By J. Zubalake M.A.

, TSHH
Speech Therapist

 

 
“Mirror,
 Mirror
 on
 the
 Wall
 Tongue
 Exercises
 for
 All!”
 is
 a
 fun
 
approach
 to
 oral
 motor
 exercises
 for
 school-­‐aged
 children.
 
 Each
 
page
 is
 printed
 out
 on
 card
 stock
 and
 laminated.
 There
 are
 ten
 
oral
 motor
 exercises
 displayed
 around
 an
 area
 where
 the
 
therapist
 glues
 a
 small
 3”
 X
 4”
 mirror.
 Students
 can
 hold
 up
 the
 
laminated
 sheet
 with
 the
 mirror
 attached
 and
 see
 an
 illustration
 
of
 the
 correct
 way
 to
 complete
 each
 exercise
 while
 also
 viewing
 
themselves
 performing
 the
 exercises
 in
 the
 mirror.
 
 Each
 exercise
 
has
 a
 description
 and
 illustration
 with
 space
 for
 indicating
 the
 
number
 of
 times
 the
 exercise
 should
 be
 done.
 Easy-­‐to-­‐read
 
explanations
 will
 facilitate
 independent
 practice
 and
 self-­‐
monitoring
 by
 the
 client.
 
 
 The
 mirror
 provides
 immediate
 visual
 
feedback.
 This
 download
 includes
 2
 separate
 sets
 of
 reproducible
 
pages
 to
 help
 reinforce
 oral
 motor
 skills
 and
 strengthen
 the
 
tongue
 for
 articulation
 clients.
 Download
 does
 not
 include
 the
 
mirrors,
 which
 can
 be
 purchased
 at
 any
 craft
 store
 for
 minimal
 
cost.
 
 
Also
 included
 are
 general
 suggestions
 for
 use
 and
 parent
 letter
 for
 
home
 practice.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Directions
 for
 use:
 

 
-­‐ Print
 out
 each
 exercise
 mirror
 board
 in
 color
 on
 
cardstock
 and
 laminate.
 
-­‐ To
 make
 the
 exercise
 mirror
 board
 even
 more
 special
 
and
 “POP”,
 I
 have
 also
 mounted
 each
 award
 onto
 black
 
scrapbook
 paper
 (available
 at
 craft
 stores)
 and
 then
 
laminated
 them.
 
-­‐ Attach
 an
 approximately
 3”
 X
 4”
 mirror
 (available
 at
 
craft
 stores)
 in
 the
 center
 of
 each
 exercise
 mirror
 board
 
using
 a
 hot
 glue
 gun
 or
 any
 other
 strong
 glue.
 
 
 

 
You
 can
 print
 and
 make
 as
 many
 as
 necessary
 for
 your
 
students
 to
 work
 with
 in
 therapy
 or
 even
 take
 home
 for
 
home
 practice
 and
 reinforcement.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
SUGGESTIONS
 FOR
 USE
 

 
1. Work
 on
 the
 exercises
 when
 you
 are
 the
 most
 rested.
 

 
2. Short
 sessions
 of
 5
 to
 20
 minutes
 are
 more
 effective
 and
 less
 
tiring.
 

 
3. Create
 a
 regular
 routine
 to
 work
 on
 the
 exercises.
 
 Daily
 
practice
 is
 most
 effective.
 

 
4. You
 may
 find
 it
 helpful
 to
 use
 a
 timer
 or
 clock
 to
 provide
 clear
 
limits
 for
 home
 practice
 sessions.
 

 
5. The
 best
 setting
 for
 practice
 is
 a
 quiet
 area
 that
 is
 free
 of
 
interruptions
 and
 distractions.
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Dear
 Parents,
 

 

 
 
 
 
 Your
 child
 is
 receiving
 speech
 and
 language
 services
 using
 an
 oral-­‐motor
 
approach.
 
 That
 means
 your
 child
 will
 be
 doing
 exercises
 and
 activities
 that
 
strengthen
 the
 muscles
 used
 to
 produce
 clear
 and
 understandable
 speech.
 
 We
 will
 
be
 focusing
 on
 the
 muscles
 of
 the
 tongue
 and/or
 lips.
 
 It
 is
 necessary
 that
 we
 work
 
together
 to
 teach
 your
 child
 these
 exercises.
 
 
 
You
 are
 an
 important
 part
 of
 the
 program
 because,
 for
 any
 improvement
 to
 take
 
place,
 your
 child
 will
 need
 to
 practice
 exercises
 at
 home
 daily.
 
 I
 am
 sending
 home
 
“Exercise
 Mirror
 Boards”.
 
 Each
 board
 has
 ten
 oral
 motor
 exercises
 displayed
 
around
 mirror.
 Your
 can
 hold
 up
 the
 laminated
 sheet
 with
 the
 mirror
 attached
 and
 
see
 an
 illustration
 of
 the
 correct
 way
 to
 complete
 each
 exercise
 while
 also
 viewing
 
themselves
 performing
 the
 exercises
 in
 the
 mirror.
 
