20 SMART Goals for Lateral Lisp

Have you struggled with a lateral lisp for years? Do you feel stuck in your speech therapy progress? You are not the only one. Many people face this speech challenge every day. A lateral lisp happens when air escapes from the sides of your mouth during “s” and “z” sounds, making them sound wet or slushy.

The good news is that with clear goals and steady practice, you can make real progress. This post gives you 20 SMART goals – ones that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These goals will help guide your journey to clearer speech, whether you’re just starting out or have been working on your lateral lisp for a while.

SMART Goals for Lateral Lisp

Setting good goals is the first step to fixing a lateral lisp. Each goal below can help you focus on a specific part of your speech practice. Pick the ones that match where you are right now.

1. Complete Daily Tongue Position Practice

A lateral lisp starts with tongue placement. Your tongue needs to stay in the middle of your mouth, not touch your teeth or escape to the sides when making “s” sounds.

Try this: Set aside 5 minutes each day to practice the right tongue position. Place your tongue tip behind your top teeth without touching them. Make sure the sides of your tongue touch your upper molars. Practice holding this position for 10 seconds at a time, then rest. Do this 10 times each day for two weeks.

“I will practice the correct tongue position for ‘s’ sounds for 5 minutes daily. I’ll track my progress in a speech journal and note any improvements in how easy it feels to hold the position after two weeks.”

2. Master Single “S” Sound Production

Before working on words, start with just the sound itself. This builds the muscle memory you need.

Work on making a clean “s” sound by itself. Sit in front of a mirror for 10 minutes each day. Watch your tongue position as you make the “s” sound 50 times. Keep your tongue in the middle and make sure air flows down the center of your tongue, not the sides. Do this practice for one week and track how many times you get it right.

“I will practice making the ‘s’ sound correctly 50 times daily while watching in a mirror. I’ll count how many times I get it right each day and aim to improve my success rate by 15% within one week.”

3. Record and Analyze “S” Words Daily

Hearing yourself can help you catch mistakes you might miss. Plus, you can track your progress over time.

Record yourself saying a list of 20 “s” words each day. Listen to the recording and mark which words sound clear and which ones still have the lateral lisp. Try to increase the number of clear words by at least one each day. Keep this up for three weeks.

“I will record myself saying 20 ‘s’ words daily and listen for any lateral lisp errors. My goal is to increase my correct pronunciations by at least one word each day, reaching at least 15 clear words by the end of three weeks.”

4. Practice “S” Words in 3 Positions

The “s” sound can be harder or easier based on where it sits in a word. Some people find it easier at the end of words, while others do better with “s” at the start.

Create three lists: words with “s” at the beginning (sun, soap), middle (basket, messy), and end (bus, cats). Practice each list for 5 minutes every day. Keep track of which position is hardest for you and give it extra time. Work on this for two weeks.

“I will practice ‘s’ words in beginning, middle, and end positions for 15 minutes total each day. I’ll identify my weakest position by the end of week one and double my practice time for that position during week two.”

5. Complete “S-Blend” Word Drills

Blends are when “s” connects with other sounds like in “smile” or “fast.” These can be extra tricky with a lateral lisp.

Make a list of 15 words with “s” blends like “st”, “sp”, and “sk” (stop, speak, sky). Practice each word 5 times, twice a day. Ask someone to listen and tell you how many sound right. Try to reach 80% correct by the end of three weeks.

“I will practice 15 ‘s-blend’ words, 5 times each, twice daily for three weeks. I’ll have a friend check my speech once a week and aim to correctly pronounce at least 12 of the 15 words by the final week.”

6. Read Aloud for 10 Minutes Daily

Reading aloud helps you practice in a natural way. It moves your focus from single sounds to how you speak in general.

Choose books or articles with many “s” sounds. Read out loud for 10 minutes each day. Mark any words where you hear your lateral lisp. The next day, practice those words first before reading. Do this for one month and see if the number of marked words goes down.

“I will read aloud for 10 minutes daily, focusing on texts with many ‘s’ sounds. I’ll mark problem words and practice them separately. My goal is to reduce the number of difficult words by half within one month.”

