how to make a sh sound speech therapy

How to Teach the SH Sound

Teaching the “SH” sound may seem a little daunting at first, but I think you will find that with these tips and suggestions it isn’t so bad. In fact, our little ones that struggle with the SH sound in words may have no difficulty at all saying the sound in isolation (all by itself). The fastest way to test for the accuracy of this sound in isolation is to have your child hold their finger to their lips to say “shhhh”. If your child can say the SH sound then your ready to practice the SH sound in syllables. If your child struggles with producing the SH sound clearly don’t worry, we can teach them.

Sound Elicitation

There are a few different ways of teaching the SH sound. You may want to begin with phonetic placement , which is when you teach the child how to position his/her tongue, jaw, lips and teeth for a good production of the target sound. Or, you may try shaping the sound from another sound. Shaping is when you use a sound the child can already say accurately to teach a sound they are not able to say.

Phonetic placement

A few simple steps to teach the child where to place his/her tongue, jaw, lips and teeth for a good SH sound include:

• Have your child part his/her lips slightly
• Then touch your child’s tongue with a tongue depressor or his/her toothbrush just behind the tip of the tongue. Have him/her place the part of the tongue just touched on the roof of the mouth just behind the “bumpy part.”
• Next, have the child lower his/her tongue just a little. You may need to use a tongue depressor or popsicle stick to help your child lower it slightly.
• Finally, have your child hold this position, pucker his lips and breathe out through his mouth.

Provided your child has the oral motor capabilities and cognitive ability to follow these instructions this should produce a nice SH sound.

If your child can produce a good /s/ sound or a good “ee” sound we can shape/teach the SH sound starting from one of these sounds.

SH from /s/

• Have your child say /s/ (ssssssssss).
• While you child is saying the /s/ sound have them pucker their lips slightly and move their tongue back slowly until you hear a good SH sound.

SH from “ee”

• Have your child say “ee.” Then have them say “ee” in a whisper with no voice.
• While whispering the “ee” sound have your child move their lips into a pucker position. This should result in a SH sound.

Moving the SH Sound into Words, Syllables, Sentences and Conversation

Now that your child can say the SH sound follow the steps from the post on the Process of Articulation for moving that sound from isolation (saying the sound all by itself), to syllables, to words, to sentences and finally conversation.

Go to my worksheets page to download pictures of SH words in the initial, medial and final positions. Practicing these word cards will help your child solidify the SH sound at the word level.

You may also download an SH rotating sentence in the initial, medial and final positions. A rotating sentence is when the sentence stays the same, except for one word that changes. For example, the sentence may be, “Shave the _______ with shears.” The idea is that you can rotate all the word cards you have been practicing at the word level through one sentence. It would look like this, “Shave the shower with shears.” Or, “Shave the sheep with shears.” In this example you can see that sometimes the sentence will make sense and sometimes it will not. The important thing is that the child is able to memorize the sentence, which allows for independent production of the target sound at the sentence level regardless of the child’s age or reading ability. The other benefit to practicing the sound using a rotating sentence is that you can target language at the same time. The child may say, “You can’t shave a shower!” Or, “That’s silly.” At this point you may just agree or open it up for discussion. “Why can’t you shave a shower?”

Finally, you may also download simple SH stories targeting the initial, medial and final sound positions. Each story has pictures that allow children of all reading abilities to practice and retell the story independently. Older children also benefit from specifically targeting the SH sound while reading a book of their choice aloud. This gives the child lots of practice in a concentrated setting.

After your child can produce the SH sound with about 80% accuracy at the word level, sentence level, and at the story level, you are ready to move it into conversation. By this time your child is well aware of how to produce the sound accurately and has the ability to produce it in conversation. The difficulty that may remain is adapting a habitual pattern. Patiently make your child aware when errors are made in conversation. He or she will be able to fix them and move on.

Please keep in mind that these are basic techniques (as is the case for most of the articles on Mommy Speech Therapy) to get you started in the right direction in helping your child with the SH sound. If you feel your child has other issues which may be affecting his/her speech, please contact a Speech Language Pathologist in your area that will be able to work with you to be sure your child receives the best treatment and/or therapy possible.

As always, I hope this post will be helpful in supporting your children to speak more clearly and help build their the confidence in their language and communication.

Remember to be patient and to have fun while practicing these tips with your little ones. Best of Luck!

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Parent's Academy › Speech Disorders › Speech Sound Disorders › Articulation Therapy: The “SH” Sound

Articulation Therapy: The “SH” Sound

Stacie bennett.

Speech-Language Pathologist , Trenton , New Jersey

Jan 15, 2022 Teaching the /sh/ sound can be a little frightening at first. Typically, children who have difficulty producing the /sh/ sound in words, usually don’t have any issues with it being said in isolation.

The physical production of /sh/ sound articulation can lead to kids making speech errors. The easiest way to test if your child can produce /sh/ is by asking them to hold their finger to their mouth and say “SHHHHHHH,” as if they are trying to keep a secret. 

If your child can say the SH sound then you’re ready to practice the SH sound in syllables. If your child struggles with producing the SH sound clearly don’t worry, we speech therapists can teach them.

Sound Elicitation

There are a few different ways of teaching the SH sound. You may want to begin with phonetic placement , which is when you teach the child how to position his/her tongue, jaw, lips and teeth for a good production of the target sound. “Or, you may try shaping the sound from another sound. Shaping is when you use a sound the child can already say accurately to teach a sound they are not able to say” (mommy speech therapy).

Phonetic placement

A few simple steps to teach the child where to place his/her tongue, jaw, lips and teeth for a good SH sound include:

• Have your child part his/her lips slightly
• Then touch your child’s tongue with a tongue depressor or his/her toothbrush just behind the tip of the tongue. Have him/her place the part of the tongue just touched on the roof of the mouth just behind the “bumpy part.”
• Next, have the child lower his/her tongue just a little. You may need to use a tongue depressor or popsicle stick to help your child lower it slightly.
• Finally, have your child hold this position, pucker his lips and breathe out through his mouth.

Provided your child has the oral motor capabilities and cognitive ability to follow these instructions this should produce a nice SH sound. If not, we may need to use other strategies and techniques to get the SH sound created. 

Show Visual and Audio Cues with the Help of Speech Blubs 

Speech Blubs App  has multiple activities that you can use to target specific speech sounds. The games are fun and highly engagable so your child won’t even realize that they are working on speech sounds!

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Improve language & communication skills with fun learning!

To practice making the SH consonant here is the list of sections and words in them that you can practice with your child:

• Wild Animals & Petting ZOO: Fish.
• When I grow up: Chef.
• Ride your Wheels: Ship.

How to Play Articulation Bingo?

• Use the button below to download our Articulation Bingo Board
• Print out the board and give it to your child or cut out the pictures and put them into a bag
• Let your child pick a word from the board/bag 
• Find the word in Speech Blubs App and practice it, play with fun filters, and watch educational videos
• Your child is a winner when he practices three pictures in a row (across, down, or horizontally) or the entire board

Moving the SH Sound into Words, Syllables, Sentences, and Conversation

Now that your child can say the SH sound, follow the steps on our articulation process blog for moving that sound from isolation (saying the sound all by itself), to syllables, to words, to sentences and finally conversation.

You want to make sure you are working on the sound in the beginning, middle, and final position of words. Just because they have mastered the sound in one position, doesn’t mean it will be accurate in every placement of words! Articulation errors are likely, but just turn them into a learning moment.

Ask if they can hear the difference between a correctly articulated sound and an incorrect one. Then, ask them to try the correct way in all word positions. You want to make sure that hearing loss isn’t an issue.

You can also work on a sound when it’s in a rotating sentence . A rotating sentence is when the sentence stays the same, except for one word that changes.

For example, the sentence may be, “Shave the _______ with shears.” The idea is that you can rotate all the word cards you have been practicing at the word level through one sentence. It would look like this, “Shave the shower with shears.” Or, “Shave the sheep with shears.”

In this example, you can see that sometimes the sentence will make sense, and sometimes it won’t. 

The important thing is that the child is able to memorize the sentence, which allows for the independent production of the target sound at the sentence level regardless of the child’s age or reading ability.

The other benefit of practicing the sound using a rotating sentence is that you can target language at the same time. The child may say, “You can’t shave a shower!” Or, “That’s silly.” At this point, you may just agree or open it up for discussion. “Why can’t you shave a shower?”

Finally, you may also download simple SH stories targeting the sound in all positions of words. Each story has pictures that allow children of all reading abilities to practice and retell the story independently.

Older children also benefit from specifically targeting the SH sound while reading a book of their choice aloud. This gives the child lots of practice in a concentrated setting. Your child can master /sh/ sound articulation exercises with just a little help!

If your child has difficulties with other sounds, here are the articles that can help you with speech therapy and articulation activities ideas:

Articulation Therapy: An All-in-One Guide for Parents

• B Sound Articulation Therapy
• H Sound Articulation Therapy
• JJ and CH Sounds Articulation Therapy
• L Sound Articulation Therapy
• Lisp Articulation Therapy
• M Sound Articulation Therapy
• N Sound Articulation Therapy
• NG Sound Articulation Therapy
• R Sound Articulation Therapy
• S Sound Articulation Therapy
• T and D Sounds Articulation Therapy
• W Sound Articulation Therapy

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How to Produce SH Sound Speech Therapy

Speech Therapy

The SH sound can be one of the trickier sounds to produce –and teach to a student, client, or patient. But with some patience and practice, your student can get their tongue in position in no time!

