This post was inspired by many concerned parents of teens who stutter and talking in class. It seems like there are more presentations expected of students these days. I cannot lie. It is embarrassing to talk differently than others in front of a class but it can be done. How do we know who is ready and who is not? I am going to start with a generic answer. Every student is different. These are my suggestions. I had to do them in school too. Some went better than others but honestly I was rarely graded for the amount of times I raised my hand. Not everyone is an extrovert. Any questions please email Lori@allislandspeech.com
Educate the teacher. I would not educate the whole administration. Only the teacher. It is their journey. Not everyone has to know their journey.
Have the student email and tell about themselves.
Send a handout on stuttering so they understand. Chances are the teacher has not met anyone else who stutters. (I have some if you need)
If your child is comfortable talking then let them do it.
If your child is being penalized for not raising their hand then set up a conference with the teacher. This I believe is wrong. There are many ways to see if a child knows the material. If it is a foreign language they can practice with a peer.
Seek the help of the speech pathologist or your outside therapist.
Help empower your children. We want them to be able to handle the challenges of every day life.
Seek outside help if they are struggling.
Wishing you all a good year.