May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. More than likely, you or someone you know has a communication challenge such as stuttering, language, articulation, hearing loss, or autism to name a few. If you have a communication challenge, you are not alone. Last week communication leaders from across the district assisted with morning announcements at their respective campuses. They helped their teachers and classmates learn how to communicate with a stutterer, they taught them about hearing impairments, and how to treat others with kindness and acceptance.
Did you know that there are more than 3 million Americans who stutter. Our own former United States Vice President Joe Biden is a person who stutters along with many others such as Bruce Willis, Shaquille O’Neal, and Ed Sheeran. Here are a few tips to help you when talking with a stutterer:
1. Don’t interrupt or speak for a stutterer.
2. Don’t tell a stutterer to “slow down” or “relax.”
3. Speak in an unhurried way, pausing frequently
4. Listen to the content of the message, not how it is said
5. Stuttering is okay, it isn’t something to be ashamed of.
Happy Better Hearing and Speech Month!
