Introduction

This problem can also happen to the person that experiencing weakness on the muscle around the mouth due to stroke or cleft lips or/and palate.

How was the sound /p/ produced?

Sound /p/ can be produced when we close up our lips to accumulate the air in the mouth. At the same time, uvula was elevated to prevent the air from escaping through nasal cavity.

Both lips will be opened immediately to release the accumulated air and the sound /p/ will be produced. /p/ sound is also called silent explosive sound which is when this sound was produced, the vocal cords was in a non-vibrating condition. This sound can also be called as bilabial sound because it was produced between both lips.

Video ? How to pronounce the sound /p/

How was the sound /b/ produced?

/b/ sound was produced like /p/ sound. This sound is also called explosive sound because vocal cord was vibrating when the sound was produced.

Video ? How to pronounce the sound /b/

Mistakes for sound /b/ can happen in the words [ball] that being called as [all] and [book] as [mook].

What is the strategy of /p/ and /b/ sound production?

There are some approach that can be used to help individual that have problems to produce /p/ and /b/ sound correctly. Methods that can be used are:

Mimic

It is known as hearing stimulation where the person need to repeat back what he/she heard and keep repeating it until he/she get it right.

Consumption in the context

This approach is done if the individual can produce /p/ and /b/ sound in certain words but can’t produce it in other words. Speech Therapist will initiate training using phonetic placement. In this activity, mimic method is also needed for the training.

Place of articulation for bilabial sound

Close the lips before the sound is produced. Put an ice-cream stick between the lips to remind the patient to close up their lips before producing the sound. Speech Therapist can show diagram, picture of articulation equipment during /p/ and /b/ sound production.

What activity in order to produce /p/ and /b/ sound?

Plenty of activity can be carried out to help children who has problem to pronounce /p/ and /b/ using approaches as stated above. The main thing is continuous training.

Minta kanak-kanak tersebut untuk merapatkan bibirnya atau kita boleh meletakkan batang aiskrim di antara bibirnya. Ingatkan dia supaya bibir dirapatkan agar batang aiskrim tidak Picture cards games with the targeted sound can be one of the activity offered for training the specific sounds. Children needs to name the word correctly e.g; [boat], [pail] in order to continue the games. If the child just pronounce [oat] or [ail] means children have drop the sound / b / or sound / p / in these words. Therefore modification need to take place such as, ask the child to close his mouth or we can put the sticks between his/her lips. Remind him/her to close up his/her lips so that the ice-cream stick is not falling down. Then ask him/her to pronounce back the words [bola].

When the child managed to pronounce correctly, give praise such as ‘good’ to encourage children to continue with such behavior. Repeat several times so that children are adapt to pronounce the sound / b /. This can be done using another word.

What are the examples of words for /p/ and /b/ sound?

There are many words in Bahasa Melayu which sounds / p / and sound / b /. This sound can be in front, middle or final of a word as follows:

References

1. Kelly, E.L (1972). Form-A-Sound. Ideal School Supply Company.
2. Secord, W. (1981). Eliciting Sounds Techniques for Clinicians: Merill’s Test Series.
3. Ya’acob, Z. (1999). Masa Mula Bersuara Pada Bunyi Plosif Bahasa Melayu. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.