Speech Sounds Acquisition Evaluated by Speech Sound Development Test (SSDT) in Turkish-Speaking Children

Abstract

The aim of this study is to provide normative data regarding the age of consonant-acquisition in normally developing children. A total of 753 children between 1 and 7 years of age were selected from seven different regions throughout Turkey. For 1-year old children, the spontaneous sound expressed (spontaneous speech) was recorded. The Speech Sound Development Test (SSDT) was applied to children within the age-range of 2-7 years old. Classifications of 'acquiring tested sound' and 'completing development' were based on 'pass criteria 75%' and 'criteria 90%', respectively. It was determined that children between 1 and 2 years of age acquired the sounds of /b, d infinity,tf,d,g,gamma,k,l,m,n,p,s, integral,t,j,z/, children at 3 years of age acquired the sounds of /h,f,v/, and children at 4 years of age acquired the sounds of /r,infinity/. However, it was revealed that the development of all sounds was being completed when the children were 5 or 6 years old.