Stuttering Course

Lesson 1 • Defining Stuttering and Fluency

Introduces the clinical definition of stuttering and the concept of normal fluency. Provides the conceptual baseline for all subsequent diagnostic and therapeutic content.

Lesson 2 • Psychological and Social Dimensions

Addresses the emotional, cognitive, and social consequences of stuttering. Prepares clinicians to treat the whole person, not just speech symptoms.

Lesson 3 • Neurological and Genetic Bases

Covers brain structure and function differences associated with stuttering and hereditary factors. Links biological underpinnings to clinical decision-making.

Lesson 4 • Epidemiology and Prevalence

Examines who stutters, when onset typically occurs, and natural recovery rates. Contextualises clinical caseload expectations and population-level patterns.

Lesson 1 • Affective and Cognitive Assessment

Covers validated self-report tools measuring attitudes, anxiety, and quality of life. Connects psychological data to individualised treatment goal-setting.

Lesson 2 • Assessing Secondary Behaviours and Avoidance

Identifies observable and covert features beyond core disfluencies. Ensures clinicians capture the full impact of stuttering on communication.

Lesson 3 • Differential Diagnosis and Report Writing

Guides clinicians through ruling out co-occurring disorders and documenting findings clearly. Produces diagnostic reports that support funding, referral, and treatment decisions.

Lesson 4 • Assessment Principles and Planning

Establishes the rationale for systematic assessment and the components of a complete evaluation. Frames all subsequent assessment tools within a coherent clinical workflow.

Lesson 1 • Indirect and Environmental Approaches

Covers parent interaction therapy and environmental modification strategies. Complements direct treatment by reducing communicative demands on the child.

Lesson 2 • The Lidcombe Program

Provides step-by-step instruction in the operant-based Lidcombe Program for preschool stuttering. Clinicians can train parents to deliver structured verbal contingencies at home.

Lesson 3 • Family-Centred Assessment for Preschoolers

Adapts assessment procedures to the developmental and family context of young children. Ensures parent observations are systematically incorporated into clinical decisions.

Lesson 4 • Counselling Parents of Young Children

Equips clinicians to address parental guilt, anxiety, and misconceptions about stuttering. Strengthens the therapeutic alliance needed for successful home-based intervention.

Lesson 1 • School Collaboration and IEP Integration

Guides clinicians in working with educators and embedding stuttering goals into school plans. Ensures treatment generalises across the child's full educational environment.

Lesson 2 • Attitude and Acceptance Work

Addresses negative attitudes toward communication and builds resilience in school-age children. Connects affective change to improved participation and reduced avoidance.

Lesson 3 • Developmental and Social Context

Examines how school demands, peer relationships, and academic expectations affect stuttering. Frames treatment goals within the child's daily communicative environment.

Lesson 4 • Fluency Shaping for School-Age Children

Teaches prolonged speech and easy onset techniques adapted for school-age learners. Builds foundational fluency skills that support more advanced techniques in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Advanced Fluency and Modification Techniques

Extends fluency shaping and stuttering modification skills to complex adolescent communication contexts. Builds on school-age techniques with greater cognitive and metacognitive demands.

Lesson 2 • Transition Planning and Self-Advocacy

Prepares adolescents to manage stuttering independently as they move into adulthood. Equips them with self-advocacy skills for post-secondary and workplace settings.

Lesson 3 • Adolescent Identity and Stuttering

Explores how stuttering intersects with identity formation, self-esteem, and peer belonging. Provides the psychosocial framework for all adolescent-specific interventions.

Lesson 4 • Social Communication and Assertiveness

Develops assertive communication skills and strategies for high-stakes social interactions. Reduces avoidance in peer conversations, presentations, and job interviews.

Lesson 1 • Intensive Fluency Shaping Programmes

Covers the structure and delivery of intensive prolonged speech programmes for adults. Prepares clinicians to implement and supervise group-based intensive formats.

Lesson 2 • Adult Stuttering Profiles and Goals

Characterises the diversity of adult stuttering presentations and elicits individualised treatment goals. Aligns clinical planning with each client's life priorities and communication demands.

Lesson 3 • Stuttering Modification Therapy for Adults

Applies Van Riper's modification framework to adult clients with established avoidance patterns. Reduces fear and struggle through systematic desensitisation and technique mastery.

Lesson 4 • Maintenance and Long-Term Management

Designs individualised maintenance plans to sustain treatment gains over time. Addresses relapse, self-therapy strategies, and ongoing support structures for adults.

Lesson 1 • Stuttering with Co-Occurring Disorders

Manages stuttering alongside ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety disorders, and language impairment. Prioritises treatment targets and sequences intervention across co-occurring needs.

Lesson 2 • Psychogenic Stuttering

Identifies psychogenic stuttering features and appropriate referral and treatment pathways. Ensures clinicians collaborate effectively with mental health professionals in complex cases.

Lesson 3 • Neurogenic Stuttering

Distinguishes acquired neurogenic stuttering from developmental stuttering and outlines treatment adaptations. Prepares clinicians for post-stroke, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson's-related cases.

Lesson 4 • Stuttering in Bilingual and Multilingual Clients

Addresses how language proficiency, dominance, and cultural context affect stuttering presentation. Enables culturally responsive assessment and treatment across languages.

Lesson 1 • Critically Appraising Stuttering Research

Teaches systematic appraisal of randomised trials, systematic reviews, and single-case studies. Enables clinicians to evaluate treatment efficacy claims independently and accurately.

Lesson 2 • Outcome Measurement and Data-Driven Practice

Implements systematic outcome measurement throughout the treatment cycle. Connects data collection to clinical decision-making and treatment adjustment.

Lesson 3 • Professional Development and Reflective Practice

Establishes habits of reflective practice, peer consultation, and continuing education. Sustains clinical competence and professional growth throughout a career.

Lesson 4 • Evidence-Based Practice Framework

Defines the three pillars of evidence-based practice and their application to stuttering treatment. Establishes the evaluative mindset required for advanced clinical decision-making.