COMPONENT 4. CONTROLLING SPEAKING RATE

Rationale: Use of a slowed-speaking rate enhances the spacing and timing
of articulatory movement as well as the coordination and integration of
respiratory, phonatory and articulatory systems necessary for the 
production of fluent speech.

Research: 

Conture (1990)  - agrees that changes in speech production behaviors 
which are conductive at modifying the client's physical tension
and rates of production appropriate for their age should be
incorporated into the treatment plans for children who
stutter. 

Gregory and Hill (1980) - recommend the use of a slower rate with 
easy initiations and smooth movements through the utterance may
facilitate fluency development.  

Meyers and Woodford (1992) - incorporate the rule of "slow versus 
fast" in their fluency development program.  Stressing the importance
of conceptually-based therapy activities, children learn to experience
"slow versus fast" through motor, language, reading, and speech 
activities. 

Perkins (1986)  -stated that a reduced rate of speaking facilitated the
coordination of phonation with articulation while maintaining normal
prosody.  Perkins advocated rate reduction by use of a prolongation
tactic. 

Shine (1980) - discussed how reduced rate and intensity serve to modify
physiologic and aerodynamic speaking variables which are compatible 
with fluency and incompatible with stuttering. 

Wall and Meyers (1984)  - "Our experience is that the slow, normal 
rate of speech - perhaps incurring a simplification of motor 
timing - usually reduces the number of repetitions and prolongation 
of speech sounds."

Wall and Meyers (1984) - "The slower rate of speech is thought to 
give the child more time to make the complex, physiological 
adjustments required to synchronize the movements of the vocal 
tract."

Activities/Techniques:

 1. Introduce the concept of a reduced, controlled speaking rate by
    attaching a meaningful name to it.  "Turtle talk" and "slow, easy
    speech" are popular names.  "Slowed rate" and "slowed speech" are
    more appropriate for the older client.

 2. The clinician provides frequent models of reduced speaking rate.
    Emphasis is placed on smooth articulatory transitions, slightly
    prolonged consonants and vowels, and natural sounding intonation
    and stress patterns.

 3. The clinician can incorporate natural, language-based activities 
    which allow the client to experience fast and slow through body 
    movements, singing, coloring, writing, etc.  Compiling a 
    photo/picture album of fast and slow animals, and then imitating
    their body movements can be a fun learning experience for the 
    young child.  

 4. Playing "Traffic Cop" with young children is another way of  
    demonstrating the consequences of "going fast" (both in the car 
    and in one's speech).  The child can issue the people in his 
    environment tickets when they "speed in their speech", thus 
    incorporation the home environment in the therapy process. 

 5. A delayed auditory feedback (DAF) can be used to facilitate a 
    slowed rate of speech.  The client may begin at a very slow rate
    and gradually increase to a level reasonable for fluency.  The DAF
    is gradually faded and the slow rate is transferred to spontaneous
    speech.

 6. Gestural cueing may be used during structured and unstructured
    activities to facilitate increased awareness and control over 
    rate.