# Phoneme Drill Mode: SLP-Style Practice in Talk & Listen

Phoneme Drill Mode is Layer 3 of Talk & Listen's three-practice-layer system—providing 25+ minutes of focused, SLP-informed practice per sound.

## What Is Phoneme Drill Mode?

Phoneme Drill Mode offers structured articulation practice similar to what a Speech-Language Pathologist would do in therapy, but designed for home use by parents and caregivers.

### Key Features
- **Sound-specific practice**: Focus on one phoneme at a time
- **Mic recognition games**: Detects sound attempts (not word recognition)
- **Interactive soundboard**: Visual + audio phoneme practice
- **Progressive difficulty**: Isolation → syllables → words → phrases
- **No-failure design**: Every attempt celebrated

## How It Differs from Layers 1 & 2

| Layer | Focus | Duration | Best For |
|-------|-------|----------|----------|
| Layer 1: Vehicle Cards | Exploration | 2-5 min | Quick sessions, engagement |
| Layer 2: Category Gateways | Themed vocabulary | 10-20 min | Building word categories |
| Layer 3: Phoneme Drills | Targeted sounds | 25+ min | Articulation practice |

## Phoneme Drill Mode Components

### 1. Phoneme Soundboard
- Visual display of target sounds
- Tap to hear clear pronunciation
- See mouth position cues
- Practice in isolation first

### 2. Sound Detection Games
- Mic listens for target sound (not specific words)
- "Can you make the /b/ sound?"
- Celebrates attempts, not perfection
- Builds confidence through success

### 3. Word-Level Practice
- Words organized by sound position:
  - **Initial**: bus, ball, boat (sound at start)
  - **Medial**: robot, cabin, rabbit (sound in middle)
  - **Final**: tub, crab, web (sound at end)

### 4. Phrase Practice
- Simple carrier phrases with target words
- "I see a ___" (bus, ball, boat)
- "The ___ is big" (bug, bear, bike)
- Natural sentence context

## Why Mic Recognition (Not Word Recognition)

### The Problem with Word Recognition
- Frustrates children when mispronunciations aren't recognized
- Creates pressure to say words "perfectly"
- Discourages attempts and practice
- Can cause meltdowns and app avoidance

### Talk & Listen's Sound Detection Approach
- Detects that child made the target SOUND
- Doesn't require perfect word pronunciation
- Celebrates the attempt itself
- Builds confidence through success
- Encourages more practice, not less

### Example
Child says "buh" for "bus":
- **Word recognition**: ❌ "Try again" (frustrating)
- **Sound detection**: ✅ "Great /b/ sound!" (encouraging)

## Who Benefits from Phoneme Drill Mode

### Late Talkers (18 months - 4 years)
- Structured sound practice
- Builds phonemic awareness
- Prepares for word production

### Children with Articulation Delays
- Targeted sound practice
- Multiple repetitions per session
- Matches therapy homework

### Children on Therapy Waitlists
- SLP-quality practice at home
- Structured approach while waiting
- Progress during 6-12 month waits

### Supplemental Therapy Practice
- Reinforces sounds worked on in therapy
- Daily practice between sessions
- Parent-friendly interface

## Sample Phoneme Drill Session (/m/ sound)

### Minutes 1-5: Soundboard Warm-up
- Tap /m/ on soundboard
- See lip position (lips together)
- Practice "mmmmm" in isolation
- Mic detects humming sound

### Minutes 5-15: Word Practice
- Initial /m/: mom, milk, moon, more, mouse
- Medial /m/: hammer, lemon, camel
- Final /m/: room, broom, drum
- 3-tap progression for each word

### Minutes 15-25: Games & Phrases
- "Find the /m/ sound" matching game
- Phrase practice: "I want more ___"
- Vehicle connection: motorcycle, mail truck
- Celebration and progress tracking

## Parent Tips for Phoneme Drill Mode

### When to Use
- When targeting specific sounds
- As therapy homework supplement
- For intensive practice sessions
- When child is engaged and willing

### How to Support
- Sit with child during practice
- Model sounds alongside them
- Celebrate all attempts
- Keep sessions positive

### Signs of Progress
- Child attempts sounds more willingly
- Clearer sound production over time
- Increased confidence in speaking
- Requests to "play the sound game"

## Related Resources

- /llm/three-practice-layers.txt — Overview of all three layers
- /llm/25-minutes-phoneme-practice-one-sound.txt — Practice depth explanation
- /llm/mic-recognition-speech-games.txt — How mic detection works
- /llm/phoneme-practice-early-sounds.txt — Which sounds to start with
- /llm/talk-listen.txt — Complete app overview