How to Teach the F Sound and V Sound
Have you ever noticed how closely related the /f/ and /v/ sounds are? The /f/ sound is made by touching the upper teeth to the lower lip and then breathing out. The /v/ sound is made exactly the same way except for when you make the /v/ sound you “turn on” your voice. Knowing this helps us understand why when kids have trouble with the /f/ sound they most likely have trouble with the /v/ sound as well. That is why I have decided to write about how to teach both the /f/ and /v/ sounds in the same post.
One thing to keep in mind before we go any further is that the /f/ sound is typically mastered between the ages of 3 and 4, and the /v/ sound isn’t typically mastered until kids are about 5 or 6. So if your little toddler still says “pood” for “food” or “bery” for “very” don’t be too concerned. If, however, you would like to try teaching your children how to say these sounds correctly and they struggle with both the /f/ and /v/ sounds I would recommend starting with the /f/ sound first.
Before teaching any sound it is important to make sure the child is able to say that sound in isolation (all by itself). If the child cannot say the sound in isolation then we have to teach them how.
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