Learn by distinctive features - an articulatory or acoustic parameter whose presence or absence defines a phoneme. For example, children first learn the difference between vowels and consonants. The therapy process can only provide opportunity for the child to activate his innate knowledge. Must be aware of the order of acquisition because the learning sequence may reflect a dependent relationship between earlier and later developing sounds. The normally developing child attempts to reproduce the adult model, but because of immature motor abilities, the productions are simplified.
Phonological processes simplify sound productions and produce a reduced set of phonemes.
Suppression of a process so that it becomes nonexistent 2. Limitation of the contexts to which the process applies. Task is to determine the processes that operate in the child's disordered speech. Work toward eliminating them - practice adult system. Prosodic theory Holds that children initially perceive adult speech in terms of whole units of meaning rather than individual phonemes.