Memphis, Tenn. (June 21, 2021) – “Returning to the classroom for the 2021-22 academic year and moving away from remote learning through video and audio instruction offers an excellent opportunity for children who stutter,” says Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation. “Getting back to school and talking in person with their school speech-language pathologists, teachers and friends, is so important for all children, but even more so for kids who stutter.”

During a recent Stuttering Foundation workshop for speech-language pathologists focused specifically on working with children who stutter, participants felt there had been an increase in stuttering among their patients.

“More than a year of remote instruction, in many cases, has left the child who stutters talking less, engaging classmates and teachers less, with fewer opportunities to raise their hand and share their voice,” added Fraser. “Fears may increase over time if difficult situations—like answering questions or making a presentation—are not faced each day. It’s time to break that cycle.”

Conquering fears at a young age is critical for adolescents facing adversity. “When we talk to adults about how they have managed personal or professional success despite a lifetime of stuttering, the common thread is their ability to confront the fears early on, in grade school, often times with the help of a caring teacher or therapist,” said Fraser.  

Experts are optimistic that the return to in-person instruction will help students who struggle with stuttering. “The more we talk, the more confidence we build in our ability to do so. Returning to the classroom offers all students the greatest chance to communicate fully and effectively.”

About the Stuttering Foundation

Malcolm Fraser, a successful businessman who struggled with stuttering, established and endowed the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation in 1947. The Foundation provides free online resources at StutteringHelp.org for people who stutter and their families, as well as support for research into the causes of stuttering. For more information, visit www.StutteringHelp.org.

Hide on More News: