Explore Vocalic /r/ with 9 picture words, including earth, ear, orca. Use the animated guide, spoken models and listening choices, then try a comfortable level of connected speech.
Free to useNo account needed5 min
0 little wins on this device
Sound settings Natural word & phrase audio
Natural voice clips are generated speech bundled with this site, not a human or clinician recording. You can choose human word recordings where available. Any missing clips use your selected device voice. No text or practice recordings are sent to a speech service during play.
SEE IT. EXPLORE IT. TRY IT TOGETHER.
A gentle practice cue, brought to life.
A side-view guide to what’s happening inside the mouth.
/r/
Two possible shapes. An SLP can help choose one.
TongueAirflow◉ Voice on
1 · GET READY
Get comfortable
Comfortable lips; avoid an exaggerated “w” shape.
Simplified illustration, not a scan or a view of your child’s mouth. It shows one possible placement; language, dialect and individual anatomy vary. The tongue’s side contact is not visible in this side view.
Watch the shape, listen to a word, then take your own little turn.
Model → Explore → Take a turn
Natural audio is generated speech (Jenny, US English), not a human recording.
0 of 10 little tries
Hear your own little turn
A grown-up can help record a short turn. Listen back together, without judging or scoring.
Optional · 10 seconds maximum · stays in this page’s memory · removed when you leave
A practice turn records participation, not pronunciation accuracy. Listen back together and choose comfortable targets with your speech-language pathologist.FOR GROWN-UPS · VOCALIC /R/ SOUND PRACTICE
Using vocalic /r/ sound practice together
This page focuses on vocalic /r/ sound practice. The word bank below shows the positions available in this particular deck.
A short way to begin
Start with earth or another familiar picture from this deck.
Select Shape & say to explore the illustrated placement, or Sound detective to match a spoken word to a picture.
Use One word, A little phrase or A whole sentence to change the model you hear.
Optionally record a short turn and listen back together. The game does not score speech accuracy.
Adapt this activity
Start with the vowel shape, then bunch the middle-back of your tongue high toward the soft palate while anchoring the sides of your tongue firmly against your upper back teeth.
What the feedback means
A schematic mouth picture cannot show every tongue shape or the learner’s own movement. Synthetic pronunciation models, dialect and individual anatomy vary; a speech-language pathologist can select appropriate targets.
Beginning of a word
Earth
Ear
Orca
Middle of a word
Turtle
Bird
Mermaid
End of a word
Tiger
Spider
Dinosaur
Questions about this activity
Which Vocalic /r/ words are included?
This deck contains earth, ear, orca, turtle, bird, mermaid, tiger, spider, dinosaur. Use the position buttons to narrow the available words.
Does the microphone decide whether a word is correct?
No. The optional recorder is for listening back. Practice counts record participation; the listening game checks picture choices, not pronunciation.
Can I share this exact practice setup?
Yes. Set the position, practice mode and repetition goal, then use Share activity. Those settings are included in the link; microphone recordings are not.