Been There - Done That;-) -- Ideas To Talk About When Speaking To Classes About Stuttering
Others are invited to add to this page by sending their ideas to Judy Kuster
Questions Frequently Asked By Students When A Person Who Stutters Comes To Talk In Their Class by Steve Hood (posted to Stutt-X, September 22, 2000
- In your own case, what do you think are some of the things that
might have caused your stuttering in the first place.?
- What are some of the factors that you think keep your stuttering
going, that are maintaining the problem?
- What kinds of therapy have you had in the past?
- What are your thoughts on self-help/support groups such as the
National Stuttering Association?
- What are some of the things you do to postpone and avoid stuttering?
- What kinds of things to listeners do that you find NOT
helpful?
- What kinds of things can listeners do that you
find are helpful for you?
- What specific things are you working on currently, to improve your talking?
- Tell us some of the things that you think WE, as future clinicians,
should know about the DISORDER stuttering.
- Tell us some of the things you think we should know about PEOPLE who stutter.
Emphasize The Aspects Of Stuttering That They Can't See by Marty Jezer. Posted to Stutt-X September 22, 2000
For many student SLPs you will be the first person who stutters they'll have ever talked to. We're all different with different experiences to talk about. When I do this speaking gig, I emphasize the aspects of stuttering that they can't see.
- That in addition to the overt acts of stuttering, there are the
hidden aspects; the feelings of shame, the avoidance
techniques, the denial, the fear of stuttering in public. I emphasize
that these issues need to be addressed just
as much as the overt acts.
- Therapy should help us become effective communications rather than
perfectly fluent. If perfection is the goal, every time
we stutter, we fail.
- SLPs have to treat the whole person, not just the overt
manifestations of disfluency. Some of us will need help with
our social skills; some will need encouragement just to talk.
- Stuttering is not a psychological disorder (though, as I like to
say, anyone who stutters and does not have psychological problems as a
result, is probably crazy. i.e., we don't stutter because we're
neurotic (as the nutty Freudians long insisted), but we may be a little
neurotic because we stutter.
- SLPs need to take counseling courses, preferably courses associated
with communication disorders.
Mainly, just enjoy your role as teacher. And don't be afraid to show
your stutter.
added September 22, 2000