Most Common Sound Substitution

First of all, the most common sound substitution for SH is the S sound. In the video above I walk you through the process by which you can shape the SH from the S sound. Why S? Because it is the sound most students produce instead of the SH, but there’s more. They are both fricative sounds that differ by the placement of the tongue. The S sound is considered to be an alveolar sound, while the SH sound is a palatal.

How to Produce the SH Sound

To make the SH sound, start by putting the tip of your tongue up. Start with the tongue behind the alveolar ridge, but move your tongue tip further back. Then, make a steady stream of air while pulling your tongue back towards your throat. Keep the tongue still while the air passes through.

Then round your lips. That’s one of the big differences between the S sound and the SH sound. The SH sound has rounded lips while for S your lips are retracted. That’s why one of the cues for the SH sound is actually shushing someone with your finger vertically in front of your pursed lipsl.

The SH sound is a fricative, which means you create a steady stream of air that comes over your tongue. Be sure that the air is channeled in the middle of the tongue and comes out the middle of the mouth by the front teeth. What we don’t want to do is teach students a “slushy” SH sound with air coming out the sides of the mouth.

Watch the Video for Specifics

I know this video will help you learn the best way to teach the SH sound. Once you have it, drill it over and over again. Repetition is how we learn. Then move from the sound to the syllable level, then to the word level. From there go on to the phrase level, then to the sentence level, and then he self-formulated sentence level. Lastly you get to the conversation level and therapy is complete on the targeted sound.

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11 Ways How to Teach the SH Sound in Speech Therapy

As children develop their speech and language skills, it’s normal for them to struggle in producing some sounds or combinations of letter sounds – the /sh/ sound is among those sounds. A lot of children between 3-7 years old are able to articulate the /sh/ sound correctly in isolation but find it difficult if the sound is already within a word. Thankfully, there are many great ways to help a child learn to make the /sh/ sound the right way. Keep reading to learn 11 ways how to teach the SH sound.

Common Errors Trying to Pronounce the SH Sound

When children are learning the correct way to pronounce the /sh/ sound within words, they are prone to make several errors:

Substitution Errors

Instead of saying /sh/, children may substitute it with other sounds such as the /s/ and /ch/ sound. So, instead of saying “sheep”, it becomes “seep”. Instead of saying “shoe”, it becomes “choe.”

Deletion Errors

A child is also prone to omitting the /sh/ sound altogether. Instead of saying “she”, they might say “ee.”

Distortion Errors

In this type of error, a child may produce a sound that is similar to /sh/ but isn’t accurate. Instead of the child saying the word “shoe”, they will say “syoe.”

Addition Errors

This error makes a child produce an extra sound to a word that contains the /sh/ sound. Using the word “shoe” as an example again, instead of the child pronouncing the word correctly, they might pronounce it as “sh-uhoe”.

If you notice a child struggling with the pronunciation of the /sh/ sound, it’s advisable to begin offering assistance sooner rather than later especially if they are beyond 7 years old. To facilitate this process for both therapists and parents, we’ve provided a helpful guide on effectively teaching the “sh” sound in Speech Therapy .

When to know if the child is ready to practice /sh/ sound

Knowing the appropriate time for a child to start working on the /sh/ sound is influenced by various factors. Children typically acquire mastery of these sounds as they mature, although the timing of readiness can differ from one child to another. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help assess whether a child is prepared to practice the /sh/ sound:

Is the child in the right age to practice the sound?

Children typically start mastering the /sh/ sound between the ages of 3 and 4, some may acquire it earlier than others (between ages 1-2 years old). If a child reaches the age of 7 and is still struggling to correctly articulate the sound, then it’s appropriate to consult a speech therapist soon.

Can the child pronounce other sounds that are related to the one being practiced?

Assessing a child’s ability to pronounce related sounds is a key factor in determining their readiness for targeted speech therapy. If the child keeps on making sound errors when trying to say words with the /sh/ sound in it, it’s a great indication that the child is ready to practice the correct form of the sound.

Is the child motivated and interested in practicing?

Discovering a child’s motivation and interest in speech therapy is crucial for effective and engaging sessions. If the child cooperates and shows signs of excitement every practice session, its a strong indication that the child is prepared to work on perfecting the sound.

Have you checked if the child has the physical capability of producing the sound?

Examining if the child can physically make the sound is an essential part of speech therapy. Articulation can be affected by several factors including but not limited to hearing loss. If you noticed that a child struggles to produce the sound being practiced despite all other readiness factors being addressed, it’s best to consult a pediatrician before moving forward with the speech therapy.

Children develop at their own pace. What works for one may not work for another. Being patient and understanding is crucial when it comes to speech development. If any concerns arise a child’s speech development, it’s best to seek advice from a speech-language pathologist for tailored support.

11 Ways How to Teach /sh/ Sound to Children

The /sh/ sound is produced by bringing the teeth together and forming a slight pucker with the lips, similar to giving a kiss. The middle of the tongue lightly touches the corners of the upper teeth without contacting the roof of the mouth. The front of the tongue dips down slightly but doesn’t touch anything else in the mouth. Importantly, the /sh/ sound is unvoiced, meaning it relies solely on the passage of air through the mouth and doesn’t involve vocal cord vibration to create sound.

For speech therapists and parents alike, this instruction could serve as a guide in deploying verbal, visual, and tactile cues. For children, here are some fun exercises that could help employ these cues:

Verbal Cues

Teaching a child individual sounds is a key part of language development. Start by slowly and clearly articulating the sound on its own, like “/sh/, /sh/, /sh/,” so the child clearly grasps what you’re concentrating on. This method provides them with a clear model to mimic.

Encourage your child to replicate the sound. If they find it challenging, guide them to begin with the elongated /e/ sound and gradually morph it into the /sh/ sound. You can do this by instructing them to whisper the long /e/ sound and then gently bring the edges of their mouth together as if blowing a kiss, and then lifting the tongue up slightly which should naturally lead to the /sh/ sound. Once your child is able to produce the /sh/ sound independently, you can progress to practicing with syllables, then simple words, and finally, complete sentences.

Below are some activities that can be used to practice verbal cues:

1. Collect and Play with ‘Shushing with Shells’

This activity encourages children to collect shells and associate each with the ‘shushing’ sound. As they pick up a shell, they say ‘shush,’ reinforcing the /sh/ sound in a playful and interactive way. The tactile sensation of the shells combined with the verbal cue helps in better sound recognition and articulation.

2. Create a ‘Shopping List’

In this activity, children make a shopping list with items that start with the /sh/ sound. They then read the list aloud, practicing the sound verbally. This not only aids in articulation but also in recognizing the sound in different words and contexts. Words like “shoes,” “shampoo,” “sugar,” and “shaving cream,” are some of the most common shopping items that can be used to incorporated in practice sessions.

3. Recite Tongue Twisters

Tongue twisters that focus on the /sh/ sound are an excellent way to practice verbal cues. They challenge the child to concentrate on articulating the sound clearly in a fun and engaging manner. The repetition and the rhythm of tongue twisters make them an effective tool for speech practice. Some traditional tongue twisters that can be used for this activity include “She sells seashells by the seashore.”  and “Shelly’s shell shop showcases shiny shells from the shore.”

Visual Cues

Children often recognize the /sh/ sound as a common cue for silence, commonly seen when someone places a finger on their lips and puckers them. This universal gesture for quietness can be a helpful tool in teaching your child to make the sound.

Demonstrate this by putting your finger to your lips and making the “shhh” sound yourself. Encourage the child to mimic this action and sound back at you. This familiar and playful interaction can make them more at ease with producing the sound, paving the way for its use in forming syllables and eventually in words.

Below are some activities that can be used to practice visual cues:

4. Practice with Mirror Exercises

Have the child stand in front of a mirror and practice making the /sh/ sound. Encourage them to watch their mouth movements. This visual feedback helps them understand how to position their lips and tongue. You can stand beside them and demonstrate the sound, allowing them to mimic and compare their own articulation with yours.

5. Utilize Articulation Cards

Use cards that have pictures of words containing the /sh/ sound. Show the card to the child and ask them to say the word while focusing on the /sh/ sound. The visual cue of the picture helps reinforce the word and sound association. You can also use these cards for games like memory or matching, where they have to find and say words with the /sh/ sound.

6. Solve Word Puzzles

Create or use existing puzzles that focus on words with the /sh/ sound. As the child puts the puzzle together, they can say the words out loud. This activity helps in visually and physically connecting the pieces while associating them with the correct pronunciation.

7. Engage in Story Telling

Use storybooks that have a lot of words with the /sh/ sound. As you read the story, emphasize and articulate the /sh/ sound clearly. You can ask the child to point to words with the /sh/ sound or show pictures in the book every time they hear the sound. This visual association with the sound in context helps in understanding and imitation.

8. Explore Speech Apps

There are many speech therapy apps designed to help with articulation. Choose apps that provide visual cues such as animations or highlighted text for the /sh/ sound. These apps often turn practice into a fun game, keeping the child engaged while they see and repeat the sound.

