European Symposium
on Fluency Disorders
Presentations
SAY IT LABS
Dr. Latacz, co-founder of SAY IT Labs, has a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from VUB. He has received grants, authored articles, and presented at numerous conferences on topics involving the use of artificial intelligence for people with speech disabilities.
SAY IT LABS
Mr. Reiter, co-founder of SAY IT Labs, holds a Masters degree in Computational Linguistics and Speech and Language Pathology. Prior to becoming an SLP, Mr. Reiter worked for 9 years as a speech recognition engineer and speech scientist.
Did you ever wonder if speech recognition could work for people who stutter? What about a video game that uses one's own voice as a joystick specifically created for people who stutter? This interdisciplinary mini-seminar that combines expertise from computer science, linguistics, and speech and language pathology, will showcase the beginnings of a novel method of motivating stuttering therapy both in and out of the clinic. In the summer of 2018, a study was conducted at Camp Shout Out in Michigan, USA, to test the efficacy of using a gaming app to encourage practice and treatment. The data collected positively revealed the power of using emerging technologies such as speech recognition embedded into a video game as a new modality used to motivate and promote independent practice beyond the clinic.
Saint-Joseph University of Beirut, Lebanon, and the university of Turku, Finland, ECSF
Selma Saad Merouwe is a Slovak-Lebanese SLP. She is an ECSF graduate and a PhD student at the university of Turku (Finland). She is a lecturer at the Institut Supérieur d'Orthophonie of Saint-Joseph University (Beirut) since 2008. Her clinical practice and research focus on fluency and language disorders, and bilingualism.
University of Silesia, Poland, ECSF, EFS
Katarzyna Węsierska is an assistant professor at the University of Silesia (Poland) and the founder and an SLP at the Logopedic Centre in Katowice. In her research and clinical practice she focuses on fluency disorders. She coordinates a self-help group for people who stutter at the University of Silesia.
Research shows that misleading information related to fluency disorders is commonly shared by the nonstuttering majority. Whereas recommendations regarding how to interact with-or how to support-people who stutter are widespread, little evidence exists to support these suggestions. The current study explored how Polish, Slovak, Czech, and Lebanese persons who stutter perceive the supportiveness of common listener reactions or comments regarding stuttering. Participants from the four countries completed the Personal Appraisal of Support for Stuttering-Adults - PASS-Ad (St. Louis, 2015). Responses from samples of adults who stutter in these four were compared to published results from a similar sample from the USA (St. Louis et al., 2017). On the PASS-Ad respondents rated the support they had received or preferred for their stuttering. Perceived support in the various countries was more similar than different; however, important variances were observed. The majority of respondents agreed with DOs and DON'Ts for interacting with people who stutter, but for every item, exceptions occurred. Overall results from Europe and the Middle East were also similar to results from North America.
Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, University College VIVES, ECSF, EFS
Mark Meersman is a Bachelor of Speech therapy and Audiology (Thomas More U College) and M Sc in Clinical Language, Speech and Hearing Sciences (Utrecht University). He lectures in fluency disorders and methodology of speech and language therapy, with a special interest in behaviour modification in the broadest sense. Mark was a co-coordinator of the Postgraduate Course in Fluency Disorders at Thomas More U College. He specialized in Fluency and Voice disorders and has extensive clinical experience in stuttering therapy. He lectured and trained SLPs in various specialization courses on fluency and still does so within ECSF. He published various articles and gives lectures on fluency therapy, client motivation and client- or person-centered SLT.
Although fluency therapists may have different perspectives on goals and methods of stuttering therapy, virtually all approaches involve intensive behaviour change in clients. Bringing about long-term change in clients' communicative behaviour - skills, attitudes, feelings - may be the most challenging part of any fluency therapist's work. In order to achieve this, therapists need to activate and stimulate cliënts' motivation to change.In this lecture we look into a number of evidence-based frameworks and models that provide fluency therapists with some guidance to increase clients' motivation to adjust fluency-related behaviours, attitudes and emotions. We address social cognitive theory (Bandura), transtheoretical model (Prochaska & DiClemente), self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan), motivational interviewing (Miller & Rollnick), and solution-focused practice (De Shazer & Berg). For each of these frameworks our goal is to filter out concrete suggestions that may help therapists in motivating their clients to change.
