Pronunciation and reading and spelling

[ObscureReference]

If a child is behind in pronunciation (but had been discharged from SALT at 2ish) for example, says damana instead of banana and will NOT be convinced of otherwise at age four, is it likely they will struggle with phonic, reading, spelling etc? I am getting worried about my 4yr old, but not sure if he is 'behind' enough in his speech for SALT. He just has odd pronunciation and will not be told otherwise! Even sounding out the word with him (not that he knows the phonics yet) but going through letter by letter, he wont believe us! I dont think it is a backwards reading of the letter as is common in young kids as he is not yet reading, It is the way he has always said it. Will try and think of more examples!

Bump for the morning crowd.

Watching!

I've been a bit concerned about this too - my DD has caught up quite well since starting preschool, but still finds some pronunciation difficult.

It is a bit of a worry Freudian, isnt it? Has your DD gone through SALT?

My DD is in reception and when speaking sometimes pronounces y as l. And, I'm afraid this does effect her writing. Has written yost instead of lost and loo instead of yoo, (for you). I would ask for a rereferal to SALT if I were you Ob. I think sometimes you need to be quite assertive about these things.

The teachers havent flagged anything yet, but he is still in a nursery. Should I ask their opinion and get them to refer or do you think it would be quicker to go through GP?

My ds a good reader at 5/nearly 6. However for ages he said dat and dare for that and there. Even now his 'r's are a bit 'w' on occasion. He seems to be growing out of it and I don't push correct pronunciation as seeming to sort self out. [DH was concerned though and had to stop him making a big deal about it].

Sorry, also what did SALT say to your DD, Jez?

2boys,does it affect spelling work?

His spelling is quite phonetic and I don't think it is affected by it. [Will take closer look though!]. He spells that and there ok I'm sure.

The reason I didn't push with pronunciation is that my ds is very stubborn and always thinks he is right. [More likely to accept a teacher correcting him than me!].

Hmm. It is the phoetic bit I am worried about as they say to ound it out, so he would go /d/ /a/ -mana, iyswim? As he spells it how he says it, but if he is saying it wrong.....

I hear you on the stubbornness!!

s ound!! My spelling is no better!!!

I may be wrong but I think at 4 it is possibly too soon to worry. Maybe ask his teacher what they think? I just remembered that at age 4 my ds went on a tram which he spelt 'chram'. That is probably how he pronounced it! He does that even now and I don't think it is anything to worry about yet. Chat to the teacher as it may well reassure you.

Boys I think are often more stubborn in this way I think!

Can you give any other examples of your DSs speech? And can other people always understand what he's saying? f/th and r/w are very common and not a reason for concern at age 4/5. But b to d is less common, (although by no means unheard of). My DD just has the l/y thing and has not seen SALT Ob. One of my best friends happens to be a ST so I just talked to her about it!

2boys is quite right. It may well be jumping the gun to ask for a referal, depending on what other pronounciation difficulties he has. I'm just all for trying to see an expert wherever possible! By all means talk to nursery staff, but bare in mind that this is unlikely to be their area of expertise.

aghhhh.. just caught my dh making huge deal about ds pronunciation of th and f sounds. I think he is just going to stress ds with his obvious anxiety and I'm quite pissed off with him now. [He knows nothing about this thread.. what a coincidence].

I just found out the next letter of the week at DD's preschool is L. This'll be interesting, as it's the first letter they've done where she can't actually say the sound! She pronounces it as Y:
Lemon = Yemon
Lollipop = Yoyipop
...etc.
It's quite adorable really :o