Tactile Cues

The correct pronunciation of the /sh/ sound involves a gentle flow of air through the lips. To make this tangible for a child, let them place their hand near your mouth as you articulate the /sh/ sound. They will feel a stream of air on their hand.

Next, encourage them to do the same—placing their hand in front of their mouth while they attempt the sound. Ask if they can feel the air on their hand. This sensation serves as a practical indicator for them to understand whether they are producing the sound correctly. This simple yet effective technique helps in reinforcing the proper articulation of the /sh/ sound.

Below are some activities that can be used to practice tactile cues:

9. Pretend Library

Set up a pretend library where speaking loudly is not allowed. Use whispering voices, emphasizing the sound to maintain ‘silence’ in the library. Provide books for the child to ‘check out’ from the librarian, using the /sh/ sound in words like “Shhh, quiet please.”

10. “Chef and Sous-Chef” Cooking Game

Engage in pretend cooking where the kitchen is a ‘quiet zone.’ Use the sound to remind each other to be quiet, like “Shhh, the cake is sleeping in the oven.” The child can mix and stir pretend ingredients, linking the tactile activity with the sound practice.

11. Whispering Walk

Go on a walk, indoor or outdoor, and point out items that start with or contain the sound. Encourage whispering and the use of gentle /sh/ sounds as you discuss each item.

Conclusion on how to teach /sh/ sound in Speech Therapy

Thank you for reading this resource on how to teach the /sh/ sound in speech therapy. Teaching the /sh/ sound in speech therapy is most effective when using a variety of methods that appeal to different ways of learning. By combining visual activities like mirror exercises, listening exercises with articulation cards, and hands-on activities like the “Chef and Sous-Chef” game, children can learn and practice the sound in a way that’s both fun and engaging.

Repeating the /sh/ sound in different situations, through games, puzzles, stories, and speech apps, helps children understand and correctly say the sound. This approach not only helps with this specific sound but also improves their overall speech and language skills, making learning enjoyable and successful.

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Fun & Engaging SH Sound Speech Therapy Activities

Feb 17, 2024

I recently had a third grade group in which all of my students were working on the /sh/ sound. At first, I was relieved to plan a session all around one sound. When I looked closer, I realized my students were all at different “stages” in working on the sh sound. It was one of their first sessions working on the sh sound, another was working on it in the middle of words and the third was working on it in sentences. This is our job as SLPs, but it made me really brainstorm some ideas so that all of my students felt successful, challenged and most importantly, motivated. Here is my list of SH sound speech therapy activities from elicitation to conversation. 

This blog post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience. I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

SH Sound Speech Therapy Resources for Elicitation

First off, we need to elicit the SH sound all by itself. Here are some helpful resources for teaching the sh sound in speech therapy. 

• Visit Mommy Speech Therapy where you can find tips for elicitation and picture words for the /sh/ sound. 
• Watch this SH video from Peachie Speechie with your students. Hint: This can be helpful to share with teachers and caregivers to help promote carryover!
• The Marshall Guide has lots of tips for producing various sounds, including the SH sound!
• If you need visuals, word lists, and tips for eliciting the /sh/ sound, check out this Speech Sound Handbook from Peachie Speechie
• When working with students who have lateral lisps, peachie speechie has a helpful video as well as this lateral lisp blog post from Amy Graham.

SH Syllable and Word Speech Therapy Activities

Once I’ve elicited the sound in isolation, I’ll start working on the /sh/ sound in syllables and words. As all SLPs know, we continuously have to push our students to the next level so they’re making progress all while feeling successful and challenged. (Quite the balancing act)

• Try using my FREE articulation syllable practice sheet for sh syllable practice. Use dry-erase markers or post-it notes to practice SH at the syllable level.
• Try these SH word activities speech therapy digital folders to customize quick drill activities for your in-person and teletherapy sessions. These digital folders keep everything in one place between links to websites, YouTube videos, Google Slides, progress monitoring tools, and PDFs.
• If you’re using a minimal pairs approach for the SH sound, there are also stopping and cluster reduction digital folders.
• Check out these SH, CH, J Words activities flipbook and don’t forget to check out the NO print version .

Word Lists and Word Level Activities

• Use these SH word lists from Speech and Language at Home or another word list for SH from Home Speech Home.
• Incorporate Articulation station activities into your sessions along with SH with pipe cleaners .
• Play I Spy games, drill based activities, sensory bins and more with my SH speech word picture cards .
• For kids who need movement or games that are sound-loaded, Home Speech Home has some fun suggestions. 
• Make an I Spy sensory bin with SH mini trinkets . You can also pair mini trinkets with the free SH sound mat printables.
• Pair your word lists with sound-loaded SH games to maximize your trials in a session.

Sound Loaded SH Phrases & Sentence Ideas

Now that your student has SH in words, get working on the sound in phrases and sentences!

• Make sound-loaded phrases with your students on paper that you can practice in the session and then take home for the weekly homework. For example, you can use the phrase “Let me show you the ____.” Then, students think of different words. They don’t have to have an /sh/ because the word your student will be working on is “show.” When using mixed groups, give them a category group to name items. Here are some more examples for sound loaded phrases:
• “She has a ___.”
• “I want to share the ___.”
• “We need to wash the ___.”
• “Add ___ to the shopping list.”

Sentence Level Articulation Ideas for the SH Sound

• If you do a theme-based approach, you can do this activity but use the theme’s vocabulary. See this IG for more details . 
• Compare and contrast similar nouns that contain the sh sound. For example, goldfish and shark,  or shovel and brush would be great SH words to compare. If you need pre-selected compare-and-contrast flashcards, check out the SH, CH, J articulation carryover set . 
• Play a sentence articulation challenge game that keeps the student motivated to practice high trials in a short amount of time. 
• Have your students create tongue twisters with your word lists that they can practice. You can even have them illustrate  tongue twister to make a fun speech sound book. For example, you could use “Shelly shared shells at the shore” or “She shouldn’t wash dishes with a shovel.” ChatGPT would be a great way to get more SH tongue twisters quickly!
• You can make alliteration SH poems and then students can draw their poem.
• Play guessing games for secret words that only have the SH sound. Add in carrier phrases for people to use, like “You surely won’t guess this word! It is especially tricky,” or “You sure are correct,” or “You should guess again.”

Speech Therapy Crafts for the SH Sound

During your students’ journey up the ladder, it’s always fun to incorporate crafts so your students can decorate a bulletin board in your room or bring home a piece of work to share with their caregivers. Here are some craft ideas:

• Make speech sound wallets that they can store in their speech folders or use to practice at home. 
• I love doing crafts with my students but I prefer something that’s quick and easy to prep. The paper plate challenge craft is just this for a SH sound speech therapy craft.
• Make some milkshake craft or a shape craft to use for practicing the SH sound.
• Have students decorate their own shirt, shorts, or shoes! Sketch the shape of their clothing item on paper, cut it out, and have them decorate. They can decorate with /sh/ words or more craft materials (stickers, bingo daubers, crayons, etc). 

Articulation Games with the SH Sound

Most of our speech students are always asking to play a game when they come to speech. There are plenty of options for /sh/ sound games.

• There are so many games with natural opportunities for SH sound to help keep kids motivated. 
• Check out Shark Bite , Let’s Go Fishing or Go Fish . 
• Play Pinball on Toy Theater and practice words like “Push,” “Shoot,” and “Shake.”
• On ABCYa , make a face and practice words or phrases like “She has…,” “Should I give the face…”

Count fish in ABCYa’s Counting Fish game or dash through a dungeon in ABCYa’s Dungeon Dash (there are also versions with numbers, shapes and colors!). 

Where to Find SH Sound Loaded Stories

If your student is a reader, incorporate SH sound-loaded reading passages into your therapy sessions. 

• Use this Free story from Ms. Lane’s SLP Materials . 
• Try some fictional SH stories in the articulation carryover resource.
• On Wonderopolis, learn about 
• How Shells are Formed
• Can You hear the Ocean in a Shell
• The Largest Shark
• If your student isn’t quite a reader, read these stories with them. Ask questions involving the SH sound. Ask them to share what details they remember or what facts they thought were the coolest!

SH Sound Conversation Activities

Once your student has shown consistent success for /sh/ in sentences (and reading or retell), time to focus on generalization of the sound in conversation. While having a conversation can seem like the most straightforward task, ensuring that your student uses /sh/ sounds in the speech therapy conversation activities can feel tricky. Here are some ideas:

• I linked this before, but make sure to check out my SH Sound conversation activities for some low-prep ideas. 
• Find more sound-loaded non-fiction articles to read aloud. Discuss them afterward with your students. How much can they retell you? (There are non-fiction passages in the SH carryover activities.)
• Make sound loaded questions, or would you rather games . 
• Make a game like “What should I do?” and make up silly scenarios that students have to explain what you “should” or “shouldn’t” do.
• Have students read the directions of a game, or read the cards while playing a game like Bubble Talk .
• Create a list of words that start with the SH sound (shopping, shark, dishes, washing, brush, flush) then have students make silly sentences or create a story trying to get the sound-loaded words in the story.

What Articulation Activities Do You Love to Plan for SH?

