ONLINE: Minimising Bullying for Children Who Stutter

Online Learning

Friday 31st January 2025, 12.00pm-3.30pm NZDT

The session will be live and will not be recorded, or available for later viewing. Single registration cost is for each individual, not per site. Zoom will be used to deliver the training with “meeting room” details emailed to participants prior to the event. You will need to download Zoom software to your computer. A webcam and inbuilt microphone on your computer is also preferable so you can fully participate.

Intended Participants

This online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) event is intended for Speech-Language Therapists who work with school-age children who stutter.

Readings and Resources

Recommended readings and resources will be shared 1-2 weeks before the event.

Summary of Presentation

Bullying is a significant problem for many children who stutter. It can not only lead to an increase in the severity of observable stuttering behaviours; it can also intensify the adverse impact of the disorder. Heightened negative reactions, greater difficulties communicating, and a growing sense of isolation are all potential consequences of bullying. Fortunately, there is much that can be done to reduce these outcomes. This presentation will review an innovative 6-step program for reducing bullying in children who stutter, including strategies for reducing children’s negative reactions to stuttering and bullying, teaching children how to respond directly to bullying, educating others about stuttering to reduce the likelihood of bullying, and involving parents and teachers to improve the child’s self-esteem and self-confidence. Participants will come away from the training event with more confidence in their own ability to help children who stutter minimise bullying and improve their overall success in therapy.

Learning Objectives

Following this event participants will:

• Describe 3 consequences of bullying for children who stutter
• List 5 key facts that are important for children who stutter to learn about stuttering and bullying
• List 3 key strategies for helping children reduce their susceptibility to bullying
• List 3 key strategies for helping children respond appropriately to bullying
• List 3 ways to help parents and other caregivers support children who stutter who experience bullying

About Professor J. Scott Yaruss

J. Scott Yaruss is a Professor of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University. In addition to conducting research on the development of stuttering in young children, Dr Yaruss has extensive experience working with children and adults who stutter in a wide variety of clinical settings. He frequently presents continuing education workshops to help speech-language pathologists feel more confident in their ability to help preschool and school-age children, adolescents, and adults who stutter. Dr Yaruss has authored or co-authored more than 340 papers, articles, chapters, or booklets on stuttering including the Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering (OASES) and other practical resources published by Stuttering Therapy Resources (www.StutteringTherapyResources.com).