If you’re a speech language pathologist looking for activities, ideas, and articulation word lists for k and g words speech therapy practice, then you’re in the right place! This blog post explains the correct tongue position for k and g sounds. In addition, this article lists the most common substitutions for k and g, as well as articulation therapy tips for eliciting k and g sounds. Read on for k and g words speech therapy lists, and make sure to check out the recommended articulation activities for practicing these sounds!
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Why Does a Speech Therapist Target K and G Words (Speech Therapy)?
A speech-language pathologist often targets k and g words in speech therapy.
Many children, especially young children, have a hard time correctly producing k & g.
SLPs teach the correct placement for velars and practice the target sound (k,g) in words, short phrases, and at the sentence level.
It is important to target a variety of articulation sounds aschildren with speech sound disorders may be at risk for reading disorders.
Reference:
Sices, L., Taylor, H. G., Freebairn, L., Hansen, A., & Lewis, B. (2007). Relationship between speech-sound disorders and early literacy skills in preschool-age children: impact of comorbid language impairment. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755217/#:~:text=Disorders%20of%20articulation%20or%20speech,phonologic%2C%20and%20verbal%20memory%20skills.
Correct Position for K and G
Both k and g sounds are velars and stops.
Thesevelar consonantsare both considered to be a “back sound”- or speech sounds made “in the back of the mouth”.
The correct tongue placement for both k and g involves the back of the tongue lifting to make contact with the soft palate.
At the same time, the front part of the tongue (tongue tip) is placed behind the lower front teeth.
A seal is formed for velar sounds and air pressure builds.
This is a quick movement. You will hear the velar sound with the burst of air that is released.
To feel this, put your hand near the front of the mouth during k and g production.
K is a voiceless sound. That means the vocal folds do not vibrate during the production of /k/.
G is a voiced sound. This means the vocal cords vibrate when saying /g/.
Have your student feel their throat while producing /k/ and then /g/ to feel the difference between voiced and voiceless sounds.
Reference: Peña-Brooks Adriana, and M. N. Hegde.Articulation and Phonological Disorders: Assessment and Treatment Resource Manual, PRO-ED, Austin, TX, 2007.
The Most Common Substitutions for K and G
Many different types of speech sound disorders can impact a child’s speech intelligibility.
This is an umbrella term that can include articulation disorders, phonological disorders, and motor speech disorders (such aschildhood apraxia of speech).
Phonological processes, includingvelar frontingorfinal consonant deletion, can impact the correct production of k and g sounds.
Need a breakdown of speech pattern simplifcations? Read aboutthe different phonological processes.
Articulation Therapy Tips
Need a great way to teach the k&g sounds?
There are different ways to elicit these sounds during direct instruction therapy tasks.
- Try auditory bombardment. Read word lists orchildren’s booksthat contain k and g sounds.
- You could try instructing a child to “Lift the back of your tongue”- but I like tofocus on the tongue tip as a better visual cue. I instruct my students to say their “low T” sound- and have the tip of their tongue touch the gumline behind their front bottom lower teeth.
- Minimal pairscan be very effective when targeting velar sounds.
- Use your hand as a visualfor correct tongue placement.
- Use gravity!Have your student lay on their back while practicing these sounds.
- A certified SLP could try using atongue depressorto assist with lingual placement. This would only be recommended for a child who is comfortable with this method.
- Working with younger students? I love doing “feed the….” activities, which would be appropriate in early intervention or with preschoolers. Check out thiscrocodile hand puppetthat can be fed small objects. Work on target words like “ick” and “yuck”.
Resource Pictured: Speech Sound Mouth Cards
Home Practice Ideas
Parents can help students work on the k and g sounds at home.
One idea might be to provide parents with anauditory bombardment word list.
Parents could read k or g words.
Their child should listen but not repeat the words.
Once a student can say the k or g sounds in isolation, they might practicesimple CV or VC sound combinations(such as “go” or “ick”).
Finally, going on ascavenger huntaround the house for k and g words can be a fun activity.
Here are /k/ words that a child might find around the house:
- comb
- ketchup
- can
- nickel
- sock
- book
- chalk
G Word List
Are you looking for an articulation word list that contains g in the initial, medial, and final position of words?
This blog post containsg articulation word liststhat can be used during your speech therapy session.
K Word List
Here is aword list for initial k, medial k, and final k wordsthat speech pathologists can use in therapy.
These speech words can be paired with a game or a fun activity.
Articulation Word Lists
Do you need more articulation word lists to use in your speech therapy sessions?