While we generally follow the same sequence of steps with sounds, it can be tricky to think of activities for each sound and each step. I hope these ideas help keep your students motivated and/or help you think of some more speech therapy SH sound activities. What else is in your SH sound toolkit? SHare with us on social media!

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How to Teach S Blend Sound: Articulation Activities, and Word Lists for Effective Speech Therapy

How to teach th blend sound: articulation activities, and word lists for effective speech therapy, how to teach sh blend sound: articulation activities, and word lists for effective speech therapy.

The “sh” blend sound is a consonant blend that combines the “sh” sound with another consonant sound, such as “sh” + “p” in “shop” or “sh” + “t” in “shirt.” In speech therapy, these sounds may be referred to as “sh clusters.”

To produce the “sh” sound, you can start by placing the tip of your tongue close to the roof of your mouth, just behind your upper front teeth. Then, purse your lips as if you were saying “oo.” While keeping your tongue in position and your lips pursed, exhale air through your mouth to produce the “sh” sound. For example, to produce the “shp” sound in “shop,” you would begin with the “sh” sound and then quickly transition to the “p” sound by closing your lips together and then releasing them to create the plosive sound.

Here are few tips you can follow to teach the “Sh blend” sound:

Demonstrate the sound: Start by demonstrating the “Sh blend” sound for your child. Make the sound and have your child watch your lips and mouth movements. Explain that the sound is made by bringing the tongue close to the roof of the mouth and forcing air through a small space between the teeth, while also rounding the lips slightly.

Visual Cue: Show the child how to place the tip of their tongue behind their upper front teeth and the middle/back part of their tongue towards the roof of the mouth, leaving a gap for air to pass through. You can use a visual cue such as a picture or flashcard of “Sh” to help your child remember the sound.

Understand the sound: Help your child understand that the “Sh blend” sound is a combination of the “S” and “H” sounds, made by bringing the tongue close to the roof of the mouth and forcing air through a small space between the teeth, while also rounding the lips slightly.

Practice Blowing: Help your child get used to the sensation of blowing out air with their mouth by having them practice blowing bubbles, blowing feathers across a table, or blowing out candles.

Practice Tongue Placement: Show your child how to position their tongue close to the roof of their mouth and force air through a small space between their teeth, while also rounding their lips slightly to make the “Sh blend” sound. You can make it more fun by having them imitate the sound of a train or a ship while using the “Sh blend” sound.

Practice in Isolation: Once your child has mastered the correct tongue, lip, and mouth position, have them practice making the “Sh blend” sound on its own without any other sounds.

Add Syllables: After your child has mastered the “Sh blend” sound in isolation, have them practice using it in different syllables, such as “sha,” “shi,” “sho,” and “shu.” You can make it more fun by having them say words like “shark,” “shoe,” and “sheep.”

Practice in Words: Once your child has mastered the “Sh blend” sound in syllables, have them practice using it in different words such as “shell,” “shop,” and “shower.”

Practice in Phrases: After your child has mastered the “Sh blend” sound in words, have them practice using it in phrases like “big shell,” “silly shop,” and “warm shower.”

Practice in Sentences: Finally, have your child practice using the “Sh blend” sound in different sentences such as “She sells seashells by the seashore,” “I like to shop for shoes,” and “The shower is refreshing.”

Practice Everywhere: Encourage your child to practice using the “Sh blend” sound in different contexts, such as during playtime, mealtime, or while reading books. You can also make it more fun by having them use the “Sh blend” sound in different accents or dialects.

Free SH interactive audio flashcards featuring words with the “SH” sound words can be a useful tool for improving pronunciation and vocabulary.

Tips and Tricks: The /SH/ Sound

How to Teach the SH Sound

Today I am here to offer some tips and tricks for teaching fricative sound: /SH/.  There are different errors that kids make for the /sh/ sound.  One is called “stopping”, where they use a “stop” sound like /t/ instead of /sh/ (example “I see a teep!” instead of sheep).  This is something you can work on with your child at home (and in therapy with a qualified speech provider).

There are several levels of teaching sounds: isolation (only the sound), at the word level (ex.”sheep”), in phrases (ex. “black sheep”), sentences (“I see a black sheep.”), and finally in conversation.  

This may take some time.  This is normal.  Try to be patient and don’t put too much pressure on your kiddo.  

Isolation Level : 

One of the fastest way to get that /sh/ sound is to use the “quiet sound”…when you tell someone else “shhhh”. Some kids can do the /sh/ sound right away when you do this…some cannot. If they can’t quite do it yet, don’t worry.  Keep trying.  

Tips and tricks: 1) First… show them and tell them how to put their lips out.  You might model it yourself.  Using a mirror (or the picture mode on your phone) may help too.  Another trick is to put an object or picture of an object that starts with “sh” by your mouth while you model the sound.  This helps to draw attention to your mouth. 2) Next, they need to keep their lips apart just a little bit so that air can come out.  Their tongue will also need to move back a tiny bit (you can gently use a popsicle stick or a toothbrush to help get their tongue into the right place).   Try to be as patient as possible and keep it fun..we don’t want our children to be stressed about the way they sound.   Just before the word level comes syllables.  This is where you add in a vowel.  Examples: sho, she, sha, shi, shu, ash, ish, eesh

Word Level : 

Once we’ve got isolation and syllables down, we can move to practicing in words. Some kids do better starting at the beginning of the word, some do better with the middle or end of the word.  You can determine this by trying some words.  I often start with kids where they  are  successful (this may sound backwards…but saying sounds wrong can get frustrating, so kids are excited when they get them right).  In speech therapy, we call this “stimulability” (if a child is “stimulable” for a sound….they are saying it right! yay!).  

Beginning Words  (initial position)

Initial SH: shark, shave, sugar, ship, shake, shop, shampoo, shower, shirt, short, shoes, shapes, shoosh, shed, shell, shine, sheet, shorts, shovel, sheep

Middle Words  (medial position)

Medial SH: wishbone, dishes, washing, brushing, bushes, trash can, flashlight, fashion, splashing, pushing, cashier, marshmallow, pushpin, seashells, fishing, washing machine, ocean, lotion

Ending Words  (final position)

Final SH : push, smash, squish, dish, fish, trash, bush, hush, wish, brush, flash, wash, lash, dash, cash, splash, squash, polish, swish, cash

Once you figure out which of these positions is easiest, practice those words.  You can model the sounds for your child, emphasizing the parts with /sh/  in them…cheering for them if they get it right, but not scolding them if they get it wrong. 

Once your child has mastered the word level (consistently getting 15-20 words correct at least 75% of the time), you can try some phrases/sentences.  

I like to use this visual set to cue which part of the word we are targeting.  

Phrase/Sentence Level : 

We can sometimes use the same sentence to practice lots of words: 

Example: I see a _____. (sheep, shirt, shoe, washcloth, fish)

Or you can make up sentences for each word.  

Again, make your /sh/ sounds louder (we call this exaggerated modeling…wa sh ), encourage your child, but don’t scold.  Also, don’t do this practice all day every day….just a few minutes here and there is fine.  We don’t want kids to become sensitive about their speech. 

Conversation Level : 

This can be used from the start in modeling of your own /sh/ sounds in your conversation (for a few minutes here and there).  Once a child has consistently mastered sentences (75% or more correct), you can start providing gentle reminders in conversation.  “Don’t forget your /SH/ sound”, “oops, I think you meant “ sh oe”…right?”  Don’t stress your child out….but remind them gently (some of the time).  

Stories: 

One of the best ways to model the /SH/  sound is by reading stories.  You can read stories to your child that have a lot of /sh/ sounds in them and exaggerate that sound for them while you read.  Here are some examples of books that have /sh/ in them frequently.  If your child is old enough to read, you can practice with them reading too!

Kiki Looks for Shawn by Elizabeth Hepler

Sheep in Jeep  by Nancy E Shaw and Margot Apple

Splash  by Anne Jonas

New Shoes Red Shoes  by Susan Rollings

Click on the image below to check out Adaptive Book Kiki Looks for Shawn  by Elizabeth Hepler.

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Speech Therapy For the SH Sound

The sh sound   shark, spaceship, trash, age of development:   50% of kids have "sh" mastered by age:, 90% of kids have "sh" mastered by age:.

The “B” is made when we bring our lips together to stop the airflow from leaving the mouth.  Before we open our lips to let the airflow out, we need to make sure to turn on the motor (vibrating our vocal folds).  The vibration of the vocal folds is mostly responsible us to produce a sound similar but noticeably different than “P”.

The “P” sound is called the cognate pair of “B”.  In short, this means that they are produced in a similar fashion, but differ by one of the sounds requiring the vocal folds to vibrate during production and one sound to have not have the vocal folds vibrating.

By placing the back of your tongue on the top of your mouth, the air produce from the lungs is stopped.  Once the tongue is lowered, the air forcefully shoots of the mouth to produce that crisp “k” or “c” sound.

Age of Development:   50% of kids have "Sh" mastered by age:

90% of kids have "sh" mastered by age:.

A fun and tasty way to teach this sounds is to press down the tip the tongue with a lollipop or sucker so that the back of the tongue elevates.  A video of this activity can be seen here:

ENTER SUCKER VIDEO

A common error that kid’s have when trying to produce the “c” or “k” sound is a  phonological process ( fancy word for a pattern of errors) called fronting.

