/r/ Strategy Roundup: 15 Ways to Teach a Child to Say the /r/ Sound
Fri Feb 06 2026
If you've ever had a client who just cannot get the /r/ sound no matter how many times you model it, you are not alone. The /r/ is one of the trickiest sounds in speech therapy… and it's also one of the most common reasons kids stay on caseloads way longer than they should.
In this episode, I'm sharing 15 practical, therapist-tested strategies for teaching the /r/ sound (especially for those kids who aren't responding to the usual cues). You'll hear a variety of approaches, including shaping from other sounds, tongue tension tricks, tactile and visual cues, auditory discrimination strategies, and even a few "reset" options for when nothing is working.
Whether you're working with bunched /r/, retroflex /r/, vocalic /r/, or you're just desperate for fresh ideas, this episode will give you a toolbox full of options to try immediately in your next session.
(Psst! Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, we have something awesome coming next week!)
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If you've ever had a client who just cannot get the /r/ sound no matter how many times you model it, you are not alone. The /r/ is one of the trickiest sounds in speech therapy… and it's also one of the most common reasons kids stay on caseloads way longer than they should. In this episode, I'm sharing 15 practical, therapist-tested strategies for teaching the /r/ sound (especially for those kids who aren't responding to the usual cues). You'll hear a variety of approaches, including shaping from other sounds, tongue tension tricks, tactile and visual cues, auditory discrimination strategies, and even a few "reset" options for when nothing is working. Whether you're working with bunched /r/, retroflex /r/, vocalic /r/, or you're just desperate for fresh ideas, this episode will give you a toolbox full of options to try immediately in your next session. (Psst! Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, we have something awesome coming next week!)