Minimal Opposition Contrast Therapy
Major focus area
Speech Therapy -> Phonology
Short description
A therapy method using the concept of distinctive features in which the SLP chooses word pairs that have target sounds that differ by one feature. Differences vary along two dimensions: 1) The number of unique features that differentiate between the two phonemes and 2) The nature of the features; major or nonmajor class features (Gierut, 1989).
Long description
A therapy method using the concept of distinctive features in which the SLP chooses word pairs that have target sounds that differ by one feature. Differences vary along two dimensions:
1) The number of unique features that differentiate between the two phonemes and
2) The nature of the features; major or nonmajor class features.
This approach is most appropriate for clients who are stimulable for the target sound.
How to choose target sounds:
1) Norm production and substitution(s) are analyzed.
2) Place, manner, and voicing features for both the target sound and substitution are considered and counted. For example: patient has f/v and d/v substitutions: f/v differ in voicing and d/v differ in manner and place.
3) The sound substitutions chosen should reflect the least number of differences in production features. Therefore, be f/v since they have only 1 production feature difference.
4) Age of the patient and developmental level of patient’s phonemic system. Example: t/s and p/b substitutions represent differences of one production feature. However, /b/ is earlier than /s/ so p/b contrast is the better choice.
5) Sound substitutions that affect the patient’s intelligibility most should have priority over those with little negative effect. This choice is primarily related to the frequency of occurrence of the two sounds.
6) Stimulable sounds have priority over those that are not stimulable. Example: 5:6 substitutions: w/r, th/s, th/z, d/j, t/ch, w/sh. Best selection of target sounds would be /th/ and /s/. Word choices are think-sink, thing-sing, or sick-thick. SLP can also use near-minimal pairs (words that differ by more than one phoneme and the vowel preceding or following the target sound remain constant in both words) sir-third, thorn-sore.
Method:
1) Discussion of words
2) Discrimination testing/training
3) Imitation/Production Training
4) Carryover Training
(Gierut, 1989)