Fronting is when sounds that are produced in the back of the mouth(“c”, “k”, “g”) are replaced with sounds that are produced in the front of the mouth(“t”, “d”)

Examples of fronting: A child says “otay” for “okay”, “tat” for “cat”, “pumptin” for “pumpkin”

Sh Articulation Videos

Some of our favorite Sh articulation videos from the best Speech-Pathologists on Youtube

Free Downloadable SH Articulation Materials

Initial sh flashcards.

Medial Sh Flashcards

Final Sh Flashcards

Sh Carrier Phrases

Sh Word Find

Sh Tic-Tac-Toe

Sh Coloring Sheet

Sh Initial, Medial, Final Cheat Sheet

Sh cartoon character flashcards.

Sh Speech Therapy Activities

Click to hear "sh" sounds.

Click all the "Sh" bubbles you see!

Drag and drop both pictures into the witches' pot to create a word, witches brew word creation only available on tablet / mobile devices, click the arrow to see what word you made.

Scratch Off to Show Answer

1 Syllable Flashcards

Mixed sh flashcards, name the photos, typically works best google chrome's browser.

Initial Sh Minimal Pairs

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Final sh minimal pairs.

They have a

Initial Sh Story

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Sh Speech Therapy Games

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SH Words for Speech Therapy (Word Lists and Activities)

If you’re a speech-language pathologist looking for a quick list of initial and final sh target words to practice during therapy, this article is a must-read! You’ll also find fun ideas for making speech therapy more fun with a variety of engaging games, resources, and articulation activities for teaching the sh sound. This blog post provides a list of sh words, including initial sh, medial sh, and final sh words. This articulation article also suggests a variety of strategies for teaching correct placement for the sh sound.

How To Say the SH Sound

The SH sound is a lingua-palatal sound. It is a fricative. It is also a voiceless sound, meaning the vocal folds do not vibrate during production. When we produce the sh sound, the lips are protruded. The correct production of sh involves the front of the tongue (the tongue tip and tongue blade) angling toward the lower front teeth. The sides of the tongue make contact with the upper molars. The tongue is raised, flattened, and has a wide groove, which is much wider than it is for the s sound. Air is directed through this wide opening.

References:

Peña-Brooks Adriana, and M. N. Hegde.  Articulation and Phonological Disorders: Assessment and Treatment Resource Manual , PRO-ED, Austin, TX, 2007.

Bauman-Wängler Jacqueline Ann. “Chapter 8: Therapy for Phonetic Errors.” Articulatory and Phonological Impairment: A Clinical Focus , Pearson, Harlow, Essex, 2014.

Common SH Sound Errors

Sometimes, students with articulation disorders or phonological disorders have difficulty producing the sh sound. A student with a lisp, such as a lateral lisp , may have difficulty with the production of the sh sound. Read about the different types of lisps , and make sure to check out these lateral SH tips for speech therapy .

Another error may involve the phonological process of stopping. A student might substitute “t” for “sh”. The result would be saying “two” for “shoe”. Stopping minimal pairs might be beneficial if this occurs. Read more about the different phonological processes .

Reference: Bauman-Wängler Jacqueline Ann. “Chapter 8: Therapy for Phonetic Errors.” Articulatory and Phonological Impairment: A Clinical Focus , Pearson, Harlow, Essex, 2014.

How To Teach the SH Sound in Speech Therapy

A speech language therapist might find it beneficial to try giving this sound a silly name. It could be something like “your quiet sound”. Raise a finger to your lips as an additional reminder.

A speech pathologist could try to shape SH from S. Have your student say the s sound, then pucker the lips (or make “fish lips”).

Try incorporating minimal pairs . For example, if a child says ‘t’ for ‘sh’ (“two” for “shoe”), try using stopping minimal pairs . If a child says the s sound as a substitution for the sh sound (“Sue” for “shoe”), try using fronting minimal pairs .

A mirror may be helpful to provide visual feedback.

And don’t miss these tips for lateral SH .

Author’s clinical experience

Peña-Brooks Adriana, and M. N. Hegde. “Chapter 8- Therapy for Phonetic Errors.” Articulation and Phonological Disorders: Assessment and Treatment Resource Manual , PRO-ED, Austin, TX, 2007, pp. 300–301. 

Speech Sound Word Lists for the SH Sound

The following word lists contain words with the initial sh sound, medial sh sound, and final sh sound. These SH articulation word lists allow the SLP to easily work on a target sound in speech therapy . Quickly pull these SH word lists up during your speech therapy session and pair them with the game or activity of your choice. Check out the best games for speech therapy here . These lists are helpful for a student with an articulation disorder. To practice at the sentence level, have students combine words and generate sentences.

Initial SH Word List for Speech Therapy

Here is a list of initial sh words (sh at the beginning of a word) to use in speech therapy:

Medial SH Words for Speech Therapy

Here is a list of medial sh words (SH in the middle of a word) to use in speech therapy:

Final SH Word Lists for Speech Therapy

Here is a list of sh occurring at the end of the word (sh at the ends of words, final position):

5 Best SH Words Speech Therapy Activities

Speech-language pathologists are often looking for fun ways to work on the sh sound in speech therapy! Here are the top articulation activities that include sh words.

• Speech Sound Mouth Articulation Cards

How about a nice change from traditional articulation drill cards? These speech sound mouth articulation cards are the answer! Your speech therapy students will be excited to see articulation cards in the shape of lips! The picture of the mouth is very helpful as a visual cue. Even better, these articulation cards can double as speech room decor . Prep them once and hang them in your speech room for everyday use!

Several speech sound targets are included in this resource, including sh initial, sh medial, and sh final.

• Articulation Manicure

This creative articulation activity is going to be a HIT in your speech therapy session! Banish boring and try an articulation manicure instead! Your student simply picks a play dough color (aka, a nail color), while you pick the target speech sound. Your speech therapy student will say the target word, then smash a small piece of play dough on a “nail”. Your student continues to say each target articulation word and each time she gets to smash a small piece of playdough onto a fingernail. Before you know it, the manicure will be complete!

• Articulation Card Game Companion

Your students love playing that very popular color-coded card game- and you’d like a way to incorporate that into articulation therapy. No problem!

Speech-language pathologists will absolutely love this articulation card game companion because it makes data collection a breeze. Not only that, but it ensures an engaging session for your elementary speech therapy students.

Here’s how it works: before your student puts down a blue card during his turn, he must say the sh articulation word that is listed under the blue section. If he draws a yellow card, then he must say the sh articulation word that is assigned to that target color. It’s fast, easy, and motivating!

SH Sound Speech Therapy Minimal Pairs

Need some easy-to-use minimal pairs for speech therapy? Speech therapists will love how simple and organized these minimal pairs are to use in therapy! If you aren’t a fan of searching through hundreds of cards in. a pile, trying to find exactly the words you need, then give these a try!

Everything you need to implement a successful minimal pairs session is available on one page. First, there is an auditory bombardment word list that you can read to your speech therapy student. Then, your student can complete an auditory sorting or auditory discrimination activity. Finally, have your student practice saying the 6 minimal pair target words per page.

Try these fronting minimal pairs or stopping minimal pairs to target the sh sound. Or, just grab the bundle so you’ll always be set!

Articulation Activity for Older Students

Do you have older students working on the SH sound? This Type & Say Articulation Challenge is a hands-on activity that your students will love! No, it doesn’t involve using any laptops or tablets.

Here’s how it all works: your student will pretend to “type” the word using the ”keyboard” on the paper, then they will practice saying the target word. This can also open up great conversations about how speech sound targets can be represented in print in various ways.

More Articulation Words for Speech-Language Pathologists

Are you in a hurry and need this article summed up? To see the SH words, simply scroll up. Next, make sure to try out these best-selling SH sound articulation resources:

• Minimal Pairs Bundle
• Type & Say Articulation Challenge

Don’t miss these other articulation word lists!

• S Word Lists
• L Word Lists
• F Word Lists
• K Word Lists
• TH Word Lists
• R Words for Speech Therapy
• Z Word Lists
• V Words for Speech Therapy
• G Words for Speech Therapy

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SH Words: A Comprehensive List for Home Speech Therapy 

Children often learn the forty-four speech sounds needed for clear and fluent expression by the age of 7-8. Having said that, certain sounds are trickier than others, especially if they require fine muscle control, they’re difficult to ‘see’, or your child is unable to identify the sound correctly. 

One of the most common tricky sounds in English is the /sh/ sound (ʃ). This is frequently substituted with an /s/, /c/, or /t/ sound, making words like ‘fish’ sound like ‘fiss’ or even left out altogether. 

Over time, this usually resolves itself. However, if your child is still having problems, sh-word speech therapy can help. 

We’ve created this article to provide you with a comprehensive list of these /sh/ words along with phrases, sentences, games, activities, and even books you can use at home or in a professional speech therapy setting. 

Keep reading to discover how to pronounce this tricky sound correctly, get plenty of practice, and how the technologically-advanced Forbrain headset can help. 

Word list: /sh/ (ʃ) Sound Word List  

If you want to improve your child’s pronunciation of the tricky /sh/ sound, you should start by helping them understand where this sound appears in real-life language. 

