Summary
Highlights
The soft 'ть' sound is produced by placing the wide tongue tip against the upper incisors, then smoothly retracting it to the alveolar ridges behind them. The mouth is slightly closed, corners of the lips are raised, and a cool, slightly weaker air stream is expelled compared to the 'т' sound. The throat remains silent. To elicit the sound, slightly open the mouth with a small gap between the teeth, smile, and on exhale, lightly push the tongue against the teeth, then smoothly brush the alveolar ridges. This action is similar to a small toy hammer tapping. Check for a cool, strong air current on the palm, ensuring no air escapes from the sides of the tongue, which would indicate tension.
Practice pronouncing syllables such as 'тя', 'ц', 'цю', 'ти', 'ать', 'оть', 'уть', 'ить', 'стя', 'стё', 'стю', 'сти'. Then move on to simple words like 'тесьма' (braid), 'тюльпан' (tulip), 'тигр' (tiger), 'петь' (to sing), 'дуть' (to blow), 'купить' (to buy), 'Катя' (Katya - a name), 'дети' (children), and 'платье' (dress).
Soft 'ть' and 'дь' sounds are often distorted or absent in children with weak tongue tips or a short lingual frenulum. Mechanical articulation techniques differ from hard sounds by varying the pressure and direction of movement on the tongue. Tools like rounded, narrow-tipped probes (ball, hatchet, comb, spatula) or even an ice cream stick or cotton swab can be used. The child inhales, slightly opens their mouth (teeth 2-3mm apart), and smiles. The speech therapist guides the tongue to the upper incisors, then smooths it to the alveolar ridges during exhalation, releasing the tongue afterward. This 'push-back-release' motion is repeated.
For a shortened frenulum, additional fixation of the tongue tip at the top with a cotton swab is necessary. For a weakened tongue tip, probes with a small, round tip are preferred to support and guide the tongue. To control the air stream, the child places fingers at the corners of their mouth; the air should pass between the index finger and thumb and descend towards the chin and neck. Avoid articulating 'ть' and 'дь' on the lower incisors, as this results in unclear pronunciation.
The 'дь' sound is produced similarly to 'ть' but with vocalization. The child opens their mouth slightly, smiles, and sustains the 'и' sound. Then, they raise the tongue behind the upper incisors, moving it slightly back to the alveolar ridges, and smoothly release it without stopping the vocalization. Focus on a tense tongue tip and a smooth, light detachment from the alveolar ridges, not the teeth. Control vocal cord and airflow by placing one hand on the larynx and the other's index finger and thumb at the corners of the lips.
Two alternative methods exist for articulating 'ть' and 'дь' on the alveolar ridges, though the resulting sounds may not be perfectly normative. These methods are useful for severe tongue tip muscle tone issues, bite problems, or during tooth replacement. The first method involves the tongue smoothly gliding from the teeth to the alveolar ridges, then gently dropping, resembling a softened 'ц' sound. The second method involves placing the tongue directly on the alveolar ridges and detaching it sharply, similar to 'т' and 'д', resulting in a sound with a slight 'ч' overtone. The 'дь' sound is compared to a small woodpecker tapping on wood.
Practice pronouncing syllables like 'дзя', 'дзё', 'дю', 'дзь', 'дя', 'дё', 'зде', 'зди'. Then, practice simple words such as 'день' (day), 'девять' (nine), 'диск' (disk), 'дядя' (uncle), 'индюк' (turkey), 'льдина' (ice floe), 'уйди' (go away), and 'люди' (people).