The Stuttering Foundation has compiled an excellent list
called 7 tips for talking with your child. Let’s start with my number one suggestion,
which happens to be the first suggestion on the list, to improve fluency at
home:
. Reduce the pace. Speak with your child in an unhurried way, pausing frequently.
Wait a few seconds after your child finishes before you begin to speak. Your own easy relaxed speech will be far more
effective than any advice such as “slow down” or “try it again slowly.” For
some children, it is also helpful to introduce a more relaxed pace of life for
a while.
The Stuttering Foundation is a helpful resource for teachers
as well. Here’s what they recommend to
help teachers improve their student’s fluency:
1.
Don’t tell the child to slow down or “relax.” Be
patient and let her finish.
2.
Don’t complete words for the child or talk for
him or her. Once again, be patient and
let him finish.
3.
Help all members of the class learn to take
turns talking and listening. All children—especially those who stutter- find it
much easier to talk when there are few interruptions and they have the
listener’s attention.
4.
Expect the same quality and quantity of work
from the student who stutters as the one who doesn’t.
5.
Speak with the student in an unhurried way,
pausing frequently.
6.
Convey that you are listening to the content of
the message, no who it was said.
7.
Have a one-on-one conversation with the student
who stutters about needed accommodations in the classroom. Respect the
student’s needs but do not be enabling.
8.
Don’t make stuttering something to be ashamed
of. Talk about stuttering just like any other matter.
I would add a few more:
9.
Develop a system with the child who stutters, or
implement class-wide, to decide who gets to answer questions. Randomly calling on students can put them on
the spot and increase the likelihood of stuttering. This could be raising a
hand if they would like to be called on or walking around and tapping on the
arm to signal that the student will be next to answer.
10. To
improve fluency when reading aloud have small groups or pairs of children to
each other instead of to the entire class.
11. Teasing
is unacceptable classroom behavior. It’s best to deal with teasing swiftly,
whether a child who stutters is being teased or someone else.
12. Once
again, focus on the content, not delivery, of the response or comment from the
child who stutters (and all students) to positively reinforce respect in the
classroom.
Wishing you a happy and healthy week,
Elizabeth
