The Correct Sound for /r/

The Correct Sound for /r/

The sound for the letter ‘r’ is probably one of the trickiest to enunciate, but it is important that we say it correctly when instructing children. More often than not, we slip into the habit of using the /er/ sound for /r/. /er/ is the sound made by the letters ‘er’ as in teacher.

To make the /r/ sound correctly, I suggest saying the phrase ‘red roses’ several times. (You will notice that we do not say /er/ed or /er/oses). As you repeat the phrase, listen carefully to the sound you are making and also feel what your lips are doing. Practice isolating this sound from the rest of the word – say ‘red’ then say it without the ‘ed’. Do this with the children as well, as it will help them differentiate between the two sounds. This becomes especially important when teaching initial ‘r’ blends. Again, listen for the difference at the beginning of the words ‘prim’ and ‘perm’ or ‘trim’ and ‘term’.

You also don’t want the children putting the /uh/ sound on the end of the /r/ to make it ‘ruh’. Again, practice isolating with ‘red roses’. If you have difficulty with this, don’t hesitate to give me a call at 1-877-368-7890 and we can do it together on the phone.