To help, we’ve created a comprehensive list of the most common /sh/ words that your kid is most likely to use every single day. This includes the /sh/ at the beginning (initial), middle (medial), and end of the word (final). 

You can use this high-frequency list of /sh/ words as a reference throughout your home speech therapy or to encourage your child to get extra articulation practice. 

What is the /sh/ (ʃ) sound?

First, let’s have a quick look at what the /sh/ sound actually is.

Written as (ʃ) in the International Phonetic Alphabet , this sound appears at the beginning of words like ‘shoe’, ‘shop’, and ‘sheep’, in the middle of words like ‘ocean’, ‘mushroom’ and ‘milkshake’ and at the end of words like ‘fish’, ‘push’ and ‘brush’. 

Note that the /sh/ sound doesn’t always correspond to the spelling <sh> and can also be written as <ch>, <sch>, <t>, <c>, <s>, <sc>, and <ss>. That’s why you should always focus on the sound, not the spelling. 

In speech therapy, we call this sound a post-alveolar unvoiced fricative. This means that when you pronounce this sound, your tongue is near or touching the roof of your mouth, your vocal cords are not vibrating and the sound passes through a small space in your mouth. 

Here is a list of the most high-frequence /sh/ words in English:

Further /sh/ sound practice using short phrases and sentences

Now that your child has practiced pronouncing /sh/ words in isolation, it’s time to extend their skills by trying short phrases and sentences. 

By doing so, you’ll be helping them practice moving from one sound to another, building fluency, and exercising their articulation muscles so they can communicate effectively in real-life contexts.  Here at Forbrain , we encourage you to follow this /sh/ sound home speech therapy program.

• Ensure that your child can articulate /sh/ sound correctly by following our pronunciation guide below. If not, continue to practice until they are comfortable. Note that they don’t need to be completely fluent yet- practice makes perfect!
• Move on to using carrier phrases so they can immediately use these words for real-life communication. 
• Practice using short phrases and sentences for the /sh/ sound.
• Enjoy games and activities and read books with your child to reinforce what they have learned and get extra practice. 
• Use our scientifically proven Forbrain headset for ongoing practice, sound identification, and confidence-building.

Carrier Phrases

Popular in professional speech therapy, carrier phrases can help elevate your child’s pronunciation of the /sh/ sound because they’re easy to use and are relevant to real-life contexts too. 

To use them, simply choose a sentence, slot an /sh/ word into the space then practice. We recommend you do this with initial, medial, and final /sh/ words. 

Here are some of our favorite carrier phrases: 

• “I found a…”
• “I want a…”
• “He found a…”
• “She found a…”
• “I have a…”
• “He has a…”
• “She has a…”
• “I like to…”
• “He likes to…”

Here are some examples of the sentences you can produce. 

• “I see a SHAPE”
• “I like FISH”
• “She has a MILKSHAKE”

Short phrases for the /sh/ sound

Now that you’ve helped your child improve their articulation of the /sh/ sound and slotted it into some real-life sentences, you can move on to short phrases. 

We’ve created a list of the most common /sh/ sound words, organizing them according to where the sound appears, as before. Work through them together, have fun, and get plenty of practice! 

Short sentences for the /sh/ sound

Congratulations! You’ve already made huge leaps when it comes to your child’s pronunciation of the /sh/ sound. 

Let’s now move on to practicing longer sentences that can further improve articulation skills, boost fluency and confidence and help them communicate effectively. 

Games & Activities with /sh/ Sound Words 

Who said learning had to be serious? Play these games and activities with your kids to make mastering the /sh/ sound fun and engaging. You’ll also build their confidence, nurture that parent-child bond and make home speech therapy fun. 

Here’s a pick of our favorite/sh/ sound games and activities.

Play the Shopping List game

Grab a piece of paper, write ‘shopping list’ at the top, and give it to your child. Then add them to list as many /sh/ words as they can. If they struggle, refer to the comprehensive /sh/ word list we shared above. For example, ‘shirt’, ‘shell’, ‘sugar’, ‘shortbread, ‘shoes’ and ‘shampoo’ could join your list.

Play ‘Go Fish!’

This popular game is an excellent way to practice those /sh/ words. Here’s how to play: 

• Print two copies of the /sh/ word list that we shared above and then cut them into flashcards. Select just ten common words from these lists and shuffle them. 
• Give five cards to each player then place the rest in the middle of the table, face-down.
• The youngest player (most likely to be your child!) should ask you if you have a certain card, for example, ‘shoe’. 
• If you do have this card, pass it to your child. If not, take a card from the pile in the middle and add it to those in your hand. 
• Repeat the process, taking it in turns to ask about the cards.
• When one player finds a pair, they place them face down on the table.
• The winner is the person who runs out of cards. 

Play the Sea Shell Game

In this fun and affordable game, your child can build a nature object collection while practicing their /sh/ sounds. Here’s what to do. 

• Buy a pack of seashells from your local craft store or collect your own if you’re lucky enough to live near a beach. 
• Use a permanent marker to write a number between 5 and 10 on the back. 
• Place the shells on a table and give your child the flashcards you used for ‘Go Fish!’
• Ask your child to choose a flashcard then turn over a shell. The number indicates how many times your child needs to say the word. 
• If they successfully pronounce the /sh/ sound, let them keep the shell. 

Reading good books is a powerful way to boost your child’s language skills, ignite their imagination and enjoy that special time together. Look for books featuring the /sh/ in various positions in the world if possible for best results. 

Here’s our selection of the best /sh/ sound books. 

• Sharing A Shell by Julia Donaldson
• The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Phister
• Smiley Shark by Ruth Galloway
• Shhhh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton

How to Pronounce the /sh/ Sound

When you pronounce the /sh/ sound, you won’t need to use your vocal cords. It’s produced by placing your tongue towards the back of your mouth and allowing the sides to gently touch your teeth. 

Then the air should pass from your lungs, and down the middle and sides tongue while you relax your vocal cords. 

If your tongue is in the wrong place or your mouth is open, you won’t be able to pronounce the sound correctly. Here is more specific guidance.

Pronouncing the /sh/ sound

Let’s take one of the words from the above /sh/ word list, for example, ‘fish’ or ‘shoe’. 

Say this word aloud several times and take note of what is happening in your mouth when you produce this sound, including your lips, teeth, tongue position, whether you use your vocal cords, and where the air flows. 

You should see that your tongue is in a neutral position with the sides gently touching your side teeth, your lips are slightly rounded and the air comes over the middle and sides of your tongue. 

If so, you are ready to explain to your child how to pronounce this tricky sound and help them gain the articulation skills they need for success. 

How to help your child produce the /sh/ sound correctly

Ready to teach your child how to articulate the /sh/ sound effectively? Here’s how to do it. 

1) Ask your child to relax their tongue then ‘squidge’ it sideways until it gently touches their back teeth. 

2) Then ask them to breathe out through their mouth while trying to say the sound /sh/ or the word ‘shop’. It can take some practice to get it right so be patient! Watch this video by Peachie Speechie for extra help if you need it. 

Using Forbrain to Upgrade Sound Practice

You can further enhance your child’s articulation of the /sh/ sound and build their confidence in just 10 minutes per day with the patented Forbrain headset. 

This pioneering device uses cutting-edge technology with innovative design features to stimulate the neural pathways that lead to life-long learning and language development, optimize learning, finely tune pronunciation, and build communication confidence. 

Your child will learn how to distinguish the /sh/ sound and improve their pronunciation through the enhanced auditory feedback loop while having fun. Find out more about Forbrain and the scientific research that underpins it all here . 

Final Words

The /sh/ sound (ʃ) that appears at the start of the words ‘shop’, ‘shoe’, and ‘chef’ can be tricky to pronounce. 

If your child is having problems, use the list of /sh/ words, phrases, sentences, and games to help them learn, improve and practice this sound. 

Used alongside the patented Forbrain headset for just 10 minutes per day, you’ll see that learning can be simple, effective, and fun! 

Charlotte Witts

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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.

Teaching Sh and Ch

By Pam Marshalla

Q: How do you teach Sh and Ch when a client has a lateral lisp?

Start with Sh––

• Have the client smile and produce an exaggerated Long E–– Eeeee.
• Then tell him to hold his tongue in the E position and pant. He will be making a gross Sh at that point.
• Now have him keep panting in that way and round the lips.  He will be saying Sh.

Then go to Ch––

• Have the client prolong Sh–– Shhhhhhhhhhh.
• While prolonging Sh, have him lift and lower the tongue-tip.  He will be saying Shhhhh-t-Shhhhh-t-Shhhhh-t…  Tell him NOT to make a T, but to simply lift the tip to “Close the gate and stop the Sh.”
• Have him do this sequence faster and faster.  The faster he goes, the more it will sound like Ch.

2 thoughts on “Teaching Sh and Ch”

I have a really hard lateral that I have tried ALL the tricks I know! He is a thumb sucker with a huge indent in his palate. His tongue goes right up in that indent and produces the lateral airflow out the sides for SH, SH and J. Funny part is he has a great S. I have tried shaping the SH from the S and no bueno! We are doing the E to S which is good but if we just try rounding the lips the tongue goes right back up into the hole in the palate. H-E-L-P needed on this case!! I’m going to try the panting next session!