7. Hold Five Successful Speech Practice Sessions Each Week

Regular practice is key to fixing any speech issue. But life gets busy, so having a set plan helps.

Schedule five 15-minute speech practice sessions each week. Pick days and times that work best for you and put them on your calendar. After each session, write down what you did and how it went. At the end of four weeks, look back and see if you can spot any patterns in your progress.

“I will complete five 15-minute speech practice sessions weekly for one month. I’ll log each session in my calendar and note what exercises worked best. By the end of the month, I’ll identify the three most effective exercises for my specific lateral lisp.”

8. Create and Learn a Personal Word List

We all have words we use often. Making those words clear should be a top goal.

Make a list of 25 “s” words you use most in your daily life. These might be for work, school, or talking with family. Practice these words for 10 minutes daily. Have someone listen to you say each word and mark the ones you say clearly. Try to master all 25 words within six weeks.

“I will practice my personal list of 25 common ‘s’ words for 10 minutes daily. I’ll have weekly check-ins with my speech partner and aim to pronounce all 25 words clearly by the end of six weeks.”

9. Increase Correct “S” Sound Usage in 3-Minute Conversations

Moving from practice to real talking is a big step. Short, planned talks can bridge the gap.

Have a 3-minute talk with a friend or family member about a simple topic. Ask them to count how many times you say the “s” sound correctly and how many times the lateral lisp comes through. Try to increase your correct percentage each week. Start with three talks per week for one month.

“I will have three 3-minute conversations weekly with my practice partner. During each talk, they’ll track my correct vs. incorrect ‘s’ sounds. My goal is to increase my accuracy from wherever I start to at least 70% by the end of one month.”

10. Complete a Daily Tongue-Strengthening Routine

Sometimes a lateral lisp happens because the tongue muscles aren’t strong enough to stay in the right spot.

Do a set of tongue exercises each day. Push your tongue against a spoon for 5 seconds, then rest. Do this 10 times. Then push your tongue against the roof of your mouth for 5 seconds, 10 times. Last, practice moving your tongue quickly from the roof of your mouth to behind your bottom teeth 20 times. Keep this up for three weeks.

“I will follow my daily tongue-strengthening routine with three different exercises for a total of 40 repetitions each day. I’ll note any changes in tongue control and strength after three weeks of consistent practice.”

11. Master “S” Sound in 10 Sentences

Single words are one thing, but full sentences test your skills in a different way.

Write 10 sentences that use “s” sounds often. For example: “Sally sells seashells by the seashore.” Record yourself saying each sentence. Listen for any lateral lisp sounds. Practice each sentence 5 times daily for two weeks. By the end, aim to say 8 out of 10 sentences with clear “s” sounds.

“I will practice 10 ‘s’-heavy sentences 5 times each per day. I’ll record myself weekly and have my speech therapist review my progress. My goal is to correctly pronounce at least 8 of these sentences by the end of two weeks.”

12. Use Speech Tools in Real Conversations

There are tricks speech therapists teach that help remind you about proper tongue placement.

Pick one speech tool, like touching your tongue to a specific spot before speaking, or taking a deep breath to prepare. Use this tool in at least three real conversations each day. Keep track of how often you use the tool and whether it helps you speak more clearly. Try this for two weeks.

“I will use my chosen speech tool in at least three daily conversations for two weeks. I’ll keep a small notebook to mark each time I use the tool and rate how helpful it was on a scale of 1-5. By week two, I’ll aim to find my tool helpful (4-5 rating) in most conversations.”

13. Reduce Lateral Lisp in Phone Calls

Phone calls can be hard because the person can’t see your face, so they rely only on how clear your speech sounds.

Make at least one phone call each day. Before calling, do a quick 2-minute practice of “s” sounds. During the call, speak slightly slower than normal and focus on clear “s” sounds. After each call, rate how well you think you did from 1-10. Try to improve your rating over three weeks.

“I will make one phone call daily after a brief ‘s’ sound warm-up. I’ll rate my speech clarity after each call and aim to feel confident (7+ rating) in my phone speech by the end of three weeks.”

14. Create a Progress Video Journal

Seeing and hearing your progress can be a huge boost when you hit rough patches.

