Which statement best describes the articulation therapy goal?

• A. Focuses on establishing phonemic contrasts across words
• B. Uses minimal pair contrasts as primary method
• C. Relies heavily on auditory discrimination before production
• D. Seeks improvement in motor production of individual sounds without emphasis on phonological contrasts

Answer: (D)

Articulation therapy focuses on how the speech organs move to produce a specific sound accurately. The goal is to improve the motor production of individual sounds, starting with precise articulation and building toward more natural production, without focusing on how sounds function as contrasts across words. This differentiates it from phonological approaches, which aim to reorganize sound systems and often use minimal pairs to teach contrasts between sounds. While listening skills or auditory awareness can support learning, the core aim here is the accurate articulation of single sounds rather than establishing phonemic contrasts.