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Are you a speech therapist or parent looking for final ST words for speech therapy to practice with your child or student? Then this blog is just what you need! It has a word list of 85 final ST words that will help strengthen your child or student’s /st/ sound.

In my speech therapy sessions, I’ve seen that mastering consonants in final positions, especially sounds like “ST” is a common challenge for many individuals. As speech-language pathologists, we recognize the importance of addressing these specific speech difficulties. Final “ST” words require precise coordination of the tongue, lips, and breath. Improper articulation may lead to misunderstandings and can hinder effective communication.

In speech therapy, various intervention techniques are employed to help individuals produce these sounds correctly and consistently. These techniques involve strategic exercises, engaging activities, and sometimes, the use of technology to maintain motivation and track progress.

In this post, we will cover the importance of final consonants, as well as effective therapeutic strategies, activities and materials to use when practicing final ST in your speech therapy sessions.

To make your planning easier, we have provided 25 final ST Flashcards, as well as a word list of 20 common final ST words at the word, phrase and sentence level!

Key Takeaways

Understanding the correct articulation of final “ST” words to enhance clarity of speech.
A range of strategies and activities to help individuals practice and generalize the “ST” sound.
Materials and resources to ensure the transfer of correct “ST” articulation from therapy sessions to daily communication.

Understanding Final Consonants

The importance of final consonants in the English speech is a crucial component for clear articulation and proper language development. Let’s explore the specifics of this.

Phonological Processes

Phonological processes are patterns of sound errors that children use when learning to speak. One common process is the phonological process of final consonant deletion, where a child might omit the final sounds of words. This is a natural part of speech development but can persist as a phonological disorder if not corrected by a certain age.

Normal age for outgrowing final consonant deletion: by 3-4 years
Impact on understanding: can lead to misunderstandings if persists

Articulation of Final Sounds

Proper articulation of final sounds, particularly in consonant clusters, is key to clear speech. These clusters occur when two or more consonants are positioned together at the end of a word.

Complexity increases with more consonants: “past” vs. “pests”
Common final consonants: /t/, /k/, /n/, /m/, /s/

To master these, children must learn to coordinate a complex series of movements that may require speech therapy, especially if these sounds are persistently omitted or substituted as with consonant cluster reduction.

Impact on Language Development

Final consonants and sounds play significant roles in the morphological makeup of English. Failure to pronounce final sounds correctly can lead to deficits in both expressive and receptive language abilities.

Example of Expressive impact: “cat” may be misheard as “cap”
Receptive challenges: Difficulty in distinguishing between words like “hide” and “high”

Mastering these sounds ensures that our language development progresses normally and allows for the clear communication of complex ideas and tenses, such as pluralization or past tense.

Effective Speech Therapy Strategies

In our practice, we focus on concise, targeted interventions that address the specific challenges of each individual. Our strategies are designed to enhance language skills through consistent speech therapy sessions.

Using Minimal Pairs

Utilizing minimal pairs is a core part of our therapy. These are pairs of words where only the final consonant differs, highlighting the distinction between sounds.

Minimal Pair Examples:
- bust / bus
- mist / miss

Children practice these pairs, learning to differentiate and correctly produce the final consonant sounds.

Incorporating Phonological Approaches

Our phonological approaches, like the cycles approach, are structured and sequential.

Procedure:
- Identify phonological patterns.
- Target one pattern at a time.

This approach rotates through patterns to ensure all necessary skills are covered without overwhelming the child.

Targeting Final Consonant Sounds

When we work on final consonant sounds, we emphasize accuracy and clarity. We create a word list of target words that feature a variety of final consonants. For example:

List: nest, fast, test, dust, lost
Drills: We practice these ST final position words in repetition to build muscle memory.

Speech- language pathologists use effective techniques when targeting final ST articulation practice. Flashcards are a great way to drill and practice ST articulation. To make your speech therapy sessions easier, we have created 25 Final ST flashcards to practice ST articulation at word level, phrase level and sentence level.

<< 25 FINAL ST DIGITAL FLASHCARDS HERE >>

Target Words

Here’s a list of 85 final ST articulation sounds for you to use in therapy or at home practice to work on your student or child’s new skill.

