What is phonology in speech therapy?

The system of sound patterns in a language—how sounds work together. Different from articulation (physical production). Phonological disorders involve patterns of errors, not just individual sounds. Example: Phonology explains why we say "cats" with an "s" sound but "dogs" with a "z" sound.

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Phonology

What is phonology in speech therapy?

Example

Phonology explains why we say "cats" with an "s" sound but "dogs" with a "z" sound.

🔊 The difference between "s" in cats and "z" in dogs

How can I help my child with phonology?

Our tiered system teaches sounds in developmental order, building phonological awareness naturally.

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About this guide: This glossary is designed to help parents understand speech therapy terminology. Definitions are simplified for clarity and informed by resources from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Not medical advice: This information is educational only. For concerns about your child's speech development, consult a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP).Find an SLP near you →

Learn More From Trusted Sources

ASHA: Speech & Language Development Chart— Official milestones by age
ASHA: Late Blooming or Language Problem?— When to seek help
Identify the Signs— ASHA's early intervention resource

Parents Also Ask

What is phonology vs articulation?▼

Phonology = sound PATTERNS and rules (language-based). Articulation = physical PRODUCTION of sounds (motor-based). A phonological disorder affects groups of sounds in predictable patterns. An articulation disorder affects specific individual sounds.

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Related Terms

Articulation

How clearly your child produces individual speech sounds. It's the physical ability to move the tongue, lips, and jaw to make sounds correctly. Different from phonology, which is about sound patterns.

Phonological Process

A predictable pattern children use to simplify adult speech. Fronting, stopping, gliding—these are all normal and disappear by certain ages. Only a concern if they persist too long.

Phonemic Awareness

The ability to hear and play with individual sounds in words. Knowing "cat" has 3 sounds: /k/ /a/ /t/. Critical for reading readiness. Different from phonics (which involves letters).

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Articulation Phonemic Awareness Fricatives Liquid Sounds R Sound L Sound

Learn More About Speech Development

Onomatopoeia in Early Speech Articulation Practice Activities Phoneme Practice Games Eliminating Schwas in Speech

Explore our parent guides for more speech development resources.

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Little Wheels apps use vehicle-based learning to make speech practice engaging and fun. Perfect for home practice between therapy sessions.

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