Using a Reading Bucket Activity in School-Age Stuttering Therapy

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Re: Reading Bucket

From: K. Chmela
Date: 13 Oct 2009
Time: 16:42:11 -0500
Remote Name: 72.54.34.133

Comments

Hi Ken, Thanks for the question. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I wish we didn't have any "names" for the things we try to get individuals to "do." I think sometimes it confuses clinicians (What should I have them do?) and clients (I know what to "do" but I don't do "it"). Dr. Gregory always stressed to me when I was Mrs. Gregory's client as a late teen that the goal is really to be the kind of communicator that you want to be. And, that better than average is a good goal to have. When discussing this concept with adults, I like to talk with them about the kinds of things that happen when communication is not progressing in a manner they are comfortable with, and the kinds of language we can use to describe those moments. Then we talk about various ways to create a very close relationship with our own speech mechanism, and what we feel, hear, and experience when we are doing things to interfere with it. We talk about ways to initiate speech that create no tension (such as easier approach and continuous phonation) and ways to change tension when it happens. I talk with them frequently about not only sensing when the tension moves beyond what is workable for the mechanism, but also the importance of stopping and most of all waiting. I think the wait is one of the hardest things for people to do. Once we work on various aspects of altering moments of communication we just talk. We have conversations and I recognize what their body is gravitating towards that is making sense. We FlipVideo conversations and then give the client instant feedback. We both comment on paper aspects of either fluency shaping or modifying stuttering that were successful and quite natural. We continue to practice and give feedback for those things that are most helpful. Sorry for this long response!


Last changed: 10/13/09