SPEAK OUT!!!
Once there was a young girl who lived in the countryside of a little town in Southern Mississippi. As the little girl grew up and begin to develop a love for school and reading, she discovered that she had a difficult saying certain words. She entered grade school and was placed in speech classes. As the little girl grew, she discovered that the "so-called problem", as she thought, was not going to totally disappear, she would have to learn to control the situation. She also found a deep desire and love for music. Yes, there were feelings of doubt as she grew older, regarding certain social situations and career choices; however, that did not stop her from accomplishing her dreams. The profession she wanted to avoid, teaching, is the very profession that the has been successful in for more than 4 years.
The reason I began my post with this story, is to say that there are over 3 million Americans who have speech impediments and when it effects a child, it can create a certain self-image within young them; whether that image is positive or negative can depend on the support that child has growing up. My project will focus on children with speech impediments and how it effects their self-image and academic growth. The reason I chose this topic to focus on in my project is because it affects so many children, including my self growing up. The main impediment I want to focus on is stuttering or stammering. What really causes a person to repeat words over and over without being able to just simply say the word. Research says it has something to do with airflow, which I believe is possible true; however, it could also be a slight defect or trigger in the brain. As I begin to research this topic, I hope to find new ways to help children control their situations instead of viewing the issue as a problem like I did most of my childhood life. Controlling a situation allows a person to gain more power of their own outcome.
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI remember before I met my in-laws my husband shared one of them stuttered. He wanted me to be patience when listening to conversation. When I finally met her she was so comfortable in her conversation even with he stutter, I was comfortable. However I could only imagine what she may have experienced growing up. She also works in the early childhood field. I would be interested to know how this condition effects a person's self confidence and self image. I would also be interested to know the causes and if speech therapy could help. Applaud you utilizing your personal experience to bring awareness.
Vanessa
HI Jessica
ReplyDeleteAs a child, I also suffered from stuttering and my oldest was in speech for 9 years. I know, for both of us, the speech impediments caused frustration and self-confidence issues when speaking to others, especially in front of groups of people. I wonder, will you also be looking at how removing children to attend speech therapy may affect their self-confidence and self-image?
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI remember speech for the letter r when I was younger and truly enjoyed attending speech therapy and thought I was special. My oldest child stuttered when he was young but it was developmental. His stuttering was due to the fact that his brain was processing faster than his mouth.
You used music to aid with your stuttering, is this effective for many stutters?
Sharon Lloyd
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteChildren realize when they are different quickly. It is the teacher’s job to make all children comfortable in the class environment. Speech is an important developmental milestone for young children. When children cannot communicate effectively, they often become aggressive or withdraw to compensate. It is frustrating when people cannot understand what is shared by young children. They are just learning to share their ideas and ask questions. This type of delay can dramatically affect their learning, if proper modification and accommodations are not made. I know your personal experience will help you sympathize with children who are struggling. I hope you find many resources to share with the class, so we can benefit from your knowledge.
Cynthia Thralls
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteThis is a topic of which I have very little experience, but one that is very interesting. I know that stuttering can be difficult emotionally and socially for young children. I read in your bio where you stated that you are a music teacher. I had an experience with a student who stuttered and music. I had a kindergarten student that had a pretty severe problem of stuttering and worked so hard to complete even one sentence. Each year the entire school puts on two musicals and that year this child wanted to sing a solo. Because the school is small, we let everyone participate and I was not about to tell the child he could not sing a solo. I figured we would at least give it a try to see what would happen. That little guy opened his mouth and out came the sweetest voice and when he sang he did not stutter a word. The entire school stood and gave him the biggest applause. His face lite up and from that moment on was a changed kid. He found a manner in which he could communicate and not stutter. Have you ever heard of any connection between music and stuttering?
Darla