Let’s face it—the /r/ sound can be one of the most stubborn articulation challenges we tackle as SLPs. Between tricky tongue movements and all those vocalic variations, effective /r/ therapy requires more than just repetition and hope. It takes smart strategy, a strong understanding of motor planning, and targeted activities that make practice meaningful.
The following post outlines strategies for /r/ remediation therapy based on the content of the lessons in three different courses: Successful "R" Therapy by Pam Marshalla MA, CCC-SLP, Remediating /r/ Errors: Moving Beyond Traditional Approaches by Dr. Carol Koch EdD, CCC-SLP, ASHA-Fellow, BCS-CL and Can't Remediate That /R/? Try This Technique by Margo Kinzer Courter MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL. Whether you’re new to /r/ remediation or looking for a fresh approach, you’ll find actionable insights to help your clients succeed—from mastering prevocalic and vocalic /r/ to generalizing the sound beyond the therapy room.
Producing an accurate /r/ sound isn’t just about tongue placement—it’s about coordinating a series of complex movements all at once. Lateral bracing, tongue root retraction, lip rounding, and precise elevation all have to happen together, making this phoneme one of the hardest to master.
As clinicians, it’s important to not only understand the motor demands, but also to communicate them in a way that helps clients stay motivated. Let your students know that this sound is tough—and that struggling with it doesn’t mean anything about their intelligence or effort.
In speech therapy, distinguishing between prevocalic r words and vocalic r words is crucial. Prevocalic, or "Initial" r, appears at the start of words (e.g., red, run, rabbit). In contrast, vocalic r words follow vowels, often at the end of words or syllables (e.g., car, star, fur). Both contexts require precise tongue positioning but differ significantly in tongue shape and movement.
Pam Marshalla, in her 3-hour webinar Successful "R" Therapy, emphasizes how to pinpoint “golden” contexts—words or settings where your student is already getting close. By building from those moments of accuracy, you can create faster, more meaningful progress.
Recommended Course:
Learn foundational techniques and strategies by enrolling in Successful "R" Therapy. (.3 ASHA CEUs)
If traditional repetition isn’t cutting it, it may be time for a motor-based approach. In her course Remediating /r/ Errors: Moving Beyond Traditional Approaches, Dr. Carol Koch explores how structured practice, targeted feedback, and multisensory cueing can help clients learn to feel what the correct /r/ sounds like.She recommends using specific blends like “dr,” “tr,” or “br” as anchor points for tongue placement. Words like tree, dream, and pride often lead to faster success than isolated /r/ alone.
Recommended Course:
Remediating /r/ Errors: Moving Beyond Traditional Approaches (0.15 ASHA CEU) – Apply motor learning principles to tricky /r/ cases. (0.15 ASHA CEUs).
Vocalic /r/ errors can be especially persistent, and often signal underlying motor planning challenges. If you’re working with students who struggle with words like air, ear, or or, Margo Kinzer Courter’s course Can't Remediate That /R/? Try This Technique, offers a clear, step-by-step system to break through.
Her approach includes:
It’s a structured, accessible method that works—especially when everything else hasn’t.
Recommended Course:
Can't Remediate That /R/? Try This Technique – A strategic approach to the most persistent vocalic /r/ errors. (0.2 ASHA CEUs)
Helping a student nail /r/ in isolation is great—but the ultimate goal is real-life conversation. To encourage generalization, gradually increase complexity, reduce cues, and integrate fun, meaningful activities.
Some go-to ideas:
The more natural and engaging the activity, the more likely your student will carry over those gains.
Looking for new ways to keep therapy sessions effective and fun? Try incorporating:
The earlier you start, the easier it is to correct entrenched errors. Experts like Pam Marshalla stress the importance of early intervention and consistent support. And for us as clinicians, staying current with new strategies ensures we’re always bringing the best tools to the table.
Speech Therapy PD is here to help you do exactly that—with CEU courses that are practical, research-based, and led by real experts who’ve been in the trenches.
Mastering the /r/ sound takes the right approach, the right activities, and a bit of patience. Whether you’re focusing on how to produce the /r/ sound in speech therapy, tackling vocalic /r/ words, or selecting the most effective /r/ speech therapy activities, our webinars have you covered.
👉 Whether you’re brushing up on your techniques or looking for a new path forward, these courses will give you the strategies—and the confidence—to make real progress with your clients.
Keep learning at Speech Therapy PD.
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