This is a threaded discussion page for the International Stuttering Awareness Day Online Conference paper, Issues of culture and stuttering: A South African Perspective by Harsha Kathard. Cross-cultural problems From: Ed Feuer Date: 10/3/98 Time: 10:47:03 PM Remote Name: 207.161.63.115 Comments What have you found with respect to these two elements: When there are ethnocultural groups with a history of hostility and one stutters, there is additional impetus for avoidance because of the belief that one does not want to shame one's group or let down the side. 2. Where there is a mulilingual environment within the group, there is additional opportunity for word substitution. Ñ Ed Feuer Re: Cross-cultural problems From: Harsha Kathard to Ed Feuer Date: 10/9/98 Time: 6:46:50 AM Remote Name: 192.96.21.51 Comments Dear Ed Thank you for your questions. Question One : Additional impetus for avoidance We have not conducted any formal evaluation of this. However, my observations and the observations of students in the clinical setting have indicated that there may be increased impetus for avoidance for some individuals who stuuter when they have to communicate with others of different backgrounds. The factors which seem significant are those related to language used, proficiency in a language and percieved power imbalances. Some individuals of African backgrounds have reported that they have a greater tendency to avoid converstaions with people of other cultural backgrounds especially if they arenot proficient in the language. The percievedpower imbalances between white and black people are sometimes reported. Black clients feel threathened in such a situation and often results in a tendency to avoid. Their expplanations for why they avoid relate to feelings of shame and embarrassment of stuttering and having to deal with stresses of cross cultural communication. Hope that makes sense. Question Two : Additional opportunity for word substitution Our assessment with clients who are multilingual indicate that they do substitute words from other languages they speak. It is sometimes done as a natural part of communication to enhance meaning and sometimes to avoid stuttering. It happens more frequently in situations where the listener shares the same common language. We have observed that Zulu speakers also substitute Zulu words for English when they are less proficient in English. stammering and writting From: victor Date: 10/8/98 Time: 7:26:19 PM Remote Name: 134.29.31.123 Comments I will like to know if someones speech can affect their writting? I think my speech does affect my writting. When I am writting letters like b, d, p and so on, I turn to repeat the straight line before do the curve. I didn't experiement this writting problem back home (Cameroon). It keeps growing worst as my speech grows worst. If there is such pattern, what's it call, and can we slow down it's progression. Re: stammering and writting From: Harsha to Victor Date: 10/9/98 Time: 7:05:00 AM Remote Name: 192.96.21.51 Comments Dear Victor I dont know very much about this> However, speech and writing are motor processes and do have commonalities. People who stutter do not typically have problems with writing. Yours seems to be interesting. I once knew someone who would block/ get stuck when speaking and writing. What i would suggest is that you have an assessment done - do you know a speech therapist or a neurologist/ neuropsychologist to really analyse the problem so that something can be done to help you. May be people taking part in this conference - who know more about the neuropsychology and stuttering and cluttering may be able to help The African experience From: Speak Easy Inc. Date: 10/9/98 Time: 7:27:55 AM Remote Name: 207.179.135.81 Comments Congratulations on a fascinating paper! Having read extensively about stuttering as it is perceived in the Euro/American culture, it is eye-opening to read information about stuttering in other cultures. The cultural bias, with its own set of rules, must make your jobs far, far more difficult! Thank you for the information. Re: The African experience From: Harsha Kathard Date: 10/14/98 Time: 3:13:37 AM Remote Name: 192.96.21.51 Comments Thank you foryour interest and comment- the experience hare is different which makes working here very challenging bilingualism X stuttering in children From: Mara Daher Piccarone Date: 10/11/98 Time: 6:39:10 AM Remote Name: 200.230.210.3 Comments I am a brazilian SLP. In the school I have a child who is bilingual and she is stuttering now. Do you have some articles to suggest to me. I need to read something specific.I saw two references in your article( Jordaan and Watson) but I don't know how to get them.Maybe you can suggest me others. Thank you. Re: bilingualism X stuttering in children From: Harsha Kathard Date: 10/14/98 Time: 3:16:02 AM Remote Name: 192.96.21.51 Comments Dear Mara Thank you for your question- please send me your addresa and i will make some articles available to you. Regards harsha Re: bilingualism X stuttering in children From: Mara Ligia C. Daher Picarone Date: 10/14/98 Time: 11:27:15 AM Remote Name: 200.230.210.3 Comments Dear Harsha Many thanks by your interest. My adress is: Rua Dr. Jo‹o Tavares 158 apto 33 Zip Code: 18051-320 Sorocaba S.Paulo Brazil Impact of Culture on Therapy From: Leah Thompson in Phoenix, AZ Date: 10/13/98 Time: 10:03:54 AM Remote Name: 209.141.106.136 Comments As a student of Speech-language pathology at Arizona State University, I found this article fascinating because I had never before realized the impact that culture should have on our therapy. I knew of course that culture affects the way we communicate with others, but I had never realized how much we need to know about the cultures of those whom we are serving. Re: Article 7 From: Harsha Kathard Date: 10/14/98 Time: 3:19:58 AM Remote Name: 192.96.21.51 Comments Dear Leah thank you for your comment Duringstudent training- i have experimented a little i start the clinical year without any discussion on cultural issues - ifind that students do not consider them at this point- however, once the issues are discussed and made concrete there is a whole new dimension added to the therapeutic process. I am glad that you benefitted - the generaal issues apply in all contexts with all clients. Regards Harsha bi/multilingual therapy From: Tammy and Darci Date: 10/19/98 Time: 4:10:25 PM Remote Name: 134.29.30.43 Comments When working with an individual who is bi/multilingual and who also stutters in