Preschoolers with speech problems can get real world practice in learning new sounds with this game. Start by introducing them to a new sound for the day, such as "cha" or "ta." Practice the sound for several minutes, giving each student individualized attention. Once you've finished practicing, take them outside for a walk along with another adult. As you walk, point out different objects that have the same sound as the one you are learning. For example, if your sound is "cha" point out a "chair." Give each one of your preschoolers a chance to practice making this sound. They should then apply it to the real world object. Do not perform this activity without an aide as it may be hard to keep track of the children outside.
Use this role-playing game to help your preschoolers improve their speech. Create cut-out paper letters for each letter of the alphabet. Hand out the letters and have the children color them. When they finish, start naming words that start with that letter. For example, if your letter is "h" use words like "helicopter" and "hat." Make your students repeat the word a few times. Have an aide provide personalized help to struggling students. Once you feel your students have learned the word and sound successfully, let them act out that word. For example, they could fly around the room as a helicopter or crawl on all fours as a hippopotamus. This is a fun activity that also serves as a reward. Repeat every day.
By using simple mouth and facial exercises you can help your students physically practice creating the necessary shapes for correct speech. Start by stating the sound you are going to use. Give your students a few moments to practice making the sound. Explain that you are going to make "silly faces" to help learn the shape of the sound. Use exaggerated facial expressions to show your students the correct way to move their mouths. Let them try for a few minutes, allowing them to have fun with it but not get too far from the correct shape. Once they know the shape, try to get them to say the sound as well. Repeat this process every day until they have mastered the sound along with the mouth shape.