Which approach is categorized as a phonetic/motor (traditional articulation) approach?

• A. Phonological Contrastive Approaches
• B. Phonological Non-Contrastive Approaches
• C. Phonetic/Motor: traditional articulation approach
• D. Auditory stimulation/imitation

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that this approach targets how the speech organs move to produce sounds. It treats articulation as a motor skill, focusing on precise placement and movement of the lips, tongue, jaw, and voicing to form each phoneme correctly. Therapy uses explicit instructions, modeling, and systematic drill-like practice, starting with isolated sounds and then building up to syllables, words, and connected speech. The aim is to establish accurate motor patterns for each sound through repetition and cueing until correct production becomes automatic.

This is what makes it the phonetic/motor or traditional articulation approach—the emphasis is on the physical production of speech sounds, not on teaching the sound system or perceptual skills. Other methods focus more on teaching contrasts within the language's sound system (phonology), on patterns rather than individual sounds, or on auditory perception and imitation rather than on articulator placement and motor practice.