Research shows that the phenomena observed in children's speech and pronunciation that make it so unique is a natural step in their acquisition journey. There are many patterns that show the similar trajectories children take as they learn how to use their language and get better at doing so! This means there is are a lot of patterns that can be drawn across these phenomena to explain the knowledge children are gaining. This page is a brief introduction to sounds and patterns to give further insight into all the knowledge your children are tapping into even when they make "errors".
Child pronunciation highlights the fact that they are learning new sounds in their language, how to use them, and how they interact. Understanding the kinds of speech sounds your child is using can help you understand what is happening to their pronunciation. The guide below is an introduction to speech sounds in English that will help inform and contextualize the phenomena children are experiencing when they pronounce the words they are learning.
Vowels
Like -a in "Apple" & "Ape"
Like -e in "Excited" or "Tree"
Like -i in "In" or "Fine"
Like -o in "Over" or "Book"
Like -u in "Under" or "Umbrella"
Glides
Like the -y in "Yellow"
Like the -w in "Wash"
Liquids
Like the -l in "Led"
Like the -r in "Red"
Nasals
Like the -n in "Name"
Like the -m in "mouth"
Obstruents
Like the -d and -g sounds in "dog"
Like the -b and -k sounds in "bike"
Or like the -ch sounds in "church"
Speech sounds differ based on their relative loudness or clarity, also known as their sonority. The Sonority Hierarchy organizes all categories of speech sounds based on their sonority. The phonological processes that children perform often abide by this hierarchy.
vowels > glides > liquids > nasals > obstruents.