Working in colleges with students who stammer.
Stammering is a low incidence, high need speech, language and
communication disorder (SCLN). Stammering speech is characterized by
prolongations, repetitions of sounds or speech blocks with possible
associated facial movements or gestures. It affects about 5% of children at
the pre-school stage, and is most responsive at that time to intervention: for
1% of children stammering will continue into adulthood. By the time pupils
who stammer reach secondary school, the difficulties they are experiencing
are more firmly entrenched and are increasingly resistant to change. Unlike in
pre-school children, fluency may no longer be an attainable goal. At this
sensitive adolescent stage, it is even more important that the student feels
supported by all staff. It is four times more common in boys than girls. In
a large lecture group it is quite likely that someone stammers and needs
your support.
What causes stammering?
There is no single cause of stammering, there is no single or definite cure and
there is no single best strategy for supporting students. People who stammer
have the same range of personality and intellectual traits as those who
do not, although there are suggestions in the research that they may be
more sensitive than is the norm Current research indicates that the cause
of stammering has a physiological basis in the brain structure.
How does stammering affect learning?
Students who stammer are likely to feel a range of emotions about their verbal
communications, including, frustration, embarrassment, anger and these
feelings may vary over time and context. Sometimes these feelings are
hidden and may be acted out in behaviours that are attention seeking,
challenging, disruptive, or their opposite, withdrawn and passive.
Students may be withdrawn and not contribute to sessions as much as they
want to .An incorrect answer may be knowingly offered, rather than risk
stammering. Strategies, such as coughing, blushing, dropping a book,
giggling, pretending not to hear or even causing a distraction to get out of
answering, are common.
Students may avoid modules that interest them, and within which they
may do especially well, due to an assessment pattern that relies on
verbal fluency. They may fear the ridicule and ‘name-calling’ that they
probably experienced as a child.
Students may look away, or close their eyes when talking as it helps them to
avoid seeing reactions in the listener they may imagine but do not want to
see, like embarrassment. This may be interpreted as rudeness, indifference or
shiftiness and cause misunderstandings, particularly in assessment or
interview situations,
Students, who are able, with a good vocabulary, may resort to circumlocution,
talking around the subject, so that meaning is hard to discern. Others may
offer an inappropriate monosyllabic reply, rather than talk for any longer
period. They also may be so anxious to have their say, when they know that
they can get the words out, that they do so without considering whether it is
appropriate to speak at that point. This may appear as rudeness to the
listener.
Students may excessively use filler words and phrases like' y'know', 'right',
'kind of/sort of' etc. Shrugs or other facial or bodily gestures may be
substituted for words, or used as if to 'push out' the words.
Words may be changed round, or a word that seems easier to say substituted
for a difficult word, even if the meaning is changed.
Students may actually feign illness to avoid situations that require verbal
assessments.
Simple strategies of teaching and assessments to support a student
who stammers
In a class or lecture
Negotiate with the student strategies that are helpful for him, in advance of
beginning lectures or practical workshops, Consider agreeing with the student
a signal that can be used to communicate to the tutor that he wants to say
something.
If everyone in the group is expected to talk or comment at some stage in a
session find out at what point the student who stammers prefers to make a
contribution. Some students prefer to be left to the end,while for others it just
prolongs the time during which anxiety will increase and they prefer to be
asked at the start or middle of the session..
Accommodate contributions to class discussions that may be given at slightly
inappropriate times or that interrupt the flow of discussion The student that
stammers may have been trying for some time make the contribution.
In assessed oral presentations
When presentations are part of the assessment for a module consider, in
consultation with the student, any adaptations to the assessment, such as:
Allow extra or less time for the presentation, and consider removing time
pressures by specifying the general number of words. Allow for, and
encourage, the use of audio visual aids that the student may be able to draw
upon to relieve particular moments of anxiety.
Allow a group instead of an individual presentation and ensure that the
participants are supportive of the student who stammers.
Allow a student to change working groups in lectures or practical sessions so
that he can work with a supportive friend.
If the student is ready to try an individual presentation, build up his confidence
‘step by step’ by permitting him initially to speak to an audience of a few
friends in a small-group seminar round a table rather then a full stand-up
presentation. As his confidence develops, extend the size and type of the
audience if that is appropriate, so he finally achieves a full stand-up
presentation.
Allow the student to record or video his presentation in private and then allow
him to show the video to his student group.
Remove ‘fluency’ from the assessment criteria. Replace it with the
concept of communication that encourages assessment of the wider
skills of interaction: eye contact, body language, gestures and
thoughtful responses to information presented by others.
Remove the assessment element from presentation so that what is said
is judged rather than how it is said. Only in very rare circumstances is
fluent speech likely to be a core skill that must be assessed, for most
courses it is content and knowledge that is being judged
Accommodate the student who stammers who may talk more quickly than
normal because this may be due to the desire to ‘keep going’ once started.
For some people that stammer its getting started that’s the problem; once
started fluency improves, hence the desire to ‘keep going’ albeit too
fast.
Consider ignoring the ‘over use’ of ‘filler/comfort’ words or terms.
Frequently used terms include, ‘you know’ and ‘in fact’. Terms such
as these can be used to start a sentence or as fillers to re-start
following an incidence of dysfluency during a period of speech.
Offer supportive encouragement to the student who stammers to
engage in the standard learning and oral assessment process as fully as
possible. However, balance challenge with an understanding of the anxieties
he experiences and consider whether compulsion and rigid adherence to
procedure is really a necessary stance to take. As a staged approach to oral
work, in which the student is engaged, is more likely to ensure that he
achieves his potential.
Encourage good planning and preparation
There is no substitute for good preparation and knowledge of the task, and
sometimes students who stammer may be so scared of the prospect of oral
work that they refuse to think about it in advance and neglect the essential
planning.
Support
Ensure that regular discussions are held by the tutor with the student and the
school-college link colleague so that he feels supported. In college, monitor
for teasing and bullying and ensure that policies on this are implemented so
that the student feels able to express concerns quickly, and have them
addressed.
Do not refer to a stammer as a disability. Even though it is classified
as such when it has a substantial effect on ordinary activities, and the student
is entitled to adaptations under the Disability Discrimination
Act 1995.
The British Stammering Association
15 Old Ford Road
London
E2 9PJ
Tel: 020 8983 1003 Fax: 020 8983 3591
Telephone Helpline: 0845 603 2001
Scottish Helpline: 08453 303 800
www.stammering.org
[email protected]
The British Stammering Association is a company limited by guarantee,
registered in England No. 4297778.
Registered Charity Numbers 1089967/SC038866