 Each
 exercise
 has
 a
 
description
 and
 illustration
 with
 space
 for
 indicating
 the
 number
 of
 times
 the
 
exercise
 should
 be
 done.
 These
 boards
 have
 easy-­‐to-­‐read
 explanations
 and
 are
 fun
 
for
 your
 child.
 
 They
 will
 facilitate
 independent.
 
 
 The
 mirror
 provides
 immediate
 
visual
 feedback.
 
Please
 remember:
 

 
Ø Do
 these
 exercises
 without
 any
 pressure.
 
 Keep
 it
 light
 and
 fun!
 

 
Ø Improvement
 happens
 only
 with
 DAILY
 practice.
 
 These
 exercises
 are
 
designed
 to
 be
 done
 in
 one
 short
 session
 each
 day.
 Create
 a
 regular
 routine
 to
 
work
 on
 the
 exercises.
 
 Daily
 practice
 is
 most
 effective.
 Short
 sessions
 of
 5
 to
 
20
 minutes
 are
 more
 effective
 and
 less
 tiring.
 

 
Ø Good
 posture
 while
 doing
 the
 exercises
 is
 important.
 

 
Ø The
 best
 setting
 for
 practice
 is
 a
 quiet
 area
 that
 is
 free
 of
 interruptions
 and
 
distractions.
 
 
 

 

 
Thanks
 very
 much
 for
 your
 help.
 
 

 

 
_________________________________________
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 __________________________________
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Speech
 Therapist
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Date
 
 TONGUE POINT
Place pointer finger on your
chin. Open mouth and stick out
your tongue. Point tongue.
Tongue in and close your
mouth.
_________TIMES
TONGUE SLIDE
Stick out your tongue and
slide it to one corner of
your mouth and then back
to the other corner of your
mouth three times. Relax.
_________TIMES
TONGUE SWEEP
LEFT
Stick out your tongue and
sweep it to the left corner of
your mouth and hold for 3
seconds. Relax.
_________TIMES
TONGUE SWEEP
RIGHT
Stick out your tongue and
sweep it to the right corner of
your mouth and hold for 3
seconds. Relax.
_________TIMES
TONGUE STRETCH
ELEVATOR Place your tongue on the
Open mouth and lift your tongue tip to the bump roof of your mouth while you
behind your top teeth called the magic spot. Hold raise and lower your jaw
for 3 seconds and then put your tongue down to three times. You should feel
the resting position ( like when you say AHHH) your tongue stretch.
_________TIMES _________TIMES
TONGUE LIFT
Open your mouth, stick
your tongue out and lift the
tongue tip up towards your
top teeth. Hold for 3
seconds and relax.
_________TIMES
TONGUE UP
Open mouth and stick out
your tongue and lift your
tongue up towards your nose.
Hold for 3 seconds and then
relax.
_________TIMES
TONGUE UP & DOWN TONGUE DOWN
Open your mouth and stick out your tongue Open your mouth and stick
and lower the tip towards your chin and out your tongue and lower
then lift it up towards your nose. Do three your tongue towards your
times. chin. Feel the stretch. Hold
for 3 seconds and relax.
_________TIMES _________TIMES

TONGUE 'N CHEEK
PUSH- RIGHT
Push your tongue tip against
the inside of your right cheek.
Hold for 3 seconds and relax.
_________TIMES
ROOF SCRAPE
Pretend you have peanut butter
stuck to the roof of your
mouth. Use your tongue to
scrape off the roof of your
mouth from front to back.
Scrape hard.
_________TIMES
TONGUE CIRCLE-
RIGHT
Move your tongue in a circle
around the outside of your
lips to the right three times.
Relax.
_________TIMES
TONGUE CIRCLE-
LEFT
Move your tongue in a circle
around the outside of your
lips to the left three times.
Relax.
_________TIMES
TONGUE PUSH
TONGUE 'N CHEEK PUSH- LEFT COMBO
Push your tongue tip against the inside of your Push your tongue tip against
your right cheek. Hold for 3
left cheek and hold for 3 seconds. Relax.
seconds. Then push your
tongue tip against your left
cheek and hold for 3
seconds and relax.
_________TIMES _________TIMES
TONGUE SWEEP
Clean your teeth by sweeping
along each of your upper
teeth.
_________TIMES
TUH-TUH-TUH
Put yout tongue tip on the
bump behind your top
teeth and make a /tuh/
sound three times. Relax.
_________TIMES
TUH-KUH KUH-KUH-KUH
Put your tongue tip on the bump behind your Place the back of your
top teeth and make a /tuh/ sound then place tongue against the roof of
the back of your tongue against the roof of your mouth and make a
your mouth and make a /KUH/ sound. Do this /KUH/ sound three times.
three times and relax.
_________TIMES _________TIMES