Ask A Therapist: Vocalic /R/ and Glottal Fry Tips
In this Ask a Therapist post, Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson answers a reader whose clients struggle with both vocalic /r/ and glottal fry, sharing a jiggler vibration cue and explaining when the robot voice technique actually belongs in a treatment plan.
For clients who struggle with both vocalic /r/ and glottal fry, hold a jiggler vibrator next to the larynx while cueing a sustained “ee” sound. In short, bring in the robot voice technique only if a client still can’t feel the back-of-tongue side spread placement against the upper palate without it.
- Vocalic /r/ and glottal fry difficulties often show up together in the same clients, since both rely on subtle laryngeal and tongue placement awareness.
- Holding a jiggler vibrator next to a child’s neck, for example, gives them extra sensory feedback for feeling vocal fold vibration during glottal fry.
- Cue the vibration while the child sustains an “ee” sound, turning the motor on and directing it at the throat.
- However, the robot voice technique isn’t required for every client. It’s only needed when a client can’t yet feel the target placement without it.
- Specifically, the placement being targeted is “back of tongue side spread” against the upper palate, the foundation of accurate /r/ production.
- Ultimately, both techniques come out of Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson’s Oral Placement Therapy (OPT™) approach, taught in TalkTools® clinical training courses.
Reader Question About Vocalic /R/ and Glottal Fry
Specifically, this question comes from a TalkTools® course attendee working through vocalic /r/ and glottal fry with several clients on her caseload.
Hi Ms. Rosenfeld-Johnson,
I took your oral placement technique course in New York a few weeks ago. I have a few clients who have difficult with the /r/ and tried out the robot technique. A lot of those same kids also have trouble producing the glottal fry — do you have any pointers for me?
Thanks so much! And thanks for your wealth of knowledge. Your course really changed the way I look at a lot of my kids!!
Karen
Therapist Answer: Two Techniques for Glottal Fry Placement
Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson, MS, CCC-SLP, founder of TalkTools® and creator of Oral Placement Therapy (OPT™), answers directly below.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for your kind words about the class content. I love this therapy and hope to share its benefits with other SLPs who have not had the opportunity to learn the techniques through their schooling. To hear that my work has changed, and I hope, benefited the way you look at your clients is a true gift so I thank you for that.
As to your question…. I have two responses:
1) You can hold a jiggler vibrator next to the child’s neck so they can feel extra vibration in the laryngeal area. Use the direction of turning on the motor in your throat as you ask the child to say the “ee” sound.
2) You will not need to teach the robot voice if the client can produce the required placement without the voice. It is only used if the client has trouble feeling the “back of tongue side spread” placement against the upper palate. I hope one of these options answers your question.
— Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson, MS, CCC-SLPThe Two Techniques at a Glance
Watch: Vibration Cueing for Oral Placement
For further practice, TalkTools® demonstrates related oral-motor vibration techniques with the Vibrator and Toothettes on its official YouTube channel, worth a look if you want to see vibration-based cueing in action.