Strategies for Teachers to Support Children Who Stutter: Perspectives of Speech-Language Pathologists

Abstract

Purpose: This study assessed how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) believe teachers can best support school-age children who stutter (CWS) in the classroom. Method: An online survey adapted from the Personal Appraisal of Support for Stuttering–Parent was given to 122 SLPs licensed in the State of Oklahoma. The median age of the participants was 43 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 16), and the average number of CWS the participants reported treating was 14 (IQR = 14). The participants rated the helpfulness of supports teachers can use as they interact with CWS (e.g., “Tell the child to slow down”). The participants rated 41 items on a 1–5 Likert scale, with 1 indicating unhelpful and 5 indicating very helpful , followed by a “not sure” category. Results: The three items rated most helpful were for teachers to collaborate with the child's SLP, to be patient when the child talks, and to know how to react when the child stutters. The three items rated least helpful were for teachers to be bothered by the child's stuttering, to laugh at the child because of the child's stuttering, and to use a fast rate of speech. The two items with the greatest response variability were for teachers to tell the child to think about what to say before speaking and to tell the child what to do when stuttering. The variability suggests inconsistency in the SLPs' beliefs about the helpfulness of those actions. Conclusion: Findings from this study contribute to the literature on supporting CWS and the development of educational materials for classroom teachers.