Record a 1-minute video of yourself reading the same passage once a week. Watch the videos in order after four weeks. Look for signs of improvement in your “s” sounds. Note any patterns in your speech or times of day when your speech is clearer.

“I will record myself reading the same one-page passage every Monday for four weeks. I’ll watch all videos in sequence at the end of the month and identify at least three specific improvements in my ‘s’ sound production.”

15. Complete a Full Speech Therapy Program

Self-practice helps, but working with a pro can speed up progress.

Find a speech therapist who works with lateral lisps. Commit to a full program of at least 8 sessions. Do all the homework they assign between sessions. Keep a log of your practice time and what you work on. Stick with the program until your therapist notes clear progress.

“I will attend all 8 speech therapy sessions and complete 100% of my assigned homework. I’ll practice for at least 20 minutes 5 days a week and track my progress with my therapist. My goal is to reduce my lateral lisp by at least 50% by the final session.”

16. Build a Support Network

Having people who understand and support your speech goals can make a big difference.

Tell at least three close friends or family members about your goal to fix your lateral lisp. Ask them to gently point out when they hear it. Pick one person to be your main practice partner who will listen to you read aloud once a week. Build this support network within two weeks.

“I will create my speech support team of three people within two weeks. I’ll set up weekly 15-minute check-ins with my main practice partner and ask for specific feedback on my progress. I’ll use their input to adjust my practice plan each week.”

17. Track Daily “S” Sound Success Rate

Keeping score of your wins helps you see that you are making progress, even on hard days.

Get a small counter or use a tracking app on your phone. During one hour each day, count how many times you say an “s” sound correctly vs. with a lateral lisp. Calculate your success rate as a percentage. Try to increase this percentage over the course of one month.

“I will track my ‘s’ sound accuracy during one specific hour each day for one month. I’ll start by establishing my baseline percentage in week one, then aim to increase my accuracy by at least 5% each week thereafter.”

18. Reduce Speech Anxiety in Group Settings

Many people with a lateral lisp feel nervous speaking in groups, which can make the lisp worse.

Join a small group activity where you’ll need to speak, like a book club or study group. Before each meeting, do a 5-minute speech practice. During the meeting, speak at least three times. Rate your anxiety level before and after on a scale of 1-10. Try to lower your anxiety score over six weeks.

“I will attend my weekly group activity and speak up at least three times each session. I’ll track my pre- and post-speaking anxiety levels and use deep breathing techniques when needed. My goal is to reduce my pre-speaking anxiety from my initial level to 3 or below within six weeks.”

19. Master 5 Challenging Words Each Week

Some words with “s” sounds are harder than others. Tackling the tough ones head-on helps build skill.

Make a list of 25 words with “s” sounds that you find especially hard to say. Each week, focus on mastering 5 of these words. Practice each word 20 times a day. By the end of each week, you should be able to say all 5 words clearly at least 80% of the time.

“I will focus on 5 challenging ‘s’ words each week for five weeks. I’ll practice each word 20 times daily and test myself by saying each word 10 times at the end of the week. My goal is to pronounce each set of words correctly at least 8 out of 10 times before moving to the next set.”

20. Complete a Public Speaking Challenge

Once you’ve made good progress, test your skills in a bigger way to build confidence.

Prepare a 2-minute speech or presentation that includes at least 15 words with “s” sounds. Practice it daily for two weeks. Then give the speech to at least three people. Ask them to rate how clear your speech was on a scale of 1-10. Aim for an average score of 7 or higher.

“I will prepare and deliver a 2-minute speech to three listeners after two weeks of daily practice. I’ll include at least 15 ‘s’ words and ask for honest ratings of my clarity. My goal is to receive an average score of 7 or higher and feel confident in my speech delivery.”

Wrapping Up

Setting these SMART goals for your lateral lisp gives you a clear path forward. Each small win builds your confidence and brings you closer to clear speech. The key is to be patient with yourself and celebrate your progress along the way.

Start with just one or two goals that feel right for where you are now. As you gain skill and confidence, add more goals to your plan. Talk with a speech therapist if you can – they can help make these goals fit your exact needs even better.

With steady practice and the right goals, you can make real progress with your lateral lisp. Your hard work will pay off in clearer speech and greater confidence when talking with others.