Should I Tell Them or Should I Be Cool?

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Re: class presentations on stuttering

From: Anita
Date: 18 Oct 2007
Time: 16:17:36 -0500
Remote Name: 193.14.254.30

Comments

Hi Sarah. You bet I hated presentations, but I had to do them anyway. One teacher forced me to do my homework tests orally, in front of the class. Only me, the others could do it sitting down... And even as an adult, in Swedish class, I once had an oral examination which I spent a lot of time on and it went really well, although it took ages, as I had a real bad stutter. She praised me and my work. Than the told me she had to lower my grade, as it was outside the time range... I was taught not to talk about stuttering, so I didn't. Even the word itself was loaded. But a few years ago I went back to school and there the support I got was enormous, both from my classmated and from teachers. But, as I replied to previous questions, its important to talk to the child/student to see what he/she wants. But don't let them get away with not saying anything at all! Try to entice the child to expend it's comfort zones, baby steps at a time. And cheer when it goes well. Note, not referring to the amount of fluency, but the act itself. And please read my earlier replies to other questions, where I give some examples on how to bring stuttering in the classroom, maybe together with another PWS, or SLP. For as soon as stuttering is not being "hushed up" anymore, people have easier to accept it. Turn stuttering into something cool instead. Something you're the expert at. As stuttering is not something we ARE, just something we DO. Now about your question when it's the right time to do this, well, that depends on the child. And please do engage the parents and the teachers in this process, but always in consultation with the child and never against it's will! As soon as stuttering is out in the open and questions are being answered, it's nothing particular anymore and people will focus on other things. Also the bullies will move on, as it's not interesting to bully someone who's accepted by the rest of the class. So open up the issue, maybe together with other disabilities and move on. Don't make it to big a thing. We have enough other qualities to show instead. :-) Keep talking. Anita


Last changed: 10/22/07