This symposium explores key advancements in stuttering research and treatment, emphasizing the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity in clinical practice. Topics include culturally responsive care, strategies for supporting preschool-aged children who stutter, and addressing the unique challenges faced by bilingual children. Sessions will highlight holistic models like CARE and CAMP Dream.Speak.Live, sharing insights from real-world applications in Europe. Additionally, attendees will gain a global perspective on stuttering treatment practices and participate in discussions about balancing neurodiversity and evidence-based approaches. This event provides a space to exchange knowledge and develop strategies for inclusive and effective stuttering care.

Programme

Saturday February 22nd

• 09.00-10.00: Enhancing service delivery in stuttering through cultural responsiveness: Principles and practice - Kia Johnson (Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research, USA)

Continuous growth in cultural and linguistic diversity across the globe influences how services are delivered to individuals who stutter. Clinicians must be prepared to address these complexities by using their understanding of stuttering to adopt a more culturally responsive approach that considers the whole person and their unique intersectionality. This session highlights parallels across cultural variables associated with bias, stereotypes, stigma, and microaggressions. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how cultural responsiveness improves outcomes. Practical strategies and foundational principles will be provided to empower clinicians to implement these approaches effectively and confidently in diverse clinical settings.

• 10.00-11.00: Understanding preschool stuttering: Speech-motor control, cognitive and temperamental factors, and treatment implications. - Victoria Tumanova (Syracuse University, USA)

In this presentation Victoria Tumanova will share findings from studies conducted at the Syracuse University Stuttering Research Lab, focusing on speech-motor control, speech-motor learning, temperament, and executive function in preschool-age children who stutter. The results reveal unique strengths and challenges in this population, offering insights into the multifaceted nature of stuttering. Practical implications for treatment will be explored, emphasizing the integration of speech-motor and cognitive approaches to intervention. Attendees will gain evidence-based strategies to improve the assessment and treatment of young children who stutter, fostering individualized care.

• Coffee break

• 11.30-12.30: Speech fluency and stuttering in bilingual children: Clinical perspectives - Selma Saad (Saint-Joseph university of Beirut, Lebanon, & Turku university, Finland)

This presentation examines recent research on speech disfluency and stuttering in bilingual children, with a focus on identifying typical disfluency patterns and distinguishing them from stuttering. Findings from a study of 92 bilingual Lebanese children reveal challenges in diagnosis, including frequent misidentifications of children who do not stutter as those who do. Attendees will learn about reliable predictors of stuttering across dominant and non-dominant languages and the benefits of assessing both languages for accurate diagnosis. Practical strategies and clinical adaptations for evaluating bilingual children will also be shared, enhancing diagnostic precision in speech-language pathology.

• Lunch

• 13.30-14.30: Implementing the CARE model and CAMP Dream.Speak.Live: Experiences and voices of participants in Malta, the Netherlands, and Poland - Katarzyna Węsierska (University of Silesia, Poland), Joeri van Ormondt (De Stotterpraktijk, The Netherlands) & Joseph Agius (University of Malta)

Children who stutter often face challenges in social interactions and are at higher risk of bullying (Beilby et al., 2012; Blood & Blood, 2004). Recent studies show that children benefit from CAMP Dream.Speak.Live by fostering healthy communication attitudes and improving their quality of life (e.g., Byrd et al., 2018, 2021). Introducing the CARE model (Byrd, 2023) and CDSL in Malta, the Netherlands, and Poland highlights the need for a modern, holistic approach—focused on Communication, self-Advocacy, Resilience, Education, stuttering acceptance and stuttering openly. This presentation shares participants' experiences from these countries, showcasing positive impacts on self-esteem, communication skills, and overall quality of life.

• 14.30-15.00: Stuttering treatment: a global perspective - Kurt Eggers (Ghent University & Thomas More, Belgium, Turku University, Finland)

A recent study explored global stuttering treatment practices through a 55-item online survey developed with the IALP Fluency Committee and translated into French and Dutch. The survey included demographic questions on education, employment, and stuttering caseload, as well as four key treatment areas: addressing the cognitive-emotional impact of stuttering, modifying speech behaviors, enhancing communicative skills, and utilizing specific therapy techniques. Distributed to speech-language pathologists in 16 countries, over 300 responses were collected. Results provide an overview of commonly used treatment components worldwide and examine factors contributing to regional differences in stuttering intervention approaches.

• 15.00-15.30: Stuttering treatment: time for debate, nuance and moving the pendulum back center - Martine Vanryckeghem (University of Central Florida)

The neurodiversity ideology is center stage in everyday life and has led to various ways in which society approaches individual differences. However, adherence to extreme ideology can lead to a paralyzing polarization. Management based on a zeitgeist should never overshadow science and data, even if they do not fit within a contemporary ideology. The pendulum, as it relates to stuttering treatment, has reached an extreme swing off center in a dangerously unnuanced way. The risk is real that by adhering to current popular and extreme views of anti-ableism, services to individuals who stutter are being withheld. Ableism or anti-ableism, is that the question? Time for discussion is here. Let’s cross bridges and meet middle ground.

• Coffee break

• 16.00-17.00: Panel discussion: Balancing perspectives in stuttering assessment and treatment: Kia Johnson, Mark Meersman, Victoria Tumanova, Joeri Van Ormondt, Martine Vanryckeghem

• 17.00 Certification ESS course cycles 2022-2023 & 2023-2024

• 17.15 End

PRESYMPOSIUM WORKSHOP 1 - Thursday & Friday February 20th & 21st

09.00-17.00: Different points of view on cluttering and on working with clients who clutter - Veerle Waelkens (Artevelde University College, Belgium), Julia Pape-Neuman (Dept. of Speech Therapy, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen)

The aim of the workshop is to achieve advanced knowledge and skills in the practice area of cluttering. It is intended to bring together the viewpoints of different specialists in an overarching framework. In accordance with a multidimensional approach, different diagnostic tools and therapy methods will be introduced. In addition to other methods, the use of the PRAAT software will be demonstrated and practiced in a diagnostic and therapeutic context (please bring your own laptop with PRAAT installed as well as headphones). The workshop results in the application and discussion of different treatment plans related to individual case studies.

PRESYMPOSIUM WORKSHOP 2 - Friday February 21st

09.00-17.00: Desensitization and modification in stuttering intervention: back to the basics? - Mark Meersman (Thomas More, Belgium)

The goal of fluency intervention for people who stutter (PWS) is to ensure they are minimally hindered by stuttering and become the strongest possible communicators. Becoming a strong, empowered communicator depends on many factors, including gaining control over (dis)fluency. Modifying stuttering moments and acquiring an internal locus of control increases self-efficacy for speech and communication. However, unpleasant experiences often cause stuttering to trigger negative emotions, hindering optimal implementation of techniques. Desensitization helps PWS stay relaxed while stuttering, a prerequisite for stuttering modification. In this workshop, I will address desensitization and modification, discuss their relation, and explore and train therapy activities to achieve these goals.

donderdag 20 februari 2025
09:00 ⇾ 17:00

vrijdag 21 februari 2025
09:00 ⇾ 17:00

zaterdag 22 februari 2025
09:00 ⇾ 17:00

Einde inschrijvingen: maandag 17 februari 2025 (23:59)
Annulatie mogelijk tot: donderdag 13 februari 2025 (23:59)

Participant: 0 EUR

Student: 0 EUR

Cost depends on your enrollment:

Workshop Cluttering (two days): 280 euros

Workshop Modification (one day): 140 euro

Symposium: 140 euros (participants) or 80 euros (students)

Registration fee includes entry to all lectures, morning and afternoon refreshments, and sandwich lunch.