Help Me Talk Right: How to Teach a Child to Say the "L" Sound in 15 Easy Lessons (1999). By Mirla G. Raz. Gersten Weitz Publishers, P.O. Box 5599, Scottsdale, AZ 85261-5599. 72-page workbook. Reviewed by Patricia Gust French, New Franken, WI.

Help Me Talk Right is a 94-page workbook of 15 easy lessons for teaching a child the correct production of "l." It is designed for children 4 years or older who do not use the "l" sound. It may be used in a school or clinical setting by the speech-language pathologist (SLP), speech-language pathology aide, paraprofessional, student clinicians, and parents. This material is designed for intervention with the child who is unable to lift his tongue into the correct "l" position. Supervision of non-SLPs is needed to ensure that the sound is being made correctly. This is recommended after completion of certain lessons.

The 15 lessons clearly identify the goals, materials needed, and lesson time. Worksheets are included with pictures of "l" words, as well as a Certificate of Achievement. Specific information is given on what to do in detailed steps. Practice session information is also included. Some lessons also contain trouble-shooting ideas for the child who has difficulty with the specific goal or transition to the next level. Lessons vary in length from 10 - 30 minutes.

This workbook is well organized and easy to understand. With some assistance from the SLP, it would seem to be appropriate for aides and parents to use the lessons. This would be a great way to involve parents in the learning process with their child if the child and parent are able to work together effectively. This would appear to be a time-saving material for the busy SLP, as it is clearly written and easy to follow. It would allow other staff to work with the child with minimal monitoring from the SLP, therefore providing the SLP time for other students.

I would recommend this workbook for the busy clinician, and someone looking for materials that can be used by parents and others. The author has provided clear, sequenced steps of meeting the goal of helping the child produce the "l" sound.