Improving Pronunciation for Reading Instruction?

[mom2bee]

I've discovered that I can not seem to pronounce R-blends in such a way that they sound like they are, in fact, two consonants being blended. I need some resources that break down the correct pronunciation of R-blends and helps me learn the correct way to pronounce them.

 

I can do the S-blends (Sc, sk, sm, sn, sp, st, squ, sw, etc) but the R-blends (br, cr, dr, fr, tr, etc) come out sounding like digraphs pretty consistently! I don't know if its a regional thing or if I just can't hear it, but it seems like no one actually articulates R-blends in real life. They all sound slurred when used in speech.

[Kiara.I]

I think it has to do with how an R is formed.  Because R doesn't have a clear point of articulation, it tends to sort of get said on the way by to the vowel.

Also, the S-blends you listed are all initial S sounds, but the R-blends, the R is the *second* sound in each blend.

 

So my bet would be that you *are* pronouncing them correctly.

[wintermom]

There are some teaching videos on youtube. It looks like the trick is to clearly pronounce the first consonant before starting the 'r' and the rest of the word.  In Canada, our pronounciation is quite clear, but I have noticed my 8 year old spell train incorrectly because he pronounced the 't' like a 'ch.'  Try pronouncing the first consonant, pause, then say the rest of the word. Repeat a few times, then say the word without a pause, but clearly pronounce the first letter of the word.