Need help with pronouncing "ch" and "sh"

[doogleface]

I have had trouble with my "ch" and "sh" sounds my entire life. I want to fix this problem now once and for all, so I need some help. Often, when I try pronouncing the hard "ch" sound (as in chicken) or the "sh" sound (as in shirt), I end up producing a slurred or slushy sound. I would specifically like to know what the tongue is doing when one makes those sounds, how open the mouth should be on the inside, and what the lips are doing. My hard "ch" usually sounds like a hard g, as in the word age. Thanks for any advice and please be as specific as possible

[Soup]

Would the Sounds of English help? (Click on the link)

[doogleface]

perfect. thank you, I've been looking all over for a site like that.

[doogleface]

Actually, one more question. The "ch" and "j" sounds make sense on that site, but I couldn't quite understand the tongue placement on the "sh" sound at this link. Sounds of English does the tongue go flat on "sh" sounds? I'm not exactly sure what "putting your tongue in the middle of your mouth, scrunched up towards the back of your mouth" means.

[Soup]

Originally Posted by doogleface

... I couldn't quite understand the tongue placement on the "sh" sound

Try this: relax your tongue, lay it flat and force the sides of your tongue against the sides of your upper teeth. Practise "sheep", "she", "shall", "shout", "shun", "shin".

Let me know how it goes. In the meantime, I'll look for a diagram for you.

[Soup]

I haven't yet been able to find a diagram, but I did come across this explanation for "sh" while searching under speech pathology/ therapy:

The "Sh" Sound
This sound is called the "be quiet" sound. The sides of the tongue touch the upper teeth. The tongue is flat and is up towards the top of the mouth, round the lips and lightly blow air over the top of the tongue. There is no voice when making this sound, just air.

Speech Therapy Activities: Articulation

Also, sounds that have air that continues out, (s, sh, f) are easier if you start with syllables and words that have those sounds at the end;e.g., ash, ish, osh, ush, esh.

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Click on the link to read about and see pictures of articulation gymnastics Speech Therapy - Clear Speech. Speech Language Pathologist/Voice Specialist

[doogleface]

Thank you so much, that helped quite a bit. With some practice I'll have this problem of 19 years fixed in no time! You're a savior, soup.