I recently worked with a patient who could count to ten fairly well, but could only say a few other words. For each number, I chose up to ten similar words. He practiced this closed set of words multiple times a day and made fast progress. If you’re working with someone who has limited speech but can count to ten, at least in approximation, you may find this list helpful.
Free DIRECT download: Shaping words from numbers (patient handout). (Email subscribers get free access to all the resources in the Free Subscription Library.)
Outline:
- How I made these word lists.
- FDA-approved clear face mask.
- Strategies to shape words from numbers.
- Words based on “one.”
- If you can say “two,” can you say:
- “Three” is a tough one.
- What about “four”?
- Next up is “five.”
- “Six” follows.
- And then comes “seven.”
- “Eight” is a great one.
- Almost there with “nine.”
- And we made it to “ten.”
- Please share this post and handout.
- Related Eat, Speak, & Think posts.
How I made these word lists
I had the good fortune of buying 40,000 Selected Words Organized by Letter, Sound, and Syllable* when it wasn’t quite as expensive as it is now. This book made it very easy to find words similar to the numbers. I use this book often for speech therapy (dysarthria and apraxia of speech).
*This is an Amazon affiliate link. As an Amazon associate, I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. There is no extra charge to you, and it will help keep Eat, Speak, & Think sustainable.
If you want to make your own lists based on what your patient can say and don’t want to pay so much, you may want to look for word lists online. For instance, Rodney Everson has made more than 100 word lists organized by vowel and consonant sounds available for free or for download in one inexpensive book.
FDA-approved clear face masks
If you’re doing teletherapy, masks don’t get in the way. But if you’re doing therapy face-to-face, consider buying FDA-approved clear masks, such as the Safe ‘N’ Clear Communicator Facemask which is a FDA-registered mask that meets ASTM Level 1 surgical mask standards.
Strategies to shape words from numbers
I’ve written about how to follow motor learning principles to improve speech production in two articles (here) and (here). They’re written in the context of dysarthria, but I follow the same principles for apraxia of speech as well.
Here are some strategies you can try:
- Model the word for your patient. (“Watch, and do what I do.”)
- Have a mirror available to help establish a sound.
- Auditory model. (“Repeat after me.”)
- Written prompt. (“Read these words out loud.”)
- Motoric facilitation. “Tap as you say each syllable.”
This is how I shape words from numbers:
- Build words up from smaller units. For instance, if my patient can’t imitate “want” but can say “one”, here is what I do.
- Ask them to repeat after me: “one” … pause… “[t]”. Facing my patient, I use my right hand to indicate the first part, in this case “one”, and my left hand to indicate the second, in this case [t]. I move my hands at the same time as I say the corresponding sounds. As we repeat the two parts, we say them closer and closer together until they blend into “want.”
- Break words down, then modify them.. For instance, if my patient can’t imitate “same” but can say “eight”, here is what I do.
- Ask them to repeat after me: “eight”. Good, now let’s leave off the “t” and just say “[ei]”.
- Great, now repeat after me: “[ei]…. pause… [m]”. Then we repeat the sounds closer and closer together they blend into “aim”.
- Now repeat after me: “[s]… pause… “aim”. Then we repeat closer and closer together until they blend into “same.”
Words based on “one.”
- Want.
- Once (or wants).
- Wad.
- Wow.
- Wall.
- Was.
- Wash.
- Watch.
- Walk.
Now, can you add a sound in front?
- Hun (short for honey).
- Bun.
- Pun.
- Dun.
- Ton.
- None.
- Sun.
- Stun.
- Shun.
- Run.
If you can say “two,” can you say:
- Tube.
- Toot.
- Tune.
- Tooth.
- Tutu.
- Stew.
Now, can you change the first sound?
- Who.
- Boo.
- Poo.
- Moo
- Do.
- New (or knew).
- Lou.
- Roo.
- Chew.
- Shoe.
- You.
- Goo.
- Coo.
“Three” is a tough one.
- Thread.
- Threw (or through).
- Throw.
- Throat.
- Throne.
Let’s change the first sounds:
- Tree.
- Free.
- Pre-.
- He.
- We.
- Me.
- Be.
- Pea.
- Tea.
- Knee.
- Lee.
- Fee.
- See.
- She.
- Chi (qi, chee).
- Vee.
- TV.
What about “four”?
- Form.
- Ford.
- Fort.
- Forth.
- Force.
- Forge.
- Fork.
Now, can you change the first sound?
- Wore.
- More.
- Pour.
- Door.
- Tour.
- Thor.
- Lore.
- Roar.
- Sore
- Shore.
- Chore.
- Your.
- Core.
Next up is “five.”
- Fight.
- Fine.
- File.
- Fife.
- Fire.
Try changing the sounds a little more.
- Hive.
- Chive.
- Jive.
- Alive.
- Wife.
- Knife.
- Rife.
And a little more.
- Hi.
- Why.
- Bye.
- Pie.
- Tie.
- Dye.
- Nigh.
- Sigh.
- Shy.
- Thigh.
- Lie.
- Rye.
- Guy.
“Six” follows.
- Sick.
- Silk.
- Sink.
- Sip.
- Sit.
- Sid.
- Sill.
- Sir.
Now let’s change the first sound.
- Wicks.
- Mix.
- Picks.
- Ticks.
- Nix.
- Licks.
- Fix.
- Vicks.
- Chicks.
- Kicks.
And then comes “seven.”
- Seventy.
- Seventeen.
- Sever.
- Several.
- Heaven
Changing the ending even more:
- Set.
- Said.
- Sent.
- Send.
- Says.
“Eight” is a great one.
- Aim.
- Ape.
- Abe.
- Aid.
- Ate.
- Ail.
- Ace.
- Age.
- Ache.
- Egg.
Try putting another sound in front.
- Wait.
- Mate.
- Bate.
- Pate.
- Fate.
- Date.
- Nate.
- Rate.
- Sate.
- Late.
- Kate.
- Gate.
Almost there with “nine.”
- Night.
- Knife.
- Nice.
- Nile.
Now, try a different beginning sound.
- Wine.
- Mine.
- Pine.
- Vine.
- Dine.
- Fine.
- Line.
- Sign.
- Shine.
- Rhine.
And we made it to “ten.”
- Tens.
- Tent.
- Tend.
- Tense.
- Ted.
- Tell.
- Tear.
- Tess.
- Test.
- Tech.
Now try to say these similar words.
- Hen.
- When.
- Went.
- Ben.
- Pen.
- Den.
- Dent.
- Send.
- Sent.
- Rent.
- Lend.
- Lent.
- Then.
- Jen.
- Chen.
Please share this post and handout
If you find this information useful, please share with your colleagues! Let me know if you would change or add anything.
Related Eat, Speak, & Think posts
- Tips for dynamic speech assessment.
- Articulation therapy for dysarthria: Part 1.
- Motor learning for articulation: Focus and feedback. (Part 2)
Free DIRECT download: Shaping words from numbers (patient handout). (Email subscribers get free access to all the resources in the Free Subscription Library.)
Featured image by Black ice from Pexels.
Lisa earned her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Maryland, College Park and her M.A. in Linguistics from the University of California, San Diego.
She participated in research studies with the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and the University of Maryland in the areas of aphasia, Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy, and fluency disorders.
Lisa has been working as a medical speech-language pathologist since 2008. She has a strong passion for evidence-based assessment and therapy, having earned five ASHA Awards for Professional Participation in Continuing Education.
She launched EatSpeakThink.com in June 2018 to help other clinicians be more successful working in home health, as well as to provide strategies and resources to people living with problems eating, speaking, or thinking.
Be First to Comment