This advice-column-style blog for SLPs was authored by Pam Marshalla from 2006 to 2015, the archives of which can be explored here. Use the extensive keywords list found in the right-hand column (on mobile: at the bottom of the page) to browse specific topics, or use the search feature to locate specific words or phrases throughout the entire blog.
Substituting N for L
By Pam Marshalla
Q: My 5-year-old client substitutes N for L. I cannot seem to help him make the sound oral and not nasal.
These are the types of things I would try…
Use a Vowel
- Have her open her mouth wide and say “Ah.”
- Then have her prolong “Ah” for 5 seconds or more.
- Then have her continue to say “Ah” while she lifts and lowers her tongue-tip up to the alveolar ridge about 5 times.
- Tell her, “Don’t try to say L. Just lift up the tip of your tongue, and then lower it again five times.”
- It will sound like this: “Ahhhh-L-Ahhhhh-L-Ahhhhh…..
Use a Tube
- Take a tube that can stretch from her nose to her ear.
- Have her listen to the lack of sound coming through her nose when she says “Ah.”
- Then have her say “M” and have her listen to the nasal sound.
- Then teach her that she is letting L come out her nose.
- Have her hold the tube from nose-to-ear to hear this as she tries to say L.
Pinch the Nose Closed
- Have her hold her nose to inhibit the air from coming through.
- As she drives the sound to the nasal passageways, it will be blocked at the pinched nostrils.
- She will notice the pressure build-up that occurs in the nasal cavities.
- Tell her not to do that.
Use a See-Scape
- Place the nasal bulb of the See-Scape into one nostril.
- Have the client say N. The movable piece will go up.
- Have her say a sound that she says with good oral airflow, like S, and have her observe that the piece does not move. Repeat this with several other oral sounds.
- Now have her try the same with L.
Use Tissue Paper and a Tube
- Hold a tube at the nose, and have it stretch to several tiny pieces of tissue paper on the table.
- Have her sniff out the nose to make the tissues fly.
- Have her produce M and N to observe how the tissues fly.
- Now repeat with non-nasal sounds, like S, T, and K. She will notice that the tissues do not fly
- Transfer the same activity to the glides––W, L, Y, R.
Use the Fingers to Feel Vibration
- Have the client place her fingertips on the sides of the nose.
- Teach her how to feel the nasal vibration that occurs with M, N, and Ng.
- Have her feel the lack of nasal vibration that occurs with oral sounds.
- Extend the experience to all the glides––W, L, Y, R.
- Focus on L.
I see a high school student who substitutes n/l. We discovered through trial and error that he needed to produce his /l/ farther back in his mouth….so the tongue touches the middle of the hard palate instead of the alveolar ridge or front teeth area.
My kid does that too, but it looks unnatural and effortful. Would it naturally become more natural with practice?
Diana- Your idea reminds me of a technique I read about in an artic text from the 1980’s. Great idea.
I have been a speech path since 1970…this year I have a N/L substitution….I have never had this before. I am doing ear training now so that the student can discriminate these sounds vividly. She is only 6 years old. The other unusual substition I came across in 1975 was a young high school student who substituted Th /F e.g. Thor thunny thens/ Four funny friends…It is ususally the other way around F/Th e.g. I am firsty / I am thirsty. When I get to the production stage I will try using the approach you mentioned producing the L farther back in mouth in mid hard palate instead of alveolar ridge….Thanks