StutterTalk has published more than 700 free, weekly podcasts on stuttering since 2007. StutterTalk is dedicated to supporting people who stutter, their families, professionals, students, and the general public by talking openly about stuttering and by providing information about stuttering. We address the loneliness and isolation of stuttering by talking about it.
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The Problem with Fluency (Ep. 552)
Chris Constantino
Today on StutterTalk Christopher Constantino and Peter Reitzes discuss the problem with fluency. The problem includes the common use of the term fluency when stuttering is more specific and appropriate and the suggestion that something called fluency should be the focus and goal of all treatment. Chris discusses these issues from disability rights and speech-language pathology perspectives. Constantino points out that “fluency isn’t automatically better than stuttering” and discusses his research into spontaneity and “seeking a more nuanced understanding of stuttered and fluent speech.” Listener comments and questions are discussed.
Christopher Constantino is a person who stutters and a PhD student in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis. Chris is doing his clinical fellowship in the Shelby County Schools in Memphis and is conducting a research study to understand and contextualize the experiences of passing as fluent for people who covertly stutter.
Links from today’s episode:
- Learning to Love to Stutter