Practical Thoughts Blog

Why can stuttering be so confusing to listeners?  Part 1: Variability

Why can stuttering be so confusing to listeners? Part 1: Variability

Stuttering varies. Everyone knows that. The amount of stuttering that people experience on the inside or show on the outside changes depending upon the situation in which they are speaking, the specific speaking task in which they are engaged, the conversational partner or listener to whom they are speaking, and more; it also varies at different points in time, within the same day or across...

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Stuttering Therapy Resources created an image of tally marks with title of "Counting Stutters is a Waste of Time."

Counting Stutters Is a Waste of Time!

When assessing stuttering, counting stutters does not reflect the overall experience of the person who stutters.  Speech pathologists can stop counting stutters because listeners cannot observe stutters that a person experiences, the nature of stuttering is that it is always variable, some people who stutter can appear fluent by altering their communication in unhelpful ways, and stuttering is a complex communication difference, and cannot be...

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