Check out these handy lists:
- Multisyllabic Words(1-5 syllables)
- Cluster Words (S Blends)
- S Word Lists
- L Word Lists
- F Word Lists
- K Word Lists
- TH Word Lists
- R Words for Speech Therapy
- Z Word Lists
- V Words for Speech Therapy
- G Words for Speech Therapy
- SH Words for Speech Therapy
K & G Words Speech Therapy Activities
Are you a speech therapist searching for a fun way to practice target words in speech therapy?
If you are working on k and g sound production, be sure to check out these engaging resources.
Speech Sound Mouth Visuals
These speech sound word cards will be unlike any you’ve ever owned.
You will be able to target a variety of speech sounds in the initial position, middle position, and end of a word.
First, these are a practical type ofspeech room decor– I hang them up on my wall!
Next, these articulation cards are in the shapes of mouths- so you’ll have the ultimate handy visual during articulation therapy.
Finally, these cards can be laminated for unlimited use.
Try thesespeech sound mouth cardsto work on speech sounds at the word level.
Minimal Pairs Activity Play Dough Smash Mat
If you are working on fronting, these minimal pair activity sheets will be perfect to pair with play dough or a magnetic wand and chips!
ThisMinimal Pairs Bundleincludes minimal pair pages for a variety of phonological processes, including:
- fronting
- cluster reduction
- initial consonant deletion
- final consonant deletion
- stopping
- gliding
- voicing and devoicing
- backing
Thevelar and palatal fronting packetis included in the bundle.
How To Use The Minimal Pair Pages
Anauditory bombardmentword list is included on every page.
For example, if you are targeting the initial k sound, a list of initial k words is provided at the bottom of the page.
Your student would listen as you read the words,but not repeat them.
Next, you can do anauditory discrimination activitywith your students. Which sound did they hear? I have my student give a thumbs up or a thumbs down to indicate if they heard (or did not hear) their target speech sound.
Finally, your student canpractice minimal pairs.
If you are working on velar fronting, you’ll choose a specific page with either k or g words.
Magical Minimal Pair Worksheets and Activity Pages
ThisMagical-Themed Minimal Pair Bundlealso targets fronting!
Every phonology activity contains both acolorandlow inkoption, so it’sperfectfor on-the-go. Just print!
If you wish, you can laminate the color pages.
In addition, this packet is FUN!
Let imaginations SOAR with this magical packet!
Adorable wizards, gnomes, fairies, and dragons decorate every page.
ThisMagical-Themed Phonology Bundleincludes cluster reduction, voicing and devoicing, initial consonant deletion, final consonant deletion, fronting, and backing activities.
Thefronting activity packet(which is included inthe bundle) contains the following minimal pairs:
- k vs t initial
- k vs t final
- d vs g initial
- d vs g final
- sh vs s initial
- sh vs s final
This will also you to target both velar and palatal fronting.
Articulation Tic-Tac-Toe Worksheets
Have somedot markerson hand?
Or perhaps amagnetic wand and chips?
Perfect, because you’ll want to use them with thisArticulation Tic Tac Toeresource!
A variety of speech sounds are targeted, including k and g.
Each page features words with one target sound in the initial position, medial position, and final position.
Your student will practice saying a word before each turn at the game.
If desired, your student could also generate short sentences using the target word!
K & G Mixed Groups Resource
School speech-language pathologists are often trying to see a large caseload while working around 15 or more teacher schedules, special schedules, and activity schedules.
This is in addition to fitting in IEP meetings and paperwork!
It can be a tough balancing act!
This often leads to seeing students in groups- and sometimes, the goals don’t always match up.
One student might be working on articulation, and another might have expressive orreceptive language goals!
ThisMixed Groups Bundle for Speech Therapyoffers the solution.
One page is selected based on the target speech sound (such as the initial k sound, which is provided in the).
Articulation words are sorted by noun or verb.
While one student works on articulation, another student can work on language goals- using the same target words.
Summary
In summary, this article provided a variety of k and g words speech therapy lists (seek wordsandg words).
In addition, this article explained why a speech-language pathologist might target k and g words in speech therapy.
Read the article to better understand the correct lingual positioning for k & g.
Several elicitation tips are recommended for teaching velar sounds.
Related Speech Therapy Articles:
- Try These Beneficial Fronting Activities for Speech Therapy
- The Different Phonological Processes (List for SLPs)
- 6 Quick (and Easy) Speech Therapy Activities for Preschoolers
- Children’s Books for Speech Therapy: The Ultimate List
Finally, here are some effective resources to target k and g words in speech therapy:
- Speech Sound Mouth Visuals
- Minimal Pairs Activity Pages for Play Dough
- Magical-Themed Minimal Pairs Pages
- Articulation Tic Tac Toe Worksheets
- Mixed Groups Speech and Language Bundle for Speech Therapy
