192. Are Final Clusters the Overlooked Key to Greater Speech and Language Gains?
If you work with children with speech sound disorders, this episode is a must-listen. We’re diving into cutting-edge research on final consonant clusters—a treatment target that has been largely overlooked but may unlock powerful generalization gains. For decades, evidence has shown that choosing complex targets leads to greater overall progress. Now, new research suggests that working on final 3-element clusters may be just as effective—and possibly more efficient—than the traditional initial cluster approach. In this episode, I’ll break down:
✅ Why marked forms (like /skr/) accelerate progress more than unmarked forms
✅ What makes final clusters uniquely complex (morphological load, rarity, later acquisition)
✅ Key takeaways from a 2025 study on final clusters in intervention (8 children, 6 weeks, medium effect sizes)
✅ Practical strategies you can implement tomorrow on your back porch
✅ Why efficiency matters: getting gains in speech and language when time is limited.
I’ll also share how to structure practice (limited exemplars, high repetitions, removing models for self-driven motor planning) so you can maximize impact. Don’t wait 17 years for research to trickle into practice—try this approach now.
🎁FREE Resource: Download your Final Cluster Homework Flip Book here: 👉 http://www.kellyvess.com/finalcluster
✨ Want weekly ready-to-go resources? Join the SIS Membership today and get instant access to: Theme-based movement + literacy activities Weekly treatment targets (including complex clusters + paragraphs) Parent + teletherapy Google Slides decks A full treatment target library
👉 https://www.kellyvess.com/sis
Source: Potapova, I., John, A., Pruitt-Lord, S., & Barlow, J. (2025). Extending complexity to word-final position via telepractice: Intervention effects for English-speaking children with speech sound disorder. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 56(1), 42–57. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_lshss-24-00020
