Category: Education

Stuttering is a socio communicational problem which is a common problem among adults and children. Undoubtedly, it has negative effects on individuals’ mental, social and emotional aspects. Its causes are often numerous but mainly they are precipitated by accidents or head injuries or are simply presented during childhood.

Due to its effect on social life, it is advisable to seek help and overcome the issue as its damages become more severe. Stuttering is very common in kids, but it is not entirely in-existent in adults. This involuntary fluency disorder is known to precipitate socio communication problems in toddlers. The question many people ask, however, is whether or not the disorder has an impact on the Quality of life (QOL) in adulthood. What is its effect on individuals’ mental and emotional health?

To answer this question, we must look at stuttering from a multidimensional perspective and we must look at different aspects of a stutterer’s life. Of course, there are tons of studies that try to investigate and estimate the impact of stuttering on QOL, but most of them have registered little to no success.

One thing is certain, though: Stuttering has a negative effect on most quality of life (QOL) dimensions in adults. It is important that additional research is done in order to get the exact extent of the negative impact for better treatment planning. This will also be instrumental in preventing any future mental, emotional, or social disorders that could stem from adult stuttering.

Causes of Stuttering In Adults

Understanding the causes of stuttering in adults is the key to understanding a stutterer’s quality of life. Some speech issues start in childhood while others are precipitated by head injuries after an accident or a prolonged illness. People who suffer from neurological diseases sometimes find trouble producing sound and developing speech. They often find themselves making a slurred speech or lacking the right words to form complete statements.

There are qualified speech and language pathologists who help such people to improve speech. You can sign up for speech therapy for adults, for example, to have a professional help you deal with language issues. Speech therapy for adults also applies to patients with cognitive difficulties, particularly short-term memory.

The Impact on Socio‐Emotional Development and Quality Of Life of Language Impairment

Adults with severe speech impairment tend to have a worse QOL compared to those that stutter just a little. Research shows that as an individual tries to regulate and manage his/her speech impairment, his/her quality of life improves.

People who struggle with speech and language problems right from childhood have a normal QOL. Studies show that such people get used to the life of stuttering, since they know no other life, so they don’t really care how others think of their stuttering. That is different from people who develop speech impairment in adulthood, say due to stroke or any other illness.

Poor social interaction skills sometimes precipitate shame, embarrassment, and frustrations. People with speech impairment are easily irritated and are more vulnerable to depression. Note that speech impairments can be very isolating, so you must do all you can to prevent that from happening.

Studies also indicate that many people who struggle with speech issues through school are affected negatively in their academic life. Without positive emotions towards their time in school, such kids have problems making friends and establishing healthy relationships with teachers. If not addressed early enough, this problem can adversely affect an individual’s later life, say in terms of limiting their career options.

Speech issues can also affect your ability to obtain work or to relate well with colleagues, bosses, and clients. That can reflect in a bad way your work performance, hampering your chances for promotion. The good thing is that with speech therapy for adults, you can successfully reverse the effect of speech impairment on your professional life.

Problems with stutter are problems that also impact the student’s academic and social life within the school premises. Especially for teenagers, such a problem may impact their social life considerably. Thus, it is very important for teachers to know how to behave in such cases and help the student overcome the challenges.

There are several steps that teacher can do to help students such as:

• Talk slow so that the student feels comfortable when he then speaks slow.
• Do not tell the student to relax or slow down.
• Convey to the student that you are listening to the content said rather than the way it was said.
• Look at them with interest when they are talking.
• Repeat and rephrase what the student said to let them know your understood what was said.
• Research new technology available for students who may need additional resources.

As well, if the student is already visiting a speech therapy specialist, the teacher must coordinate with the speech therapist and let him/her know where the student is struggling most, so that practices are made in that context. Provide the speech therapist with classroom materials so that they can use them as part of the practice sessions.

The speech therapist and teacher must also coordinate on the technique they want to follow to push the student because it would be confusing, ineffective and unsuccessful to use different approaches to push the children to talk normally.