1 Syllable: list, east, best, lost, rest, past, fast, post, test, west, Christ, nest, mist, trust, beast, last, first, rust, blast, ghost, quest, cost, cast, chest, dust, twist, worst, wrist, pest, vest, moist, most, frost, guest, coast, feast, must, priest, thirst, host, just, zest, crust, burst, toast, roast, waist, fist boost
2 Syllable: August, forest, artist, biggest, dentist, breakfast, honest, against, contest, fastest, playlist, protest, harvest, greatest, playlist, kindest, exist, checklist, resist, request, chemist, almost, disgust, closest, midwest, Everest, florist, tourist, longest
3 Syllable: interest, rainforest, scientist, lyricist, activist, dearest, pianist

Final ST Words Speech Therapy

1 Syllable	2 Syllable	3 Syllable
list	August	interest
east	forest	rainforest
best	artist	scientist
lost	biggest	lyricist
rest	dentist	activist
past	breakfast	dearest
fast	honest	pianist
post	against
test	contest
west	fastest
Christ	playlist
nest	protest
mist	harvest
trust	greatest
beast	playlist
last	kindest
first	exist
rust	checklist
blast	resist
ghost	request
quest	chemist
cost	almost
cast	disgust
chest	closest
dust	midwest
twist	Everest
worst	florist
wrist	tourist
pest	longest
vest
moist
most
frost
guest
coast
feast
must
priest
thirst
host
just
zest
crust
burst
toast
roast
waist
fist
boost

Short Sentences or Phrases

When working on final ST sound production, it’s important to work on short phrases once your child or student has mastered the sound at the word level at or near 80% or higher accuracy.

Here is a list of final ST word phrases to try:

Final ST Words Speech Therapy in Phrases

1 Syllable	2 Syllable	3 Syllable
grocery list	month of August	has an interest
rises in the east	hike in the forest	go to the rainforest
best friend	is an artist	wants to be a scientist
lost keys	biggest tree	is a lyricist
take a rest	at the dentist	interviews the activist
in the past	ate breakfast	dearest grandma
fast car	honest kid	she is a pianist
post office	leans against
take a test	won the contest
sets in the west	fastest cheetah
bird nest	adds to the playlist
mist over the water	at a protest
trust me	fall harvest
large beast	greatest idea
last place	kindest eyes
first in line	exist in the ocean
rust on the car	makes a checklist
big blast	resist the urge
ghost stories	request a refund
on a quest	is a chemist
cost a lot	almost over
in a cast	feels disgust
chest bone	closest friend
dust the shelf	live in the midwest
twist her hair	Mount Everest
worst case	is a florist
hurt her wrist	sees a tourist
pest control	longest trip
puffy vest
moist air
most people
frost on the grass
guest house
on the coast
have a feast
must see
priest stands at the front
feels thirst
host the dinner
just in case
lemon zest
pizza crust
burst of energy
toast and jelly
roast chicken
do not fit her waist
hand in a fist
give a boost

Sentence Level: Final ST Words Speech Therapy

The next step after working at the word and phrase levels is to work on the final ST sound at the sentence level.

For example, you could give your child or student a list of sentences to read aloud while they work on their final ST sound.

Another idea would be to give your child or student pictures with their final ST sound in them and then have them create a sentence about those pictures.

Below is a list of sentences to use with your child or students.

