Does your child have trouble with the F and V sounds? F and V are fairly easy sounds to teach because they are produced in the front of the mouth, making it easy for the child to look at and imitate them. Children who have trouble with these sounds often substitute P for F and B for V, although other mistakes can be made as well. The F and V sounds should be mastered by age four.
F and V are produced by touching the upper teeth with the lower lip. F is produced by passing the breath between the teeth and the lip. V is produced in the same way with the “on” voice.
Teaching Tips:
1. F and V are easy sounds to teach because the location is so easy to see. Instruct the child to “bite his lip and blow” to produce F. After the F is produced, instruct him to “turn on his voice” to produce the V. The use of a mirror may be helpful.
2. Work on auditory discrimination between the error sound and F or V. (“Is this a pig or a fig?”)
3. If the V is not vocalized, so it sounds like an F, have the child feel the vibrations in the neck as you say the sound. Produces V before or after a vowel (“Va, Vee, uh-V”).
Once your child can imitate the F and V sounds, have him practice words that contain these sounds. With lots of practice you should see improvements in no time! If your child continues to have problems with articulation, especially if she has many errors, it is recommended that she be evaluated by a speech-language pathologist.