Articulation Treatment
The Baseline Phase
Step 1

Has your client already had a recent articulation
evaluation or is s/he continuing in treatment
from a previous quarter?
– Do you know what sounds are in error?
– Do you know what sounds are to be targeted in
treatment from given recommendations?
If NO, then go to Step 2
If YES, then go to Step 3
Step 2 – Articulation Evaluation
Conduct an evaluation using an
articulation test.
 Conduct a structural-functional exam

Step 2 – Articulation Test

There are many to choose from.

Some easy to administer tests include:
– Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation – 2
– Structured Photographic Articulation Test – II
– Arizona Articulation Proficiency Scale
Step 2 – Articulation Test
Of the errors you find on the test, choose
sounds in error or patterns that are
expected to be developed by the child’s
age and/or affect intelligibility the most.
 If there are multiple sounds in error,
conduct stimulability testing first to
determine which sounds you will target for
treatment (see Step 4 – Stimulability).

Step 2 – Structural-Functional
Exam
Conduct a structural-functional exam to
rule out any issues with the structure or
function of the child’s articulators.
 You will look at strength, range of motion,
and coordination of the articulators.
 You will receive instruction on this.

Step 3 – Connected Speech Sample
The connected speech sample is an
important component of the baseline
probing process.
 You need to conduct this and put your
findings in the assessment section of the
report.
 This information is generally reported as
“percent correct.”

Step 3 – Connected Speech Sample
Usually having a conversation with a child
is sufficient for eliciting a sample with
plenty of examples of sound/s in error in
multiple word positions.
 There is no set time limit to the connected
speech sample – the point is to obtain an
adequate sample of sounds. If you can do
that in a 3 minute sample, great. If you
need more time, take it.

Step 3 – Connected Speech Sample

If you are trying to elicit less frequently
occurring sound/s you may need to try
some other strategies to ensure you get
an adequate sample.
Step 3 – Connected Speech Sample

Possible strategies (not inclusive):
– Using a story retelling task that is loaded with
the target sound. For example, Storytelling
Probes of Articulation Competence (SPAC) is a
pre-made resource available in the Materials
Room.
– You might also provide the child with picture
cards of words with the target sound/s in
many positions and have them create a silly
story for you.
Note: You may have to provide an example to the child of how to
create the story – use other cards.
Step 3 – Connected Speech Sample
When you are recording data from the
speech sample, you do not necessarily
have to be careful to record by word
position.
 In general you record a “+” or “-” for all
opportunities for the target sound and
report it as a set.

– (e.g., /s/ was in error in 60% of opportunities in connected speech)
Step 3 – Connected Speech Sample
Caveat!
If, as you are analyzing your connected
speech sample, you are hearing a pattern
(e.g., /s/ is correct in all word final
positions, but in error in all other
positions), you must record and report
that. That is a significant finding.
Step 4 - Stimulability

Stimulability
– Is trial teaching.
– Is generally quick.
– Informs your treatment: It tells you
 what sounds (if there are multiple errors) are
ready to be taught (or can be left alone to develop
on their own!)
 at what response level and cuing level to start in
treatment for a single error sound.
Step 4 - Stimulability
As with all treatment, it is important to
think systematically when doing
stimulability.
 Different clinicians have different ways of
approaching stimulability, but the next
several slides will describe one way to do
it.

Step 4 - Stimulability
Study your Eliciting Sounds, 2E (Secord)
focusing on the sounds you know to be in
error.
 Practice administering elicitation strategies
on a peer, loved one, or child if you can.
 Of course talk to your supervisor about
any “tricks of the trade” s/he might have
to share with you.

Step 4 - Stimulability

Prepare word, phrase, and sentence lists
that you will use during this trial teaching
phase.

Available to you is a document to help you
with this:
http://courses.washington.edu/sop/ArticLa
ng/Stimulability.pdf
Step 4 - Stimulability
Start at the word level.
 Try different word positions using a
variety of teaching cues.
 If the client is not succeeding, go down to
the syllable level.
 If the client is still not succeeding, try at
the isolation level.

Step 4 - Stimulability

Of course if the child is doing well at the
word level, increase to the phrase level.
– You might do short, functional phrases (e.g.,
“a white tooth”
– You might use a “rote phrase” (e.g., I see a
___; “This is a ___”)

If the child is doing well at the phrase
level, increase to the sentence level.
Step 4 - Stimulability

On the following slide is an example of a
chart that you might want to create for
yourself to help record your data.
Step 4 - Stimulability
Step 5 – Baseline Word Probes
Once you have established your target
sounds you will administer word probes.
 In general, you will probe all word
positions or contexts.

Step 5 – Baseline Word Probes
Prepare probe cards.
 There are many materials available in the
Materials Room Articulation/Phonology
cabinet. Or you can create your own.
 Ideally find 10 words per position/pattern
(but remember you have to have words to
use in treatment as well).
 If that’s not possible, see next slide for a
strategy.

Step 5 – Baseline Word Probes

Can’t find 10 words per position?
– Try to come up with at least 3 words per
position/pattern.
– Then present cards 2 times (not back to back
though) to get a minimum of 6 opportunities.
Step 5 – Baseline Word Probes
Probe cards may be either written words or
picture cards.
 Use good judgment in deciding whether it is
appropriate to use only written words. Consider
the age/educational level of the child.
 Be sure to choose words that are appropriate
vocabulary (consider age and experience of child
as well as family religious/cultural beliefs).

Step 5 – Baseline Word Probes
When selecting words try to keep the
sounds in “pure positions.”
 For example, some commercial materials
may use a word like “mushroom” as a
medial ‘sh’ word. But technically speaking,
in this case it is a syllable final sound and
the /r/ may make it extra difficult. This is
in contrast with “fishing” where the sound
is truly intervocalic. Try the best you can.

Step 5 – Baseline Word Probes

When presenting baseline word probes
you will instruct the child:
“I’m going to show you a card with a word
on it. I want you to say the word for me.
If you are not sure what the word is, I will
tell you and then we’ll come back to it
later to see if you remember it.”
Step 5 – Baseline Word Probes

In general we obtain 2 baseline word probe data
points.
– If the child was seen in a previous quarter (except for
Summer), you can use a data point from the previous
quarter as one of your baseline data points.

Once you have collected your baseline word
probe data you will put these word cards away –
probably until the end of the quarter.
Do NOT use your baseline word probe cards for
treatment (unless there is a special
circumstance).
Step 6 – Begin the Treatment
Phase
You now have all the information you
might need to get started with treatment.
 Be sure to prepare adequate treatment
materials to begin your teaching.

Step 6 – Begin the Treatment
Phase
Begin to think about Behavioral
Objectives.
 Think about what you can realistically
achieve by the end of the quarter
(consider stimulability results).
 For the purposes of this clinical
experience, you probably will not be
writing your BOs at the level of
generalization. Read on…

Step 6 – Begin the Treatment
Phase
You will likely write your BOs in terms of
where in treatment you will get.
 So your BOs will reflect that you will use
“treated” words, not “untreated.”
 You could write a BO that reflects
performance at the conversational level, if
that is appropriate (i.e., your stimulability
testing indicated the child is ready to work
at a high level – like the sentence level).

Step 6 – Begin the Treatment
Phase

You will talk about the child’s performance
on “untreated” words in the generalization
section after each behavioral objective.
Questions?

If you have any questions about the
baseline process –
Ask your supervisor!