Top Tips if you speak and Clutter:

What is Cluttering?

Cluttering is when speech feels too fast, jumbled, or disorganized, making it hard for others to understand you. It’s not about being lazy — your brain is just working faster than your mouth!

Top Tips for Cluttering in Speech:

1️⃣ Increase Awareness First

• Many people who clutter aren’t fully aware of how their speech sounds to others.

• Recording their speech and listening back together can be a powerful tool.

• Teach them to self-monitor rate, clarity, and organization of thoughts.

2️⃣ Focus on Rate Control

• People who clutter often speak too fast for their brain to keep up with their mouth.

• Practice pausing between phrases.

• Use strategies like:

  • Tapping out syllables

  • Using a visual pacing guide (like tapping along to dots on paper)

  • Chunking thoughts into shorter phrases to say one idea at a time.

3️⃣ Work on Intelligibility (Clarity)

• If syllables are being dropped or sounds are blending together, work on:

  • Over-articulation exercises (exaggerating sounds to practice clear speech)

  • Practicing at a slower, deliberate rate.

  • Reading aloud at a comfortable pace to practice word-final sounds and complete sentences.

4️⃣ Structure and Organize Thoughts

• Cluttering can include disorganized language, where thoughts jump around and the message is hard to follow.

• Teach strategies like:

  • Outlining what they want to say before speaking.

  • Using a simple structure: beginning, middle, end.

  • Practicing storytelling or giving directions with clear, step-by-step speech.

5️⃣ Practice Conversational Turn-Taking

• Sometimes people who clutter jump in too fast or interrupt because their brain moves so fast.

• Practice pausing after a question and taking a breath before answering.

• Use scripts or role play conversations to practice natural flow.

6️⃣ Incorporate Visual and Tactile Cues

• Visual cues: Rate reminders on the wall like “Slow and Clear” or colored pacing charts.

• Tactile cues: Have them tap fingers for each syllable or use pacing boards for clear phrasing.

7️⃣ Emphasize Self-Advocacy

• People who clutter often don’t know how to explain it to others.

• Work on explaining cluttering to friends, teachers, or colleagues.

• Example: “Sometimes I talk too fast or my words jumble up. I’m working on slowing down so I’m clearer.”

8️⃣ Be Patient and Positive

• Cluttering is neurological, not laziness.

• Celebrate small wins and progress — even a small improvement in rate and clarity is worth praising.

• Build confidence and avoid constant correction (balance feedback with encouragement).

Please contact Lori@allislandspeech.com

For more info: www.allislandspeech.com

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