Phonological Awareness vs. Phonemic Awareness (And Why Your Students Can Do It With Their Eyes Closed)

Teaching the Bunched R Sound in Speech Therapy: Visuals, Cues, and Foundational Skills for Success

In this episode of The Pedi Speechie Podcast, we’re continuing our R sound journey! Last week, we explored how to teach the retroflex R using the “pirate hook” visual. Today, we’re focusing on the bunched R—how it differs, why it’s equally valid, and the exact steps I use to help students find success. You’ll learn: * Why we always start with vocalic er in isolation—and why this foundational skill takes time (sometimes months!) to develop * How to build lingual-mandibular differentiation, so your students can move their tongue without that pesky jaw helping out * How to use mirrors, hand placement, tongue depressors, and visuals to teach jaw stability and tongue elevation * My favorite visuals for teaching R: the “question mark” hand cue for bunched R and the “pirate hook” for retroflex * Why the typodont model is such a game-changer when demonstrating tongue positioning Remember: R takes patience and consistent feedback—but with the right visuals, cues, and tactile supports, your students will get there. 🧠 Related Resources: * Read the blog post: Retroflex R vs. Bunched R in Speech Therapy [https://thepedispeechie.com/2020/10/retroflex-r-vs-bunched-r-in-speech-therapy.html] * Check out my Correct That Vocalic R Program on TpT: Speech Therapy Lisp & Vocalic R Articulation Bundle [https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Speech-Therapy-Lisp-Speech-Therapy-Vocalic-R-S-Articulation-Bundle-3455540]

Mastering the Retroflex R: Visuals, Tactile Cues, and Elicitation Strategies for SLPs

In this episode of The Pedi Speechie, Karen breaks down how to elicit the retroflex R sound step-by-step. You’ll learn the difference between bunched and retroflex R, discover why starting with vocalic “ER” builds a strong foundation, and explore high-success strategies like the stretch-and-fade method, the slide or tap back technique, and the fun pirate hook visual. Karen also shares how she combines visual, tactile, and auditory feedback for maximum success in her speech room—plus, the exact tools she uses to make tricky tongue placements click for her students. 💬 In this episode, you’ll learn: * How to explain the retroflex R vs. bunched R * Why vocalic “ER” should be your starting point * Visual and tactile cues that boost success * Step-by-step strategies for shaping R * How to combine auditory, tactile, and visual feedback effectively 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED: * Typodont Model for Visual Demos (Amazon) [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097SRJLWX/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?pd_rd_i=B097SRJLWX&pd_rd_w=msFH8&content-id=amzn1.sym.8c2f9165-8e93-42a1-8313-73d3809141a2&pf_rd_p=8c2f9165-8e93-42a1-8313-73d3809141a2&pf_rd_r=XWY09Z6FFSATEKNV6Q85&pd_rd_wg=0RgVL&pd_rd_r=ae05b2a0-b650-449e-be82-407e141cae14&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&th=1] * Correct that Vocalic R Program: http://bit.ly/4nL1MDI * 5 Minute R Manual (free): https://thepedispeechie.kit.com/6718f5c346

Quick, Interactive Books for Early Communicators: SLP Favorites

Not every preschool student is ready to sit through a long storybook—and that’s okay! In today’s episode of Caffeine & Caseloads: The SLP Life with The Pedi Speechie, I’m sharing my favorite quick, interactive books that are perfect for building prelinguistic and early linguistic communication skills. These books encourage imitation of sounds, actions, and exclamations, while keeping even your busiest little ones engaged. 📚 Books mentioned in this episode: * No No Yes Yes by Leslie Patricelli * Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli * Don’t Push the Button by Bill Cotter * The Big Book of Exclamations * Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell * Peek-a-Who? by Nina Laden * ✨ Looking for a resource that pairs perfectly with this episode? Check out my Imitating Sounds, Actions, and Core Vocabulary Interactive Book Bundle [https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Speech-Therapy-BUNDLE-Core-Vocabulary-Activities-for-Nonverbal-Students-9067605] on Teachers Pay Teachers. It’s designed to target the same early skills highlighted in today’s book recommendations and gives you ready-to-use materials for your preschool sessions. 🎧 Tune in to learn how these short, engaging books can transform your sessions with early communicators.

