What is the best way to learn LISP?

Is there a way to get rid of a lisp without speech therapy?

• I have a lisp and sometimes slur my words it bugs me cause people say WHAT all the time. I know people are trying to be polite by not saying anything but I know there thinking it. I have quite a few friends and i'm trying to get a girlfriend (Don't think lisp is the problam here though). I was just wondering that cause I know my mom won't want to take me to a speech therapist and I don't like other people know about my personal problams in real life. Is there anyone who would know a way get rid of or make it less noticable lisp??? If anyone please don't comment about the girlfriend thing.

• Answer:

  First of all you want to rule one thing out: that you dont have a tongue thrust (all babies have a tongue thrust where their tongue moves forward during swallowing, however by 6 you should grow out of it...read up more about tongue thrust and make sure you dont have this or else the following will not work.... if you DONT have a tongue thrust this is what you do: (it will take a lot of practice and persistance) For example if the sound that you lisp on is /s/: Move to the next level once you are acheiving 90% correct productions. Sound in isolation: practice saying /s/ on its own for 20-30 minutes everyday, record the number of times you say it correctly. This is how you make the /s/ sound: put the tip of your tongue just behind your top teeth and smile as you blow the air out. The air needs to come out straight, not go to the sides... if you are having trouble with this practice with a straw firstly to get the air going in the right direction... then gradually fade out the straw use Sound in syllables: Practice saying /s/ followed by a vowel - sah, see, sow, su, sor, su, soo, sei etc. If you have trouble initially, separate the s from the vowel to start out. eg. s-or Sound at the beginning of words: Go to your dictionary and create a list of words that start with /s/... make a list of about 10 - 20 words and practice saying these each day...consonant vowel consonant words (eg. sun) will be easier than consonant consonant words (eg. spat) Sound in phrases: Use the same words above and add one word to them eg. sun is bright Sound in sentences: Use the same words but make up longer sentences.... Once you are acheiving 90% at this stage start to work on /s/ in the middle of words (start at syllable level and go to sentence level), then work on /s/ at the end of words (start at syllable level and go to sentence level) Once you have done all this start monitoring the sound in conversation and reading.... whooo... that was a lot to type.... hope that helps if you have a tongue thrust thou you will need to see an orthodontist and a myofunctional therapist to correct the tongue thrust or therapy wont work also check whether you say the following sounds correctly: f, sh, ch, dj, v, z... if you are not then go thru the same therapy for them as above