Stammering, also known as stuttering, is a stoppage in the flow of speech. Approximately 8% of children will stammer at some point with stammering typically emerging between the ages of 2 and 5 years as children are developing spoken language skills.1
Some children will naturally outgrow their stammer while others will need direct support from a speech and language therapist. Regardless of whether your child needs direct speech and language therapy input, there are things you can do at home and strategies that can be put in place at school to help your child speak more fluently.
How Can I Support My Child at Home?
Children who stammer will find fluent communication easier if their environment is calm and unhurried. You can create a calm, unhurried communication environment in your home by following these tips:
1. Slow Down Your Own Speech
Speaking in an unhurried way with frequent pauses in your speech will help your child feel calm and helps your child to use a decreased rate of speaking. This gives them more time to think about and formulate their response and supports fluent speech.
2. Limit the Number of Questions You Ask
Questions can feel like pressure for a child, and for a child who stammers pressure around communicating will increase their stammer. Whenever possible, comment instead of asking a question and if you do need to ask a question, be sure to ask it in an unhurried way and pause, giving your child ample time to answer.
3. Engage in Active Listening
When possible, stop what you are doing and face your child so they know you are listening to them and don’t feel rushed. Focus on your child’s message, not the stammer, and give natural eye contact and body language in response to their message.
4. Take Turns when Speaking
Make sure everyone has an equal, uninterrupted turn in the conversation.
5. Spend 5 Minutes a Day of Uninterrupted Time Together
Create a special time with just you and your child for 5 minutes every day where you can play and speak without interruption or thinking about the pressures of the day. Turn off the TV and put away your phone, and focus on the interaction with your child. Be sure to follow tips 1 through 4 to support your child’s fluent speech during your special time together.
How Can Teachers Support My Child at School?
1. Model a Calm, Unhurried Pace in the Classroom
As much as possible, maintain a calm atmosphere as this will help a student who stammers speak more fluently. Model a decreased speaking rate with pauses and try to keep students from calling out or shouting across the room. Try to ensure each student has an equal turn to participate without pressure to hurry or finish their turn quickly (and without pressure to participate verbally).
2. Offer Alternative Forms of Communication
Ensure there are ways a student who stammers can communicate in class that are non-verbal. For example, when taking register, make sure there is an option for students to raise their hands or place a card with their name on it in a specific location. This non-verbal option should be available for all students so the student who stammers does not feel singled out.
3. Limit Direct Questions
Questions can feel like pressure for a child, and for a child who stammers pressure around communicating will increase their stammer. Whenever possible, comment instead of asking a question and if you do need to ask a question, be sure to ask it in an unhurried way and pause, giving your student ample time to answer. If you are asking a question in front of the class, try to ask a question to which you think the student knows the answer.
4. Hands-Up
If a student who stammers puts their hand up in class, try not to keep them waiting long as this can increase their anxiety and make fluent speech more challenging once they are called on to speak.
5. Reading Out Loud
Reading out loud can be challenging for students who stammer. Ask the student if they would like to go first, as waiting for their turn may make them feel anxious. Or ask them to read together with another student which may take the pressure off them and make them feel more comfortable.
If you would like more information about stammering, see the South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy’s Information & Resources page or get in touch. Follow us on Facebook for more speech, language and feeding tips, and sign up for South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy’s newsletter if you would like new posts sent directly to your inbox.