Phonological Awareness vs. Phonemic Awareness (And Why Your Students Can Do It With Their Eyes Closed)

In this episode of The Pedi Speechie, we’re breaking down the difference between phonological awareness and phonemic awareness—because yes, they’re not the same thing. If you’ve ever found yourself second-guessing which is which, this one’s for you. We’ll walk through the hierarchy of phonological awareness skills, from sentences to syllables to individual sounds, and share practical, no-prep speech therapy activities you can use right away. You’ll also get original examples and playful therapy ideas that are perfect for preschool and early elementary students. Whether you’re a new speech-language pathologist or a seasoned school SLP looking for fresh ideas, this episode will help you support your students’ communication goals with confidence. 🎙️ Topics covered: * What is phonological awareness? * What is phonemic awareness? * The key differences between the two * Evidence-based, fun therapy ideas for school-based SLPs * Why phonemic awareness is foundational for reading and spelling ✨ Looking for ready-to-go materials? Check out my Syllable Segmentation Activity [https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Segmenting-Syllables-Activity-for-Speech-and-Language-Therapy-No-Print--5493452?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=Phonological%20Awareness%20vs.%20Phonemic%20Awareness%20(And%20Why%20Your%20Students%20Can%20Do%20It%20With%20Their%20Eyes%20Closed)%20podcast%20episode] and Phonological Awareness Worksheets [https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/PHONOLOGICAL-AWARENESS-ACTIVTIES-RHYMING-WORKSHEETS-WORKING-ON-SOUNDS-1459805?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=Phonological%20Awareness%20vs.%20Phonemic%20Awareness%20(And%20Why%20Your%20Students%20Can%20Do%20It%20With%20Their%20Eyes%20Closed)%20podcast%20episode] on Teachers Pay Teachers for even more support in your sessions. Subscribe for more episodes on all things speech-language pathology—and don’t forget to share this one with your SLP team!

Five-Minute Prep, Big Impact: My Favorite Emergency Speech Therapy Activities

Need a speech session yesterday? This episode is your emergency toolkit. Karen from The Pedi Speechie Podcast is sharing 10 of her favorite low-prep, high-impact activities that can be done in tiny spaces with minimal materials—perfect for school SLPs on the go. From bean bag balancing and sticky note circuits to sound effect games and silly sentence building, you’ll walk away with fresh ideas that support communication goals and get your students moving. These ideas are sensory-friendly, regulation-boosting, and totally doable with what’s already in your speech room. 🎧 Listen in to hear: * How to use free online sounds to target articulation * A simple way to combine movement with expressive language * Why bean bags and sentence strips might become your new go-to tools If you’re tired, overwhelmed, or just fresh out of ideas, this one’s for you. Because sometimes the best therapy sessions are the ones you didn’t spend all weekend prepping. ✨ Mentioned in the episode: * BBC Sound Effects Archive [https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/] * Freesound.org [https://freesound.org/] * Story Retell Graphic Organizer: Yoga Mat Companion [https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Story-Retell-Graphic-Organizer-Yoga-Mat-Companion-Story-Retelling-Activities-4162666?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=Five-Minute%20Prep%2C%20Big%20Impact%3A%20My%20Favorite%20Emergency%20Speech%20Therapy%20Activities%20podcast%20episode] * Story Retell and Sequencing: Speech and Language Therapy Worksheets [https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Story-Retell-and-Sequencing-Speech-and-Language-Therapy-3370213?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=Five-Minute%20Prep%2C%20Big%20Impact%3A%20My%20Favorite%20Emergency%20Speech%20Therapy%20Activities%20podcast%20episode] Rate & review, and don’t forget to subscribe! #speechtherapy #schoolSLP #speechlanguagepathologist #slpresources #lowpreptherapy