Articulation Therapy Activities: How I Teach Initial R Words Step-by-Step (Part 4)

Welcome to the final part of our Initial R Word Series! Here’s a quick recap:

• We eliminated W substitutions (Part 1)

• We built awareness with minimal pairs (Part 2)

• We practiced with flashcards and sentences (Part 3).

Now it’s time to carry those skills over into natural speech.

Step 4: Generalization Activities for Speech Therapy to Promote Carryover

Once a student is consistently producing R in structured phrases and sentences, the next step is helping them carry it over into more natural, connected speech. This is where generalization begins—and where LevelUp Artic really shines.

At this stage, I’m not just looking for accurate R production in isolated practice. I want to see that same accuracy when the student is reading, retelling, or playing a game that requires spontaneous speaking. To make this transition fun and functional, I use the LevelUp Artic generalization activities regularly.

Pick a Path Initial R

Pick a Path: Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Reading

One of my favorite tools is LevelUp Artic’s Pick a Path reading activity. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure–style story where students make decisions as they read aloud—and their choices influence what happens next.

Because the stories are built with target-rich language (like lots of initial R words), students get natural opportunities to produce the sound in context. And because they’re focused on the story, they’re not overthinking their speech—which makes it a great way to test carryover.

Sometimes I’ll highlight or point out the target words before we start, and other times I just let them read naturally and listen for accuracy. Either way, it helps build that bridge from drill to real-life speech.

Silly Stories Initial R

Silly Stories: Mad Libs with a Purpose

I also love using Silly Stories, which is LevelUp Artic’s mad-libs–style game. Students fill in the blanks with words from targeted word lists—in this case, initial R—and then read the silly story out loud.

It’s not only hilarious (which boosts engagement), but it also makes for repetitive exposure to the target sound in a low-pressure, high-reward format. Plus, the unpredictability of the story keeps students on their toes and makes reading sound loaded content feel like a game.

Initial R Words Connections

Initial R Connections Games

A fun and challenging generalization activity, the Initial R Words Connections articulation therapy activities are inspired by the popular NYT Connections puzzle.

In this speech therapy activity, students sort R-loaded word cards into sound-rich categories—boosting both language and articulation skills. 

With a higher cognitive load, it’s perfect for older elementary, middle, and high school students working on self-monitoring and carryover of initial R sounds.

We’ll often pause to talk about strategies: Which word was the hardest? Did your lips sneak in on that one? Can you fix it on the next turn? This kind of reflection keeps students engaged and thinking about their own accuracy in a supportive way.

What I’m Seeing from Ruby

Ruby (the spunky first grader from this case study), has started to generalize organically through these activities. She especially loves choosing the path in the adventure stories—sometimes she’ll reread them just to try a different ending. And while she’s not 100% consistent yet, I’ve noticed her beginning to self-correct without prompting, especially during Silly Stories, which is a huge milestone.

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Teaching Initial R doesn’t have to feel overwhelming—and you don’t have to do it alone. If you’re just getting started or looking to shake things up, I hope this case study gave you some fresh ideas and practical strategies to try in your own sessions. Every student is different, but with the right support, steady progress really is possible. And if you ever have questions or need to troubleshoot, we’re always here to help—just reach out to us at LevelUp Artic anytime.

Now that your student has a strong foundation with initial R, you’re in a great position to move on to the next big challenge: vocalic R (final R). That’s where we’re headed next, so keep an eye out for an upcoming blog post all about it!