Dr. Joseph G. Agius, Ed.D., is a registered Speech Language Pathologist with special interest in fluency disorders and humor research. He holds a Master of Science degree in Clinical Speech and Language Studies from Trinity College, University of Dublin and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Sheffield. Dr. Agius lectures at the University of Malta on ‘Fluency Disorders', ‘Language and Psychiatry' and ‘Creativity, Humor and Communication'. He is also a staff member of the ECSF- European Clinical Specialization Course in Fluency Disorders.
Course objectives:
This course focuses on effective public speaking, particularly dealing with the fear of speaking. It shows participants that public speaking is fun and easy. The course provides practice in both impromptu and prepared speeches and also addresses the important issue to 'wake 'em up!" during presentations! By the end of the course participants should be on their way to becoming successful public speakers. The only way to master public speaking is to do it! Practice makes perfect, and there is no better practice than to be in the spotlight, microphone in hand, expectant audience listening to your every word.
Thursday Feb 13th AM:
Getting Intimate with ... Communication and Perception!; Be Yourself- Switch ‘ON' Your Confidence; Befriending the Butterflies; Presenting to People NOT Clones
The importance of effective communication is highlighted in this session. Participants are also introduced to the principles of adult education. Another area which is discussed in this session is stage fright. This is a phenomenon that one must learn to control. Participants are encouraged to think of any presentation as a friendly conversation rather than a formal speech. Communication with confidence is the key.
Thursday Feb 13th M:
Thou Shall not Be Monotonous; The Art of ... Delivering a Speech!; Impromptu Speaking; Practice
Careful preparation is the key to successful public speaking. In this session, participants are shown how to prepare a great presentation. The importance of knowing the audience is highlighted in this session. The following are also covered: developing an outline, selecting and organizing material, attention grabbing introductions and creating a memorable conclusion. Participants discover how to convey messages using their voice and body, and how to deal with eye contact. They also discover how to use statistics, quotations, stories, examples and analogies for maximum impact. Impromptu speaking is also covered in this session. Participants practice impromptu speaking during this session.
Friday Feb 14th:
Analyzing the speech; The interview; Presenting under Pressure!; Be Prepared ...for Everything!; The Use of Humour in Presentations; Practice
During this session participants start tying it all together. Topic selection tips, research source tips, outlining tips, word choice tips, delivering the speech and the use of props are covered in this session. Participants are shown how to handle any audience no matter how hostile. How to handle an interview is also discussed during this session.
Leave nothing to chance. Participants are made aware of the problems that can occur when giving a talk. Having a ‘Plan B' up their sleeve in case equipment fails is always an important tip. Humor can be a useful tool in public speaking, so in this session participants are provided with guidelines on how to use humor in a presentation even on can't tell a joke! During this session participants are given the opportunity to practice their presentation skills and also analyze presentations as observers.
Private practice 'Redefining Stammering'
Sam Simpson is a speech and language therapist and a BACP registered person-centered counsellor with over 25 years' experience of working with people who stammer and their families in the public, private, education and voluntary sectors. She offers stammering therapy and counselling to young people and adults in her private practice, supervises trainee and qualified health professionals and counsellors, and regularly co-facilitates workshops and courses for healthcare professionals in conjunction with the City Lit speech therapy team, intandem and Metanoia Institute. Sam is co-editor of Stammering Therapy from the Inside: New Perspectives on Working with Young People and Adults (2013) and Stammering Pride & Prejudice (2019).
Stammering is typically stigmatized as a character flaw and personal tragedy as it has historically been thought of as a speech defect located within the individual. However, emerging models of disability are challenging this preconception. They situate the defect in a society ill-designed for people who stammer. Some models go further and see stammering as a natural form of speech diversity that people who stammer can be proud of. This viewpoint challenges the stereotype that stammering is inherently negative. Instead, stammering is positioned as a different, valuable and respected way of speaking.Together with Patrick Campbell and Chris Constantino, Sam has recently edited a book on the impact of these emerging models of disability on our understanding of stammering. 'Stammering Pride and Prejudice' brings together new, empowering voices and opinions on stammering into one accessible text. Combining personal narrative, art and disability theory, the book documents how society has historically disabled people who stammer and the diverse ways in which people are creating novel and exciting understandings of their speech.In this presentation, Sam will consider different models of disability and their implications for people who stammer, clinical practice and research. She will reflect on how people who stammer, professionals and researchers can work together to liberate the stammered voice.
