Stuttering and Concomitant Reading Problems

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Re: Reading a key to fluency

From: Pete Smith
Date: 10/16/00
Time: 11:34:55 AM
Remote Name: 198.110.207.46

Comments

Hi Judy. I really don't have any experience with reading in the sense that you are asking the question. Any time I use reading I'm usually using it as a tool to work with various aspects of motor planning, fluency shaping, or for some other purpose than "reading" in the sense of gaining meaning from print. My masters thesis - before the dawn of light bulbs - was on stutterer's perceptions of listeners and the impace this might have on fluency. My feeling was that stutterers were their own worst enemies in the sense that they might stutter even when alone if they expected someone might be listening or if they themselves were listening critically. I think this might also be the case during reading. It probably isn't the reading that makes the difference but the "mental set" or expectations surrounding the reading situation. With little kids I used reading in a "going to the gym" sense (i.e., it's good drill and sometimes it has some modeling benefits, relationship development when parents helps, etc.). Hope this response doesn't just muddy the water. Pete


Last changed: September 12, 2005