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.
E for Final “Er”
By Pam Marshalla
Q: My four-year-old client substitutes E for final Er, as in teachee/teacher. Have you seen this before? Should I be extra worried about it?
To me this is just another minor problem with R. Nothing special just not very common — kids screw up R in more ways than are imaginable!
The kids I have seen like this correct their errors easily. Most of their families thought the error was very cute and were sad to see it go!
Honestly, I think it goes into the “smart error” category, because the child is finding a “back” tongue position that is needed for /i/ and /r/. I like that error, because the child has a third of the ingredients for a textbook /r/.
Amy- I have not come across this term before– “Smart error”. I like it. Where did it come from?