LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Read about the experience of a teen who stutters; identify challenges involved in living with a stutter; describe how to be a good listener to someone who has a speech impediment.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 7: Demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

 

CASEL: Social awareness; relationship skills

KEY VOCAB

speech impediments

techniques

skeptical

psychiatrist 

Lesson Plan: My Life With a Stutter

Olivia, 14, sometimes struggles with getting words out. Here’s what she wants you to know about living with a speech impediment, and why what she has to say is always worth listening to.

Table of Contents:

1. Preparing to Read

2. Reading and Discussing

3. Building Comprehension and Vocabulary

4. Expanding SEL Opportunities

1. Preparing to Read

Before you read the article “My Life With a Stutter,” ask your students the following pre-reading question:

What are the challenges of having a speech impediment, such as a stutter?

2. Reading and Discussing

  • Have your students read the article “My Life With a Stutter” independently; read the article out loud to them; or have students partner-read the article out loud.
  • After they’ve read the article, revisit the pre-reading question. Have their answers changed? 
  • Next, have your students answer the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking questions, either working in small groups or independently. 


Close-Reading Questions
The following questions can be shared in printable or interactive form from the Resources tab. 

  1. Do medical professionals know what causes stuttering? Explain.
  2. Is there a cure for stuttering? Explain.

Critical-Thinking Questions

  1. What would be the most challenging part of having a speech impediment, in your opinion? Explain.

  2. Why do you think some people prefer to embrace their stutter rather than try to “cure” it?

3. Building Comprehension and Vocab

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Quiz

  • Vocab Builder

4. Expanding SEL Opportunities

Continue the learning journey with the following extension activity:

In SPEECH IMPEDIMENT AWARENESS, have students create social media posts to inform others about common speech impediments, such as a stutter. Allow students the option to either share their top five facts about stuttering (or another speech impediment), or list their favorite ways to be a good listener to someone who has a speech impediment. 

Print This Lesson Plan

Text-to-Speech