A small group stuttering therapy lesson focused on identifying, ranking, and discussing stressful speaking situations across everyday contexts. Students construct personal communication hierarchies and explore coping mindsets in a supportive peer environment.
When a teacher suddenly calls on you, what is your immediate reflex? What is one accommodation or self-advocacy phrase you could teach your teachers?
Group Focus: Self-advocacy Card #5
Listeners
The Listener's Face
When people look surprised, look away, or try to finish your sentence, how do you feel? What do you wish fluent listeners knew about how to listen to you?
Group Focus: Educating listeners Card #6
Courage Test
Voluntary Stuttering (Brave Bumps)
Therapists often practice stuttering on purpose. Why would anyone ever stutter on purpose? How does practicing an intentional stutter change your fear?
Group Focus: Desensitization Card #7
Self-Compassion
Fluency vs. Communication
Is a conversation a "failure" if you stuttered a lot, but still said everything you wanted to say? What is the real definition of successful communication?
Group Focus: Reframing success Card #8
Therapist Tip: Validate that feeling nervous is normal. Remind students that courage isn't the absence of stuttering—it's speaking anyway.
Goal: Gently uncover covert avoidance without confrontation.
Scenario 2 When a student puts ALL cards in Level 3
"Looking at your board, talking feels like walking into a storm right now. That must feel exhausting. Let's look at just these two situations: if you HAD to pick one that is just 1% less scary than the other, which one would it be?"
Goal: Deconstruct monolithic fear through fractional grading.
Scenario 3 When listeners finish sentences or look impatient
"When someone cuts in, it often comes from their own awkwardness, not because they are angry at you. You have the right to say, 'Hold on, I've got this,' or 'I want to finish my thought.' How would it feel to say that?"
Goal: Shift from passive victimhood to assertive self-advocacy.
Hierarchy & Awareness Goal: "Student will identify and rank at least 10 speaking situations across school and community environments, explaining 2+ personal tension triggers across 3 consecutive sessions."
Desensitization & Action Goal: "Student will independently select and execute one Level 2 speaking challenge per month, demonstrating self-advocacy or easy speech tools with clinician debrief in 4 of 5 trials."
Materials to prep: Print copies of Speaking Meter Activity & Discussion Prompts; provide scissors/glue sticks or pens for sorting.
