Special needs · Stammering and stuttering

Room to speak, and other ways to answer

Pencil Spaces gives students who stammer or stutter time to speak without being rushed, ways to answer by typing or drawing and lessons where nobody talks over them.

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Area

Communication and interaction

Who it helps

Students who stammer or stutter, tutors, teachers, speech and language therapists and families

What lessons need

Time to talk, no interrupting, a choice of how to respond, a calm pace

In Pencil Spaces

6 features available today

Part of

Special needs, need by need

What do students who stammer need from an online lesson?

Stammering, also called stuttering, is a difference in the flow of speech. What helps most is a listener who waits, doesn’t finish words and makes speaking feel safe. Online lessons can protect that space, or take it away.

A turn without competingRaise Hand · AvailableStudents raise a hand and get their turn in order, so there’s no race to speak first.
Type when they’d ratherChat · AvailableGroup chat, chat in each breakout room and private one-to-one messages give every student a way to talk without speaking.
Answers on the boardSticky Notes · AvailableSticky notes carry each author’s name, so a typed idea counts as much as a spoken one.
Polls in place of cold-callingTimers & Polls · AvailableAsk the whole group with a quick poll, so nobody is put on the spot to answer out loud.
Smaller groupsBreakout Rooms · AvailableTalking in a group of three can feel safer than in front of the whole class.
A nudge on the teacher’s paceTalk-Time Alerts · AvailableThe host gets a private nudge about their share of talk time, a reminder to leave space for students.

The features behind it

Why can online lessons be hard for students who stammer?

Video calls add pressure to speaking. Delays make people talk over each other, and the silence while someone is blocked can feel long to everyone on screen.

Being cold-called, or having a teacher finish your word, teaches a student that speaking is risky. Many go quiet instead.

What does a lesson look like in Pencil Spaces?

In a group class, the teacher asks a question as a poll first. Then hands go up, and she takes them in order.

One student is blocked on a word, so she waits, looks at the camera and doesn’t finish it. Another student adds a typed answer on a sticky note.

How do therapists use Pencil Spaces with students who stammer?

Speech-language pathologists practice fluency strategies with students 1:1 and in groups. The single-speaker view shows one face full size, so the therapist can see tension in the face and jaw.

With the family’s agreement, recordings let the student and therapist listen back to practice together. Recording Policies let a program require, allow or turn off recording, and Breakout Rooms let a small group practice speaking in pairs.

Tips for teaching students who stammer online

Wait. Don’t finish words or tell the student to slow down.
Keep natural eye contact, and show you’re listening.
Agree with the student how they’d like to answer in group lessons.
Avoid putting them on the spot. Offer polls, chat and sticky notes as options.
Slow your own pace a little, which helps the whole group.

Questions people ask

How can teachers support a student who stammers online?

Give them time, never finish their words and offer other ways to answer. In Pencil Spaces, Raise Hand gives everyone a turn in order, chat and sticky notes let students type, and polls replace cold-calling.

Can students answer without speaking?

Yes. Students can answer in group chat or private messages, on typed sticky notes that carry their name, in polls or by writing on the board. Every one counts as taking part.

Does lag make speaking harder online?

Delays can make people talk over each other. Connection Status shows each person’s connection quality and fixes problems automatically, and Raise Hand keeps turns in order so nobody is talked over.

Are small groups better for students who stammer?

Many students find small groups easier. Breakout Rooms split a class into groups of two or three for discussion, then bring everyone back in one click.