Accommodations for Students who Stutter…….
Stuttering occurs when there are disruptions in fluency or flow of speech. With slight accommodations for students who stutter, teachers can make them feel more comfortable in the education scene. When in class, it’s normal for students who stutter to feel nervous, embarrassed, and frustrated. They experience stress and emotional tension. When a teacher is confronted with such a student, they often don’t know what accommodations they can make in the classroom to help these students adapt to the learning culture by minimizing their difficulties and stress for talking. Not all students need these accommodations. It is perfectly acceptable to stutter and talk.
Tips for teachers to make accommodations for students who stutter
It’s imperative to provide your students, especially the ones with challenging communication difficulties all the necessary help and support they ask for. Start by having a one-on-one conversation with the student who stutters to respect their needs. To help teachers enhance the learning experience for these students, I have some tips to consider.
It’s advisable to not embarrass them in the question. Allow them time to speak. It shows the student it is acceptable to take their own time to complete a conversation without being rushed. Pause between phrases, stretch the vowels, and taking a break between the sentences often helps the person who stutters. However this is up the person and their speech pathologist. Don’t have a rushed or hurried conversation or presentation with a time crunch.
Remove time restrictions during oral classroom presentations for students who stutter. Score them based on the presentation and the content, it will give them the much-needed confidence for good overall communication. Allow private presentations with the teacher and student.
Always seem interested in the conversation and look face to face with the child. Keep that positive expression on your face and that will immediately reflect on the confidence of your student.
Classroom discussions can be quite tricky. It’s best to encourage taking turns during classroom discussions which directly lowers talking over one another.
Sometimes students who stutter don’t have the required confidence to do presentations, oral reports, read out loud, or answer questions. As a teacher, it’s imperative to build that confidence and make it comfortable for them. Talk with the students to understand what they are comfortable with, for some it could be going first, or some prefer waiting for their turn. While some need extensive practice sessions to ease up the presentations beforehand, others may need more time.
As a teacher, your negative reactions can have a long-lasting impact on these students. Avoid punishing, showing anger, or blaming the child. Instead, have the patience to let them complete their statements without rushing them through the conversation.
Teachers and parents have a responsibility to create an accommodative environment for students who stutter. It’s not something they should be ashamed of. It’s all about respecting their needs without enabling them.
For more information contact Lori@allislandspeech.com 516-776-0184
www.allislandspeech.com