What is another name for sound modification in articulation therapy?

• A. Shaping or successive approximation
• B. Isolating a target sound
• C. Mirror practice
• D. Facilitating context

Answer: (A)

Shaping, or successive approximation, is the idea here. In sound modification you start from a sound the learner can produce and plan a sequence of small, deliberate changes that gradually move toward the target sound. Each step tweaks one feature at a time—like where the articulators are placed, whether the sound is voiced, or how the airflow is released—so the production becomes more like the target with practice. Reinforcement at each step builds the new motor pattern, and cues fade as accuracy improves.

Other approaches serve different purposes. Isolating a target sound concentrates on producing that sound in isolation rather than through a gradual progression; mirror practice uses a mirror for visual feedback on articulator placement; facilitating context trains the sound within specific phonetic environments to leverage coarticulation.