both/all languages, should therapy focus on one language, or should all languages be addressed? If therapy is focused on one language, can it be assumed that the techniques learned will carry over to other languages? Re: bi/multilingual therapy From: Jaan Pill Date: 10/21/98 Time: 10:07:59 PM Remote Name: 207.34.226.192 Comments I do not have a direct answer to the previous question. I would like to just refer to my own experience. English is my third language. Swedish was my second language. Estonian was my first. I live in Toronto where I work as a school teacher. I had treatment in Edmonton, Alberta, in English, and did very well as a result. I have done a lot of work applying what I have learned over the past 11 years. In 1990 I went to Estonia and delivered some lectures, in Estonian, on Western approaches to stuttering treatment. I found I had to speak much more slowly in Estonian, in order to apply my fluency skills. Also, I had to deal with the fact that my vocabulary in Estonian is limited as compared to English. Also, I had learned the fluency skills in English, when I attended the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research in Edmonton. In my case there was no automatic crossover from English to Estonian. If I wanted to be as proficient in applying my fluency skills in Estonian as I am in applying them in English, I think that the key (in my case) would be (a) to increase my vocabulary and general command of the language in Estonian, and (b) practice applying all of the fluency skills in Estonian, instead of in English. I am reminded of research indicating that young children who stutter also have problems dealing with language, at a lingusitics level. I can appreciate the difficulty that young children experience in this regard, having encountered related problems as an adult speaking in Estonian with a limited vocabulary and a less than complete grasp of syntax and grammar when it comes to speaking in Estonian on any but the most rudimentary topics. When I gave the series of lectures in Estonia, in 1990, I spent several weeks practising my fluency skills, and doing transfers of fluency skills, all in Estonian. That helped. I also got a self-help colleague from Estonia, Andres Loorand, to help me translate technical terms related to speech-language pathology from English into Estonian. That was a great help. The trip led to the formation (after my departure) of the Estonian Association for People Who Stutter. I much enjoyed the trip and I hope that some time I might have time to improve my Estonian further and travel in those parts again. Jaan Pill, Chair, Outreach Working Group, International Fluency Association Re: Correction re: Outreach Working Group From: Jaan Pill Date: 10/21/98 Time: 10:15:44 PM Remote Name: 207.34.226.192 Comments By mistake, I listed myself in the previous message as Chair, Outreach Working Group, International Fluency Association. I meant to say Chair, Outreach Working Group, International Stuttering Association. I have been involved in volunteer work on behalf of IFA in the past, and now am involved in work on behalf of ISA. I see IFA, ISA, and ELSA as all part of an informal, untitled, unnamed international network of people who stutter, speech professionals, and researchers all working toward the same goals. The recent online ISAD conference, and related ISAD events in Canada, have really brought home for me how much stronger and how much more extensive the entire international network has grown in recent years. There are so many more people pitching in as volunteers ina ll of this work. That's really exciting and energizing to see. The work that we are all doing together really matters, and really makes a difference. Jaan Pill Re: Correction re: Outreach Working Group From: Harsha Date: 10/22/98 Time: 2:13:33 AM Remote Name: 192.96.21.51 Comments No problem I have found this to be an enriching experience and have made a lot of contact with people who have the same interests. Regards Harsha Re: bi/multilingual therapy From: Harsha Kathard Date: 10/22/98 Time: 2:10:36 AM Remote Name: 192.96.21.51 Comments Dear Jaan Thank you - it wasmost interesting to hear about your experiences- if there isone thing that i have learned- people who stuuter are individuals and therefore their stuttering must be considered in the context of their lives- yours is a prime example. what i did find interesting and something that i have notedin mu clinic - is that the development of vocabulary and linguistic skill is really important when working with fluency skills in a second language. In this context many learn their skills in their second or thrdlanguage and find that application to the first language fairly manageable. Congratulations on your efforts n improving the support for people who stutter. Regards Harsha Re: bi/multilingual therapy From: Jaan Pill Date: 10/22/98 Time: 8:44:50 AM Remote Name: 207.81.165.22 Comments Harsha, It's interesting about language and linguistics factors. I've found it interesting that the literature.g., Woody Starkweather's Demands and Capacities model) addresses these factors for young children who stutter in their own language. Smith (in print) has been exploring this area in some detail. I find it fascinating. It's been a great conference. Jaan Re: bi/multilingual therapy From: Harsha Kathard Date: 10/22/98 Time: 2:02:16 AM Remote Name: 192.96.21.51 Comments Dear Tammy and darcy Thank you for your question. It is very difficult to make a general statement that would apply to all clients - these decisions must be made with consideration of the clinicians' and clients languages. The issues that must be considered relate to language proficiency and preference. We have found that whilst stuttering is assessed in both/ all languages , the primary focus is on one language - however, there is much discussion about the application of skills in other languages. Clients have reported that they have attempted to allpy skills in all languages witha fair deal of success. I feel that agoal of therapy must be to apply skills in thelanguag/s that the client uses. Assessing and treating in both languages allows the clinician to understand the application and sociocultural issues better thereby enhancing amore complete understanding of the client. If you work with a client who uses a language that you are not familiar with, then have some one who does speak the language assist you. the preparation of resource material is particularly useful. I hope this is useful. Regards Harsha