syllables

Before the age of 2 and sometimes even a little after, a child can cut out small words while speaking (eg: he says "teau" for "boat"). He can also make two syllables of a word more similar (eg: he says “touton” for “sheep”).

Pronunciation difficulties related to the syllables of words often stop around 2 years old. If the child still cuts words around 3 or 4 years old, these are the longest ones (e.g.: he says "bibithèque" for "library").

Omitted or mispronounced sounds

Some sounds are more complicated than others to pronounce, and It may take a toddler longer to learn to produce them well. For example, "m", "p" and "d" are among the easy sounds while "r", "ch", "j" and "s" are among the difficult sounds.

When a child has difficulty pronouncing a sound, they either don't say it or they replace it with an easier sound. For example, a toddler might say "ouge" instead of "rouge" or "zouer" instead of "jou." The sounds "ch" and "j" are particularly difficult to produce. It is only after 4 1/2 years that the majority of children pronounce well these sounds. Some only manage to do so around the age of 5.

Words that include two consonants in a row can also be more difficult to say until the age of 5, such as "bi sc uit", " sk i" and " bl eu". For example, a child might say "krain" or "tain" instead of "train" and "grôle" or "dôle" instead of "rôle". This difficulty is common.

The lisp

Lisping, or speaking on the tip of the tongue, is a different difficulty from other pronunciation problems. In fact, a child with a lisp is not making the wrong sound. It sounds good, but not exactly right. For example, with the "s," a child who lisps produces this sound, not another, but he puts his tongue out too far to pronounce it. This difficulty is often resolved well with the help of a speech therapist, generally from 6 years old.

How to help your child pronounce correctly?

• Do not ask your toddler to repeat after you a word that he or she has mispronounced. Such a request interrupts the conversation, may diminish your child's desire to talk, and emphasizes a difficulty. Some children may agree to repeat, but others will become angry or lose confidence in their speaking ability.
• Also, don't mention to him that a word he just said wasn't pronounced correctly. Your child needs encouragement to keep trying to say the words.
• Say the word he mispronounced correctly, emphasizing the sound(s) that are the problem. For example, if your child says "gagourt," you can respond, "Yes, it is yo gourt!” Your child may try to repeat the mispronounced word without you having to ask them to do so. If they succeed in pronouncing the word correctly, congratulate them (“well done, you said it well!”). Otherwise, encourage them for their efforts (“well done, you’re trying!”) so that they retain the desire to speak. If your child doesn’t repeat the word, it doesn’t matter: at least they will have heard the correct model.
• If your child does not repeat after you and is around 2 years old or older, here are two strategies effective in encouraging him to practice saying words that are difficult for him to pronounce:
  1. Give your child a choice
     Child: “Dad, the sat!”
     Dad: “Wow! That’s a beautiful one cat ! "
     Child: (silence)
     Dad: "But I'm not sure... It's a dog or a cat ? "
     Child: “Dad! A cat!”
  
  2. Say something funny or weird
     Child: “Mom, want some yogurt!”
     Mom: "Ah! You want some milk ! "
     Child: “Yes!”
     Mom: "I think you want some green milk !
     Child: “No, white milk!”
• Speak to your child slowly and clearly in order to give him good pronunciation examples.
• Use words your toddler mispronounces often when you talk to him. Take the opportunity to accentuate difficult sounds so that he can hear them clearly.

When to consult?

If you often have difficulty understanding your child and are worried about their pronunciation, talk to your doctor or a CLSC worker. If necessary, you will be referred to a speech therapist. In the majority of cases, pronunciation difficulties can be resolved fairly easily.

To remember

• Learning to pronounce sounds correctly is a step-by-step process and takes time.
• Some sounds, like "ch" and "j," are more difficult to pronounce.
• Instead of asking your child to repeat it, it's better to say the word again, emphasizing the difficult sounds so that they hear them clearly.

Photo: GettyImages/Dean Mitchell