1. Now that your child can repeat the target sound at all levels in the beginning position, i.e. "Say 'rat'. Say "The rat is under the house'", begin to have her say the target sound without a model from you.

2. You can skip the isolation stage and start having her say the picture names or reading at the word level. For example, have her turn to the Intial Position drill book pages and begin to say each picture name. Record her responses in the check boxes provided.

3. You want to have her reach 80% mastery over three consecutive 15 - 30 minute sessions. Vary your use of materials. Read from a picture dictionary, have her insert clip art into a word document, use worksheets, study her spelling and vocabulary words from her curriculum, go online to Speech and Language Activities websites, and use the drill book pages along with the Speech and Language Home Practice Videos - but remember to turn down the volume!

4. Once she has reached 80% mastery, see if she can read aloud from her favorite book (for older children), focusing on using the target sound correctly, while you record her productions. This reading activity increases the level of difficulty, because she is distracted by reading aloud. For younger children, have them say a memorized poem, rhyme, the alphabet, or sing a song, all the while you are listening for the target sound.

5. Once she is able to read aloud using her target sound correctly, at 80% accuracy over three consecutive sessions, she is ready to try the sound in initial position at the conversational level.