What Are TH Words & Why Are They Important For Kids
When learning to speak, children have to master a number of different sounds to ensure they can communicate clearly and that their language develops correctly.
They will reach certain milestones during this process, learning the easier sounds first and working their way up to trickier ones. In particular, the TH sound is one of the very last they will learn.
This can make those pesky TH words harder for them in the early years. But what are TH words and why is it so important that your child learns to pronounce and use these correctly?
Well, that’s what we’re here to discuss in this comprehensive guide.
What are TH words?
TH words are those words that contain the ‘th’ sound. These can be pronounced in two different ways: voiced and voiceless.
The voiceless TH sound is a soft sound used in words like ‘think’ or ‘thin’. To make this sound, the tongue is placed between the teeth (are you doing it right now?), and there is no vibration from the vocal cords.
The voiced TH sound, on the other hand, is a stronger sound as in words like ‘this’ or ‘that’. Although the tongue is in a similar position, you can feel the vocal cords vibrate while making this sound.
As we said, these sounds can be some of the trickiest in the English language, especially for young children, but this is important as it appears in many common words.
Some more examples of TH words
By sharing some examples of the TH words we’re talking about, it’s easy to see just how common these words are in the English language. We’ll break these down into the two pronunciations mentioned above.
Examples of voiced TH words:
- The
- This
- That
- Those
- Though
- Brother
- Mother
- Together
- Weather
- Bother
- Smooth
- Soothe
- Breathe
Examples of voiceless TH words:
- Thumb
- Nothing
- Think
- Thin
- Path
- Bath
- Mouth
- Myth
- Throw
- Thunder
- Birthday
- Maths
- Earth
- Teeth
Why are TH words important for kids?
There are several key reasons why TH words are so important for kids and why it’s crucial they learn this sound correctly.
Speech development
Learning how to correctly pronounce the ‘TH’ sounds helps children articulate clearly and improves their overall speech. Unfortunately, mispronouncing this sound is a common issue for many kids, so mastering this tricky sound can help to reduce further speech errors.
Language proficiency
A lot of common English words like ‘the’, ‘this’, ‘teeth’ and ‘mother’ use the TH sound. These words are essential for constructing sentences and are commonly used in topics when speaking to children. For example, the word ‘the’ is actually the most common word in English.
As a result, children need to be able to correctly pronounce these words in order to be proficient in their language and to be able to communicate clearly.
Reading and spelling
Children who can recognise and correctly use the TH sound typically have an easier time learning to read, write and spell words that contain this sound. It also helps with decoding words when they are reading and understanding sentence structure.
Listening comprehension
It’s not all about speaking, and proper recognition of TH sounds can enhance a child’s ability to listen. It helps them to understand spoken language more effectively, especially in contexts like storytelling or conversation.
This makes it easier for them to understand what is said and to follow instructions.
Phonemic awareness
Another reason these words are important is for phonemic awareness. This is the ability to hear, identify and manipulate the sounds in words and proper pronunciation of TH sounds helps them to build these critical skills.
This is another skills that can give them a strong foundation for learning to read.
Common challenges kids face with TH words
The reason that you must place focus on these words is because this is one of the toughest sounds children will have to learn. Not only that, but lots of them will face common challenges, including:
Articulation issues
Children who struggle to pronounce this sound correctly can have bigger articulation issues.
In these cases, they may substitute ‘TH’ with other sounds. For example, saying ‘fink’ instead of ‘think’ or ‘dis’ instead of ‘this’. This can impact the clarity of speech and the ability of others to understand them.
Difficulty with placement
Another common problem is the precise placement of the tongue between the teeth. This can be physically challenging for some, especially for younger kids. But practicing this sound frequently and with guidance can help them overcome this hurdle.
This leads us nicely on to the final section of this guide.
Teaching kids how to pronounce TH sounds and words
The good news is that there are lots of ways that children can learn and master the TH sound, and parents, guardians, teachers and speech therapists can help them do this in several ways. If you’re concerned about your child’s speech development or you simply want to give them the best chance, here are some ways to support their learning.
Visual cues
Visualisation often makes things easier for young children, so take the opportunity to show them how to position their tongue between their teeth when saying TH words. You might find that using a mirror can help them visualise what their mouth is doing even further. Then, get them to regularly practise saying TH words and repeating those actions.
Sound isolation
You can help your child to practice TH sounds by isolating them in simple words like ‘the’ or ‘this’ before combining them with more complex language. This enables them to master the basics before moving on.
Games and repetition
Playing games that involve the child repeating TH words can make learning much more fun; games like memory cards or storytelling activities that use a lot of TH words. This repetition helps to solidify the sound and make learning more interactive and engaging.
Reading aloud
Finally, encouraging kids to read aloud can really help. Most books with naturally contain lots of TH words. However, looking for stories specifically that use this sound a lot can help reinforce pronunciation and fluency, books like ‘The Cat in The Hat’.