Final ST Words Speech Therapy in Sentences

1 Syllable	2 Syllable	3 Syllable
She checked her grocery list.	It is the month of August.	She has an interest in horses.
The sun rises in the east.	They go on a hike in the forest.	They go to the rainforest.
This is my best friend.	She is an artist.	He wants to be a scientist.
He lost the keys.	That is the biggest tree in the yard.	She is a lyricist.
You can take a rest.	I am at the dentist.	She interviews the activist for the news.
He forgot his past.	They ate breakfast together.	My dearest grandma is arriving today.
That is a fast car.	He is an honest kid.	My sister is a pianist.
I will take it to the post office.	He leans against his car.
They take a test.	She won the contest.
The sun sets in the west.	That is the fastest cheetah.
The bird makes a nest.	He adds the song to the playlist.
There is a mist over the water.	They are at a protest.
You can trust me.	We are at a fall harvest festival.
There was a large beast.	He thinks he has the greatest idea.
He came in last place.	She has the kindest eyes.
He is first in line.	Cool fish exist in the ocean.
There is rust on the car.	She makes a checklist.
The rocket sent out a big blast.	He will resist the urge.
They told ghost stories.	They request a refund.
They are on a quest.	He is a chemist.
The trip cost a lot.	I am almost over.
Her foot is in a cast.	He feels disgust.
She hurt her chest bone.	She is my closest friend.
There is dust on the shelf.	They live in the midwest.
She will twist her hair up.	They climb Mount Everest.
This is the worst case scenario.	She is a florist.
She hurt her wrist.	He sees a tourist.
They need pest control for ants.	This is the longest trip I have been on.
He wears a puffy vest.
The moist air felt thick.
Most people order the chicken dinner.
There is frost on the grass.
I stayed in the guest house.
We live on the coast.
They will have a feast to celebrate.
The view is a must see.
The priest stands at the front.
The hard work had given him a thirst.
I will host the dinner.
I will go just in case I am needed.
I added lemon zest to the bread.
I ate the pizza crust.
The dog had a burst of energy.
I ate toast and jelly.
I will roast chicken for dinner.
The pants do not fit her waist.
I put my hand in a fist.
The caffeine will give them a boost of energy.

Therapeutic Activities and Materials

In my speech therapy sessions, I was always on the hunt for multifaceted therapeutic activities and materials. When finding materials, we want to make sure our students are engaged and making progress.

Below, we cover some effective ways to ensure engagement and progress, as well as free resources to use in your therapy sessions!

Games and Engagement

One of the best tools in our kit are card games designed specifically to target final ST blends. When playing these games, we often incorporate common token symbols for producing the correct articulation.

Boom cards, an interactive digital resource, also play an essential role in our game-based learning. They are perfect for keeping sessions fresh and engaging.

Here are some of our favorite free ST Articulation Games!

FREE Speech Therapy Game – Articulation S Blends by The Elementary SLP – Kelly Workman is a versatile playing card game that has a large variety of s-blend words. This articulation game from one of the top tpt sellers is an easy way to practice ST articulation with your elementary and middle school students!
Speech Therapy Articulation Game for S blends | Rock Paper Scissors by Activity Tailor is a fun way to practice correct production of ST and other s blend sound words. This is a comprehensive k-12 product that should definitely be added to your lesson plans!
FREE! Articulation /S/ Blend Board Game by Vivi Speech is an interactive game that is a fun and simple way to practice ST articulation! You can customize this board with new words.
Digital Phonics Practice | Google™ Slides | Final S Blends Game by Hilary Statum – Pigtails to Pencils is a great way to practice S blends at the end of words! If you don’t have enough time to prep other materials, this is a fun activity to simply pull up on google slides that can be used for group or independent work.

Worksheets and Printables

When it comes to practice and preparation, we value the structured approach that articulation worksheets provide. ST articulation worksheets can be used to set the foundation for successful articulation practice.

Here’s a brief overview of the types of worksheets we could use:

Prep Worksheets: These are essential for introducing the concept of s blends and final blends, laying out simple exercises that aid in familiarization.
Articulation Worksheets: Designed with increasing levels of difficulty, these worksheets not only include final ST words but also incorporate a broader range of final blends to solidify understanding and usage.

We’ve found that a combination of these resources greatly benefits our clients, providing a comprehensive approach to mastering final ST words in speech therapy.

Here are some highly rated Final ST Articulation Worksheets!

FREE Medial & Final S Blends Drill Worksheet by The Speech Spot Creations offers great practice for s blends at the final position! This is a highly rated s-blend worksheet that is print and go.
Picture Search: Final S Blends (-st, -sp, -sk) by Speech with Shae is simple way to practice s blends, including ST, with your students. This material is great for high school students as well as middle school. This worksheet is also great for independent practice!
Uncover the Best 7 Ending Blends Activities for Word Work -FREE! By Primarily Learning are highly rated s blend worksheets that practice final consonant blend sounds. These are print and go!