I am going to use this at my next session with my client with sh/ch lateral lisp!

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250+ SH Words, Phrases, Sentences, and Reading Passages

As promised here are the words for your unlimited use .

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toothbrushes

Initial SH by Syllables

shaving cream

sheet music

shelled pecans

shooting star

shopping cart

short story

shot putter

shuttle bus

shaving lather

shopping center

sugar berry

Medial SH by Syllables

description

distraction

frustration

accomplishment

application

cash register

celebration

combination

competition

comprehension

concentration

constitution

conversation

introduction

police station

presentation

transportation

abbreviation

articulation

communication

congratulations

cooperation

exaggeration

imagination

mathematician

multiplication

organization

participation

recommendation

refrigeration

disorganization

misinterpretation

mispronunciation

rehabilitation

uncoordination

Final SH by Syllables

cranberry bush

mulberry bush

raspberry bush

satellite dish

strawberry bush

under nourish

SEE ALSO:   The Best Free App for Speech Therapy

Initial SH Phrases and Sentences

shake hands

hair shampoo

nice to share

sharp thorn

close shave

cruise ship

plain shirt

hiking shoe

shop for food

shot in arm

sore shoulder

shovel snow

morning shower

sweet sugar

The chef made the best pasta.

It is polite to shake hands.

She bought a cut, color, and shampoo.

She is nice to share her ice cream.

Be careful the thorn is sharp.

I shave my face in the morning.

The sheep is standing in the grass.

He gives them a good shine every day.

The ship will be gone for 10 days.

He wore his gray shirt.

This type of shoe is for hiking.

I need to shop for groceries.

The doctor needs to give you a shot.

They massaged his sore shoulder.

He went to shovel his driveway.

She washes her hair in the shower.

She is shy around new people.

Don't put too much sugar in the lemonade.

Medial SH Phrases and Sentences

trimmed bushes

grocery store cashier

heavy dictionary

clean dishes

long eyelashes

fly fishing

Battery flashlight

happy graduation

hand lotion

big machine

creamy mashed potatoes

strawberry milkshake

white mushroom

talented musician

bright sunshine

soft tissue

white washer

The gardener kept the bushes trimmed.

The cashier is giving change to the customer.

Look up your word in the dictionary.

Put the dishes on the table.

She put mascara on her long eyelashes.

He tried fly fishing for the first time.

The flashlight lit up the room.

Today is their graduation day.

She put lotion on her hands.

The machine stopped working.

I need to make mashed potatoes.

I want a strawberry milkshake.

We saw a mushroom in the grass.

He wants to be a famous musician.

The ocean looks beautiful today.

Come outside and feel the sunshine.

Blow your nose with a tissue.

Put your dirty clothes in the washer.

Final SH Phrases and Sentences

handful of cash

colorful fish

flush the toilet

green mouthwash

dark mustache

new paintbrush

smash glass

wet starfish

orange toothbrush

wash with soap

She had to brush her messy hair.

He earned a lot of cash.

It was a bad car crash.

The fish was red and yellow.

Flush the toilet every time.

She held onto the dog's leash.

Mouthwash makes your mouth feel fresh.

He has grown out his mustache.

Grab a paintbrush and get started.

Can you give my car a push?

The doctor looked at her rash.

He didn't mean to smash the window.

He made a splash in the water.

He is holding the starfish.

The dentist gave her a new toothbrush.

Take the trash out today.

My clothes smell good after I wash them.

SH Reading Paragraphs

Successful chef.

Chicago has some of the best chefs in the United States. Sharon was one of those chefs. Sharon was the head chef at "Flash", a very expensive restaurant.

Like many people, she liked to shop, wash her car, and sip lemonade in the shade, but unlike many people, she was an accomplished chef. She had been a chef for over 15 years. Growing up, she loved to cook. She experimented with different combinations of ingredients to see how they would taste.

Many people thought this was childish, but even as a young girl, Sharon made food dishes that astonished her friends and family. Her biggest secret was that she only used fresh ingredients. When it came to quality, Sharon never took shortcuts.

She hand selected every ingredient and paid special attention to how they smelled in the store before she bought them. She was always cautious to avoid discounted ingredients because she knew they wouldn't taste right.

Another one of her secrets was that she had excellent communication and cooperation with her staff. She was only one person, and she needed people who would listen and follow her directions. Sharon loved what she did. She was an amazing chef.

Even though she loved working at "Flash" she wanted to open her own restaurant some day. She looked forward to the day that she would own her own restaurant.

Shane's Audition

It was time for Shane's audition. He was nervous, but this was his shot at becoming famous. He was a talented musician and singer. The audition was his chance to play at a well known nightclub in Los Angeles.

His wish was to produce his own album, but he needed this job to help him make the money to do it. Shane's type of music was unique. His music was a combination of pop and hip-hop music with an Irish twist. He had been born in Ireland and his family moved to the United States when he was very young.

Shane had practiced for many hours for his audition. He had polished and perfected the songs he would play for the nightclub owners.

He stood in front of the owners with his guitar in hand. He began to play. His songs were shaping up nicely and the owners seemed to like it. Everything was going smoothly, when all of a sudden...Crash! A shower of glass flew past him.

A large stage light had fallen and shattered on the stage he was auditioning on. For most people this would have been a huge distraction, but this was Shane's moment to shine. He kept playing and didn't miss a beat.

After finishing his songs, the owners gave him a standing ovation. They loved Shane's songs so much, they thought he planned for the light to crash during his song. Shane assured them that he had not planned it.

The owners offered him the job. "Yes!" Shane said. He started that Saturday and couldn't wait to play at the club.

Finding Shannon

Sherry looked at the map on her dashboard. She was lost. She stopped to ask for directions, but the gas station attendant's directions didn't make sense. She had thought about parking her car and using public transportation, but thought that would be even more confusing.

Sherry had never been to a city with this big of a population. She had grown up in the country. After having a conversation with her friend Shannon, Sherry decided that she wanted to visit a big city. Shannon lived in a big city by the ocean.

Shannon's description about all of the things you can do in a big city sounded like so much fun that Sherry made plans to visit her, but now she couldn't find Shannon's house. She started feeling emotional, but fought back her tears. She showed Shannon's address to a man walking by. The man said he didn't know where that address was.

After two hours of frustration, Sherry wanted to demolish something. She threw her hands up in the air and said, "Can't anyone help me find Shannon's address?"

A woman passing by had compassion on her. She asked Sherry if she would like the map on her phone to find the address. Then she told Sherry she would personally show her how to get to Shannon's house. Sherry was so happy that she didn't know what to say.

She shook the woman's hand and offered to buy her lunch. The woman agreed. Together, they hopped in Sherry's car and drove to Shannon's house to pick her up for lunch. 

This list of functional words was professionally selected to be the most useful for a child or adult who has difficulty with producing the "SH" sound.

We encourage you to use this list when practicing at home.

Doing home practice will help your child make much faster progress toward correct production.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are only able to see students/clients 30-60 mins (or less) per week.

This is not enough time  for your child to overcome an articulation disorder with the "Final TS" sound. But with high caseloads...

...it's all SLPs can do.

There's  only so much time  in the day.

Every day that your child goes without practice  it becomes more and more difficult  to correct an "Final TS" error because he/she continues to say it incorrectly. 

SEE ALSO:   The Best Books for Speech Therapy Practice

We know life is busy , but if you're reading this you're probably someone who cares about helping their loved one as much as you can.

Practice 5-10 minutes whenever you can, but try to do it on a consistent basis (daily).

Please, please, please use this list to practice.

It will be a great benefit to you and your loved one's progress.

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Aritculation Therapy : Teaching S and SH sounds

Teaching S and SH sounds, Is your child finding it hard to get his/her /s/ and /sh/ speech sounds right? Did you know it is one of the most mispronounced speech sounds in all languages? Typically children learn to produce /s/ and /sh/ by 4 years of age and master it as they grow older. For a young child with co-occurring speech sound errors, producing /s/ and /sh/ poses an even bigger challenge.

Click here to read the Articulation a beginners guide

How do we produce /s/ and /sh/?

  The /s/ sound is produced by placing the tongue tip behind the front teeth, close to the roof of the mouth but not touching the palate. Then, the sides of the tongue are raised to touch the back teeth, leaving some space in the middle of the tongue for the air to pass smoothly. Lastly, the lips are parted slightly with the corners of the lips drawn upward. /s/ sound is unvoiced (does not involve vocal cord vibration) and is produced only due to the air travelling through the passages created in the oral cavity as stated above.

What kind of errors do children make?

The following lists some errors children make while producing /s/ and /sh/:  

• /s/ is often substituted as /t/ (eg: tee instead of see)
• /s/ sound omitted or unable to say at all
• /s/ sound unable to say only in word level or sentence level
• /s/ is produced but distorted in word or sentence level
• /sh/ is often substituted by /ch/ or /t/ (eg: soes instead of shoes, tip instead of ship)
• /sh/ sound is omitted altogether
• /sh/ is produced but distorted
• /sh/ unable to produce in word or sentence level

“If your child is 4 years old or above and is making any of the above speech sound errors then you should be concerned.”

Teaching S and SH sounds

Read here about Articulation disorders

How do I teach my child?

