The Easy Talking Club

Yesterday's post about The Stuttering Foundation of America made me think about the last time that I worked with children who were disfluent.  It was quite awhile ago - the group of three older elementary students, who had moderate to severe disfluencies, formed the Easy Talking Club (ETC). 

Therapy sessions were three times weekly and parents, peers, and/or teachers attended one of our "meetings" each month.  Our school principal often came by to spend time with the students (Thank you Mrs. T.).  Each student had the opportunity to serve as club president, recording secretary, and hospitality director.  

We had "outings" throughout the school to practice using therapy techniques. Students bought ice cream, delivered messages to school staff, and participated in scavenger hunts. Note that these were pre-planned events and the school staff/conversation partners all had scripts. 

Fluency therapy, that year, was fun and functional. The students increased their fluent speech dramatically in the therapy room and in the classroom. The Easy Talking Club was disbanded the following year as students moved on to new schools. However, being such a great motivator, the "club" idea was incorporated into language therapy and many of my older elementary students participated in the Conversation Club.

Diana

© 2012