Haere mai, kaiako!
We're so glad you're here and want to support your student/s who stutterAt school, tamariki are expected to communicate in all sorts of ways – sharing ideas, presenting work and participating in discussions. But for students who stutter, these tasks can sometimes feel daunting. We’re here to help you help them.
Mā mu aka kite a muri,mā muri ka ora a mua
Those who lead give sight to those who follow,
those who follow give life to those who lead
How You Can Help
As a teacher, you play a crucial role in the life of a child or young person who stutters – you have the opportunity to create an environment where tamariki and rangatahi feel truly valued and supported to express themselves.
Since stuttering is unique to each child and young person, the best approach is to understand your student’s individual experience. Take the time to learn how stuttering affects them and what kind of support they need from you, and your fellow kaiako and staff members who interact with the child regularly. That way, everyone can work together to create a supportive environment.
To help you along the way, we’ve put together some really helpful resources:
- Educational Film: Take a look at our film – it’s filled with great insights into stuttering and how it can affect kids and teens
- Teacher’s Guide: We’ve created this handy guide just for you, full of practical tips and strategies for making sure students who stutter feel included and supported in your classroom
- Individual Support Plans (ISPs): You can use these to make a personalised plan that will help you to support your student
- My Stutter: This resource is packed with real-life stories and perspectives straight from tamariki and rangatahi who stutter. It’s a great way to build understanding and empathy.
Stuttering: Young Kiwis Share Their Stories
We created this 15 minute film specifically to help New Zealand teachers gain a deeper understanding of the unique experiences of young Kiwis who stutter. 11 young people ranging from 9 to 18 years old open up about their experiences of stuttering – both in and out of the school environment. Watching this film will give you valuable insights into what it’s like for tamariki and rangatahi who stutter, and you’ll come away with some practical ideas of how you can help them.
“This video is excellent. I wish my son had been able to see this 20 years ago! The young people speaking in it are so articulate about the issues around having a stutter and the video should be shown in all schools. Speaking as an ex-teacher, I would have found it so valuable and helpful”
– Claire Woods
Teachers’ Guide
This resource will help you gain a deeper understanding of stuttering and give you effective strategies to support young people who stutter to unlock their potential.
It evolved out of research conducted with young New Zealanders who stutter, sharing the ups and downs they’d experienced at school. They stress how important it is for teachers to really understand what stuttering is all about and how it affects their school life.
Developed in collaboration with teachers and speech language therapists, it’s packed with practical tips and strategies. Plus it includes an Individual Support Plan to help you tailor your support.
It’s designed to kickstart a conversation – preferably at the beginning of the school year – about how best to support your student who stutters. Plus, we’ve included both a simple and detailed version, so you can choose the one that best suits you and your student.
Individual Support Plans
They are designed to kickstart a conversation – preferably at the beginning of the school year – about how best to support your student who stutters. We have found that having a Word Doc version of the workbook pages is helpful for people to edit in soft copy and we’ve included both a simple and detailed version, so you can choose the one that best suits you and your student.
My Stutter Books
These books are valuable resources for teachers, offering insights into the lived experiences of children, young people adn adults who stutter. They can also be used as a tool to foster empathy and awareness among students who do not stutter, helping to promote a more inclusive and understanding school environment.
Let’s chat!
To speak with one of our team or to make a referral, get in touch using the enquiry form.
Whether you’re seeking more information about how to best support a student who stutters, interested in referring a student for individual therapy (either in person in Auckland or elsewhere in Aotearoa via Zoom), or you have a student who would benefit from attending one of our groups, courses or social events, we’d love to hear from you.