Veerle Waelkens graduated in 1989 and specialized in two domains: fluency disorders and childhood apraxia of speech. She has been working in a multidisciplinary center for 16 years and since 2005 in her own private practice. Many clients have nourished her passion and clinical reasoning. Through teaching at Artevelde University of Applied Sciences and as a staff member of the European Clinical Specialization Course on Fluency Disorders (and European fluency specialist), she can share this passion with others.
Peter Schneider graduated as a primary school teacher and a speech language therapist. Between 1990 and 2019 he lectured at the School of Logopedics at the Uniklinik of the RWTH Aachen, where he specialized for childhood stuttering, treated clients and supervised students treating stuttering children. Together with Patricia Sandrieser he developed the Stuttering Modification approach KIDS and Mini-KIDS. He is a staff member of the European Clinical Specialization Course on Fluency Disorders, and wrote on stuttering for specialists, stuttering children and their parents.
Children between 2 and 6 years learn mainly from models in their environment. Parents are crucial in this process. The key aspect of Mini-KIDS is to provide a model for functional coping with loss of control during speech. The loss of control during stuttering events can lead to a vicious circle of effort, tension and shame, even in very young children who stutter. Mini-KIDS as a treatment approach, involves direct intervention towards the stuttering moments and the coping strategies for the child and the environment. This stuttering modification treatment is derived from Van Riper's (1972, 1973) and Dell's (C. W. Dell, 1979, 1993, 2001) approach by Dr. Phil. Sandrieser Patricia and Schneider Peter (4th edition, 2015). This treatment takes into account the learning strategies of young stuttering children and is illustrated and specified in "Mini-KIDS Direct treatment for young children who stutter (2-6 years) by Veerle Waelkens in 2018.
Goals & outcome:
The workshop provides knowledge about this treatment and aims at several competencies for each participant on following topics:
-Knowledge of the theoretical reference frame for Mini-KIDS
-Knowledge of and skills in clinical reasoning about assessment data necessary to make clinical decisions about indication for therapy with Mini-KIDS (What assessment is necessary? When is Mini-KIDS indicated?)
-Comparative reflection about ‘general' and ‘specific' assessment procedures and link them to the reference framework of Mini-KIDS.
-Knowledge about goals of mini-KIDS.
-Knowledge and skills in counseling parents about Mini-KIDS (How to inform, motivate and involve parents in the treatment process?).
-Knowledge and skills of the methods, procedures and techniques used in this treatment approach (What are the main techniques for young children to enable voluntary control or modification of their stuttered speech? What are the phases in this approach? How can these techniques and effects of each phase be established in everyday life? What are the limitations of Mini-KIDS?)
These competencies will be achieved by means of lecture, video fragments, exercises, role-plays and discussion.
Components:
-Intro to the reference frame for Mini-KIDS
-Required assessment data to derive indication for therapy with Mini-KIDS
-Comparison with ‘general' assessment procedures
-Assessment procedures exercises (2-4/4-6 years)
-How to derive treatment plan and treatment indication?
-General reference frame for Mini-KIDS: cont. + elaborated
-Goals of Mini-KIDS and limitations of Mini-KIDS
-General techniques for work according to Mini-KIDS
-Introduction of cases (4-6y/ 2-4y)
-Working with the group 2-4 y
-Working with the group 4-6 y
-Closing discussions
University of Texas, Austin, USA & Michael and Tami Lang Stuttering Institute, USA, ECSF
Courtney T. Byrd, Ph.D., is Professor at The University of Texas. Her research interests include the study of speech-language contributions to childhood stuttering and the development of innovative treatment and clinical training tools. Her research laboratory received an endowment in 2012 and was renamed the Dr. Jennifer and Emanuel Bodner Developmental Stuttering Laboratory.In 2014, the Michael and Tami Lang Stuttering Institute was established as a distinct endowed institute dedicated to excellence in clinical research for which Dr. Byrd serves as the founding Director. She is also Vice President for Research and Continuing Education for The Stuttering Foundation. Dr. Byrd has published her research in a variety of journals, several book chapters, and presented nationally and internationally
Self-disclosure and voluntary stuttering can positively alter listener perceptions. During this lecture a review is presented of a series of recently published studies that demonstrate that voluntary stuttering and self-disclosure are among the most beneficial therapy strategies, not strictly from the perspective of clinicians, but more importantly from the perspective of persons who stutter. She discusses and demonstrates that these strategies are only effective when used in distinct ways.