Abby Barnes, M.S., CCC-SLP
To make an /r/ sound, the tongue needs to be held tightly in the mouth in the correct position. There are several speech therapy techniques that can help your child learn to pronounce the /r/ sound.
Key takeaways
Problems with the /r/ sound are a common speech error. It can be challenging to learn because it's not easy to visualize how the tongue works for this sound.
In order to learn /r/ production, children need to understand the different parts of the mouth and tongue that are used to make it.
Two tongue positions can be used for an /r/ sound: the bunched and retroflexed tongue positions. You can try teaching your child both positions, then pick the one that works best for them.
Tongue tension matters, too. If the tongue isn't tight or strong enough, the /r/ won't sound correct.
There are specific stages for learning to pronounce speech sounds. A speech therapist can create a treatment plan for your child, teach them how to position their tongue for the /r/ sound, and show you how to help them practice at home.
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Find a speech therapistWhat makes the /r/ sound tricky?
The /r/ sound can be tough for children to learn. Difficulty with pronouncing the /r/ sound is also known as rhotacism. It's one of the more common speech errors that a speech therapist handles.
What makes the /r/ sound so difficult is that it's not easily visualized. When saying a "th” sound or the /b/ sound, you can see how to produce the sound based on movement of the lips, tongue, and teeth. Try it yourself!
However, the /r/ sound is all about tongue position inside the mouth. It’s hard to visualize and can be challenging to explain.
In this article, we share some speech therapy activities you can try at home to tackle the pesky /r/ sound. The goal is for you and your child to feel more confident in understanding how to produce /r/.
Get familiar with the tongue
In order to learn /r/ production, it's important for your child to understand all the different parts of the mouth and tongue they need to use to make this sound.
Get in front of a mirror and spend some time reviewing the tongue. Look at the different parts, such as the tip of the tongue, the back sides of the tongue, and the back of the body of the tongue. Also look at the insides of the top-back molars. All of this will come into play when you get into the specifics of pronouncing the /r/ sound, so it's essential to start here.
Have your child point to different parts of the tongue, and areas within the mouth, to make sure they understand these important parts of their anatomy.
Our speech therapists recommend these fun books for practicing the “R” sound with your child at home.
Two ways to produce an /r/ sound
Two tongue positions can be used to make an /r/ sound: the bunched and retroflexed tongue positions. You can try teaching your child how to use both positions, then pick the one that results in the best /r/ sound. If they both sound good, then pick whichever one comes easiest or feels most natural to your child. Be sure to ask them for their input!
Please note: There are only two ways to produce the /r/ sound. However, there are many different variations of /r/ sounds. There are prevocalic, medial, and vocalic /r/ sounds, which have to do with where the /r/ is placed in a word (at the beginning, middle, or end). There are also variations in which vowels the /r/ is paired with, such as the ar, air, and ire sounds.
Although there are many variations, here we're covering pronunciation of prevocalic /r/. This means the /r/ comes in the beginning of the word, such as in “run” or “right.”
Bunched /r/ tongue position
For the bunched position, the tongue moves into a high position and toward the back of the mouth. The sides of the back of the tongue should be touching the insides of the back molars. The tongue should also be kept strong and tense in order to form the appropriate “errr” sound.
Try having your child pair their sound production with a hand motion. Have your child hold their hand flat like a tongue, then “bunch” or “scoot” their hand back high and strong to resemble what the tongue should be doing in the mouth. See if this helps your child better move their tongue to the correct position.
Retroflexed /r/ tongue position
For the retroflexed /r/, the back sides of the tongue touch the inside of the back molars, just like for the bunched /r/. However, the tip of the tongue curls backward. This is what gives this production the name “retroflexed.”
There are a couple things you can do to see if this position works for your child. You can use a hand gesture for this one as well, having your child curl their hand backward into the same position their tongue should move.
You can also try this tip. Have your child move their tongue tip up behind their front teeth, as if they were going to say the /l/ sound. But instead of saying /l/, have your child “scrape” the roof of their mouth and curl their tongue backward. The production should sound like “llllleeerrrrr.” Once you hear the “errr” sound, you know that the tongue is in the right position. Once your child has this down, then see if they can simply move their tongue into the position without having to say the /l/ first.
The importance of tongue tension
If the /r/ sound still doesn’t sound quite right, you may need to focus on tongue tension. The tongue is a muscle, and if the tongue is not tight or strong enough, the /r/ won't sound like a true /r/. This is an area where many children need some extra help.
Model for your child the difference between a loose and floppy tongue, and a strong and tense tongue. Keep your tongue relaxed and in a neutral position in your mouth. Open your mouth so that your child can see this. Demonstrate how you're not using your strong muscles in this case.
The tongue is a muscle, and if the tongue is not tight or strong enough, the /r/ won't sound like a true /r/.
Again, keeping your mouth open enough so that they can see, move your tongue to the bunched or retroflexed position. Point out how your tongue becomes more tense in certain positions because you're using your muscles.
Then, let your child try! See if they can feel the difference between a “loose” tongue and a “tense” tongue. Feeling the difference between the two may be the key for them get the right tension and sound production.
How to practice the /r/ sound
The best way to achieve clearer speech is to work with a licensed speech therapist. Typically, when helping children with a speech sound, speech therapists follow a hierarchy, or stages, of teaching the sound. They continue to slightly increase the complexity levels of the sound as the child masters each one. These are the typical stages of learning the /r/ sound:
Isolation level
Syllable level
Word level
Phrase level
Sentence level
Conversation level
A speech therapist can perform an evaluation to determine which /r/ sounds are hard for your child and where to begin speech therapy, if it's needed. They'll create a custom treatment plan for your child, and they'll also teach you how to practice with your child at home. The ultimate goal of speech therapy is to have children carry over their newfound skills into daily life. When it comes to speech sounds, daily practice leads to faster progress!
Remember, while the /r/ sound can be a challenging one to master, with speech therapy support and lots of home practice, it is definitely achievable. Get started today—find a speech therapist and schedule an evaluation here.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
By age 5, most children can produce all kinds of speech sounds, including /r/. If your child is approaching kindergarten and still has trouble with /r/, it’s a good idea to contact a speech therapist for an evaluation. The earlier you start speech therapy, the better the results.
Problems making speech sounds, also known as an articulation disorder, often have no known cause. In other cases, several factors could be involved, including a developmental disability, genetic disorder, brain damage, hearing problems, or too much thumb sucking or pacifier use. The incidence of speech sound disorders is higher in boys than in girls. A speech sound disorder also may be related to preterm delivery or low birthweight, or to a family history of speech difficulties.
Yes, children who struggle to say the /r/ sound can learn to pronounce it with speech therapy and consistent practice! A speech evaluation can determine which type of /r/ sound is tough for your child, the tongue position they should use for it, and which complexity level to start practicing at. Your speech therapist will also share fun, easy ways to practice at home for faster progress.
How Expressable Can Help
Concerned your child isn't reaching age-expected milestones? Looking for communication support from a professional? Expressable is a national online speech and occupational therapy practice serving children and adults. We treat all major areas of communication, feeding, and developmental skills, offer flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and accept most major health insurance plans. We’re proud to have earned more than 4,500 5-star reviews from our clients (4.83/5 average).
Our therapy model is centered on parent and caregiver involvement. Research proves that empowering caregivers to participate in their loved one’s therapy leads to better outcomes. That’s why we combine live, 1-on-1 speech and occupational therapy with personalized education and home practice activities for faster progress.