Curated Word Lists and Flash Cards

Above you will find we have compiled a list of 85 Final ST Words. A word list like this is crucial for effective articulation therapy.

We have also provided flashcards to practice ST in the final position. Many speech-language pathologists have used flashcards to practice target words in the speech therapy sessions and have seen the success in them.

We want to make your therapy room activities fun and easy, so feel free to check our our s blends word lists and flash cards!

Digital Tools and Platforms

We should also prioritize incorporating the latest in digital resources to aid SLPs and educators:

Resource Types: Our digital tools include interactive games, assessments, and data tracking systems to measure student progress.
Access Anywhere: Educators and SLPs can access our digital platform using the latest browsers, ensuring smooth operation whether you’re using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge.

Here are some of our favorite digital resources to practice Final ST!

Digital Articulation Memory Match Game for Speech on an iPad or in Teletherapy by Simply Speaking SLP is a highly rated interactive game with s blends. Have students play a memory card game on their ipad/tablets and practice s blend words!
Feed The Shark ST by PinkCat Games is a fun and interactive way to practice final st digitally with your students!

Supporting a Range of Learners

In speech therapy, we recognize that students of varying ages and abilities require tailored approaches to learning, especially when mastering final “ST” words. This is why we focus on creating adaptable strategies for young children and specialized considerations for those in special education to ensure effective learning and skill development.

Adaptations for Younger Students

For younger students, early intervention using simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words that end in “ST” is key to building phonemic awareness. It’s imperative we provide:

Visual aids: Using colorful pictures and flashcards can help to associate the sound with common objects.
Repetition and consistency: Repeating words such as “nest,” “rest,” or “best” in various playful contexts reinforces their learning.

Occupational therapy may parallel our efforts by involving sensorimotor activities that enhance the kinesthetic learning of speech sounds. This multidisciplinary approach often benefits young children immensely.

Considerations for Special Education

Students within special education often face unique challenges when it comes to speech development. Our goal is to:

Assess and address individual needs: Identify specific areas of difficulty with speech sounds and customize our strategies to meet these needs.
Use multi-sensory techniques: Integrating sight, sound, and touch to learn final “ST” words can significantly aid in the retention and articulation for these learners.

By always considering the individual learner’s needs and strengths, we cultivate an inclusive learning environment that supports all students in their journey towards clearer speech.

In Conclusion: final ST Words Speech Therapy

We hope you have found this article helpful for working on your child or student’s final ST sound.

Be sure to grab your freebie of 20 words to start practicing 5 minutes a day!

<< Fill out the Form Below to Grab your Free Final ST Words Lists! >>

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we address common inquiries about materials and methods for helping clients with final /st/ blends in speech therapy.

What resources can I find for working with clients on final /st/ blends in therapy?

We recommend a variety of resources including speech pathology websites, educational marketplaces with speech therapist-created materials, and apps specifically tailored for articulation practice that include final /st/ blends.

Can you recommend effective strategies for teaching ST final blend words?

We find that repetition, auditory discrimination activities, and engaging motor-planning techniques are highly effective. Incorporating visual aids and tactile feedback can also significantly enhance a client’s ability to master ST final blend words.

Where can I obtain printable worksheets targeting final /st/ words for speech therapy?

Printable worksheets are available through educational websites that specialize in speech therapy materials. Many offer free downloads as well as comprehensive packets for purchase.

Which examples of final /st/ words are most beneficial for articulation practice?

Some beneficial final /st/ words that we include in practice are “toast,” “dust,” “lost,” and “ghost.” These words vary in complexity and can be useful in progressive articulation exercises.

How do I differentiate between strategies for final /st/ words and SP words in therapy?

For final /st/ words, we focus on the position and tension of the tongue at the alveolar ridge, whereas SP words may require differing tongue placement and airflow strategies.

Are there downloadable PDF guides for final /st/ word practice in speech therapy sessions?

Yes, downloadable PDFs can be found on a number of speech therapy resource websites. These guides often include word lists, activities, and progress tracking tools for final /st/ words.

85 Final ST Words for Speech Therapy (Word Blends Lists)