            Practicing the techniques listed below to teach /s/ and /sh/ speech sounds at home can be a very interesting activity for any child. Schedule specific time everyday to work on articulation of speech sounds. You can also try practicing during leisure time (while walking to a park, while watching television etc,). Practicing often will facilitate faster learning. Make sure to generously reward and encourage the child for his/her efforts. Every child is different and progress may be noted in a few days to weeks. It all depends on how well the child is able to follow oral instructions, understands correct tongue positioning and frequency of practice.

• Keep in mind that, if your child has trouble producing /s/ and /sh/, the longer you wait the more difficult it will be to treat.

“If your child demonstrates a lateral lisp or additional speech sound errors, first consult with a Speech-Language Therapist.”

Read a detailed blog on Typical development of speech sounds.

Remediation of /s/:

1. imitation.

Demonstrate and model production of /s/ as described above for your child to visualize. Encourage him/her to imitate your movements and try saying /s/ /s/ /s/. Keep practicing and eventually add different vowels to /s/ as in “so..so..so” “see..see..see” “sa..sa..sa”. You can then move on to practicing words when your child is able to produce at sound level.

Provide visual cues to your child while training for /s/. Visual cues will help the child to recollect the sound better. You can point your finger to your lips while saying /s/.

If a child is able to say /t/ then you can shape /t/ production to elicit /s/ sound. Tell your child, “We are going to practice saying t…t..t..t..t..t” first. Then, “We are going to try to make /t/ a little longer t..t..t…ts”. When the child is able to say this you can proceed further. Tell your child, “We are going to make the ts..ts.. little longer as in tsss…..tssss…tsssssssss”. Continue to practice by gradually make the /t/ disappear in /ts/ until it becomes only /s/.

4. Hissing like a snake

If your child is able to say /s/ in word level but its distorted or unclear, you can try this. Tell your child to pretend the tongue is like a snake inside the mouth which is a cage. Tell him/her, “We will try hissing like a snake /sssssss/ but don’t let the snake outside”. Model tongue placement and lip position inside the mouth as mentioned above and carry the activity. You can use a mirror during this activity to enable your child to self-correct and follow correct tongue and lip placement.

Some tools for teaching articulation.

5. Blowing through a straw

Practice blowing air through a straw. Hold the straw in the center of the lower lip, but do not allow the air to escape from the sides of the mouth. Now have your child make the /s/ sound and you will hear the air passing through the straw. Model and practice this activity with your child.

Remediation of /sh/:

If a child is able to say /e/ then you can shape /e/ production to elicit /sh/ sound. Tell your child, “We are going to practice saying e…e..e..e..t..e” first. Then, “We are going to try to make /e/ a little round by rounding the lips as in /e/ with lips rounded. When the child is able to say this, it will sound like /sh/. Continue to practice by gradually make the /e/ disappear until it becomes only /sh/.

2. Sequencing

If your child is able to say /s/ then ask your child to gently say /s/ transitioning to a voiceless /y/. Now tell your child to round his/her lips while saying voiceless /y/. It will start sounding like a /sh/. Train your child to hear the /sh/ sound as he/her transitions between /s/ and /y/. Continue to practice until your child masters /sh/.

3. Like a butterfly

Model your child to push his/her tongue sides to the upper teeth, smile widely and blow air smoothly. You will hear a /sh/ sound. Keep holding the position and try rounding your lips. You will hear a clear /sh/ now. Continue to practice this until a clear /sh/ is mastered.

4. Phonetic placement

Demonstrate to your child what /sh/ looks and sounds like. Place the sides of your tongue against the teeth at the back and round your lips and blow some air gently. Make the child feel the air blowing and the sound produced. Now, ask your child to imitate your movements to achieve a clear /sh/.

5. “Miss you” technique

Demonstrate practicing “Miss you” rapidly. It will begin to sound like “Miss Shoe” and eventually when you increase your speed it will start to sound like /sh/. Have your child imitate your movements. This can be practiced for children who are able to produce other speech sounds correctly.

“If your child shows no progress even after following the above stated techniques, it high time you consult a Speech-Language Therapist for guidance.”

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(4 Comments)

Very well explained. Presentation is excellent . Thank you for your services to humanity. All the best dear.

Very well explaned

I have a student who substitutes a /sh/ sound for the /s/. So “shoap” or “shwimming” What phonological process does that fall under? Or would it be considered an articulation error of substitution?

Hello Ms. Rebecca! I would term it a speech sound disorder. It can be an articulation substitution error or specifically a depalatalization phonological process where an alveolar fricative /s/ is substituted for a palatal fricative /sh/ eg: Shwimming. Hope this answers your question. Thank you!

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How to teach the ‘ch’ sound for speech therapy

Are you stuck trying to teach the ‘ch’ sound with your child and need some new ideas? In speech therapy, there is no such thing as ‘one-trick’ to teach a sound, because every child learns to say their sounds differently. The following ideas are a few of my tricks that I commonly try.

Get the mouth ready for saying the CH sound

If your first few attempts at trying to teach a child the ‘ch’ sound don’t work, I always look at the mouth to make sure that it is ready. Their lips need to be round and the teeth are together or very close to touching. Sometimes changing the shape of the lips alone can really help to say the ‘ch’ sound correctly.

Try asking them to make common sounds

Many times when I ask a child to say the ‘ch’ sound on its own, it is incorrect. But often I find that they CAN say the sound when I ask them the three following questions:

• What noise does a train make (choo choo)
• Make the sneezing sound (achoo)
• What do you say when you hurt yourself (ouch!)

If the child is successful in accurately saying one of these, we will really practice that one word and then increase to other (sometimes silly) words and syllables to expand their production of that sound. For example, we might do a lot of “choo choo” practice, then change the last syllable to “choo chee, choo cha, choo chow, etc.,.”

SPEECH ACTIVITIES TO TRY TODAY: Use a train and teach that train makes a different sound. Drive the trains around the track, saying the sounds “choo choo, choo chee, choo cha”.

Get the explosion of air

I always teach parents that the ch sound is the ‘t’ sound plus the ‘sh’ sound pushed together. And this is important for speech-language pathologists to remember too. A child has to be able to use both elements to build up the air and release the sound as ‘ch’.

What if the CH sound is soft or weak sounding?

If the ch sound doesn’t have as much FORCE as the way you say it, I tend to two analogies that you can use actions for to really consolidate the learning

• The punching sound
• The chopping sound

The punching sound is where we teach a child that just like a boxer makes fast and strong punches, that the ch sound is like a punch too. We have to punch the sound strong and fast out of our mouths. Doing a punching action as you say the sound really emphasizes this. Have your child copy throwing some punches first, then add sound! If they still make a weak sound, imitate the child and throw a ‘soft’ or weak punch. Give feedback such as, “that was a soft ‘ch’, remember, it has to punch out of our mouths strong and fast.”

The chopping sound is very similar in teaching to the punching. You can use your hand like a karate chop, pretend to hold an axe and chop wood. The key idea is that the action of chopping has to be strong and fast. 

SPEECH ACTIVITIES TO TRY TODAY: Teach the chopping sound using play dough. Roll a playdough ‘snake’ for your child to chop with a plastic knife. If your child says the ‘ch’ sound too softly, show them how the knife won’t cut the play dough. This can give the motivation to make it stronger and more forceful.

Start with what your child can do

Most children are able to say the ‘t’ sound correctly. You might have success teaching them the following:

• Say the ‘t’ sound
• Now say it again, but with round lips (the sound should already start to change)
• Now let’s make the sound longer, stronger, or faster (depending on how they are saying it with round lips).

Teach the TR sound

This is another little trick that I have found to be successful; forget the ‘ch’ sound and teach words starting with ‘tr’. I want you to say the following words aloud: tree, trampoline, treasure, train.

Do you actually say tr ain, or does it sound more like ch rain? Teaching a more complex or harder sound like ‘chr’ sounds counterintuitive, but many times I have taught ‘tr’ words and the ‘ch’ sounds have come through without us having to work on them.

For some older kids who become frustrated or say that ‘ch’ is too hard, this trick works well because you can tell them that we’ll stop working on the ‘ch’ sound and learn a new one instead.

It is also a great target to choose if the child needs to learn their /r/ sound. You can focus on /tr/ words and hopefully see that ‘sh’, ‘ch’ and ‘r’ sounds are learned in the process.    

Speech-language pathologists look at children’s WHOLE speech sound system. If you have concerns that your child is having difficulties mastering this sound, please consult with a professional so that they can best support you.

Get resources to help practice the CH sound

Teach the ‘ch’ sound in isolation, move to syllables, then words, phrases, and sentences. This digital Boom Card deck can be played in face-to-face sessions, as part of your teletherapy practice, or you can even email the link as homework! Sound files to hear the ‘ch’ sound is included.

BUY ‘CH’ ARTICULATION

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Do you have any visuals for purchase for using the TR strategy to facilitate the CH production??

To be honest, I just use ‘tr’ target words and cards and look to see if this generalizes! While I don’t have stand-alone ‘tr’ materials, they are included in my R Cluster Help Sheets and Articulation Card materials

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Hi, I'm Rebecca. I encourage SLPs to feel more confident treating speech sound disorders, and make faster progress with their students.

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