Final Thoughts

It is advisable that you seek medical attention as soon as possible in case you experience a sudden onset of impaired speech as that could be a sign of an underlying health condition. As we have mentioned, impaired speech in adulthood is in most cases a product of illnesses such as stroke, or severe head injuries. These conditions can be life-threatening if not addressed early enough.

Explore the top benefits of speech therapy for kids.

Do you find your children moan and groan when you tell them it’s time to do their science homework? There are simple solutions to make science fun. Kids are curious by nature and like asking questions. If they see, hear, or feel that which comes in their way, they’ll probably ask, ‘Why?”

Parents and teachers can make science learning fun and exciting by emboldening their curiosity about their surroundings. Teaching them how to find answers about the questions they’ve asked for themselves also helps. After all, science is all about finding the solutions to ‘why.’ 

Speaking of science, most kids tend to struggle with physics. And speaking of science, most kids also tend to struggle with physics and mathematics. Unless they have a solid understanding of the fundamentals, they will fall behind. Physics and math are inter-related, and if you live near a physics tuition center, you may want to consider enrolling your child. But there are things you can do right now at home to make science learning fun.

5 Tips to Make Science Fun for Your Kids

1.   Exploring Your Backyard or Park

When was the last time you took your child in your backyard or park for the science’s sake? It’s not something most parents think of doing. But science is best learned through observations and experiments. Your child will ask you “how do chicks hatch”, or “how does a caterpillar morphs into a butterfly?”, or how plants sprout from the seeds. The best way to make kids fascinated by science is through nature. In the real world, students can learn the fun secrets of science by observing the captivating development process of plants, insects, and animals.

In nature, teachers can also find quite a few science experiments that they can ask the students to do at home. For example, you can ask kids to keep a journal on how many days it takes for larvae to morph into a butterfly or the different types of butterflies in their yard.

2.  Studying Nature

Why does it rain? Why do the seasons change? How many stars are there in the universe? Why do we see stars at night? I’m guessing you’ve heard these questions from your child many times? Answering these questions about nature will generate interest in your kids about science. Take your children for long hikes and ask them to look out for the natural surroundings, including birds, trees, and rocks as you travel.

If you’re looking at clouds, tell them about the many varieties of clouds. If you’re studying birds, point out the different birds, and if chemistry is your thing, let them know what makes their soda fizzle.

3.  Find Out How Things Work

Whether your kids want to become doctors or engineers in the future or not, kids always get fascinated by how things work. They want to understand the scientific explanations and principles behind everyday technologies and phenomena.  So they want to read the books about Thomas Edison and other such famous inventors. They want to attempt to come up with experiments on their own to show how their inventions work.

If your child asks you for help with his or her science project, like making a rocket from a recycled water bottle, lend them a hand. You can help them find household items or demonstrate how physics principles work. If your child struggles with math, don’t rule out getting a math tutor to help them with their scientific calculations.

4.  Be Practical

You can’t learn science without experiments or hands-on activities. Sure, reading books about science, as well as biographies of famous scientists and inventors day-in and day-out, will give them knowledge. But never actually doing a science experiment or witnessing any scientific demonstrations is dull.

Learning science is a full-on hands-on activity, period. But before that, find out what everyday issues affects and interest your students? Do they like hunting for exotic bugs? Are they interested in making a fake volcano using vinegar and baking soda? Do they want to create glow-in-the-dark germs? Be creative!   There are tons of projects like these they can do to throughout the year.

5.  Read Biographies

Children need to be encouraged and inspired. And what better way to instill scientific curiosity in kids by persuading them to read biographies about famous scientists such as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Marie Curie? Making biographies about scientists and inventors as part of your science studies will help kids stay engaged. It will make them curious to know about how these people worked, lived, and how they discovered facts about science.

The achievements of these types of people have greatly impacted the world and can often be looked at as super heroes. But simple reading about them can show how scientists and inventors are just real people with ideas who wanted to make a difference in our world.

Who knows, it could inspire your child to become the next famous scientist!

Discover how to engage and educate kids on saving energy.

As parents, we want to do everything we can to make sure our kids have good reading skills. We entrust our children to the school system a few hours each weekday but are fully aware that what we do at home is just as important, if not even more vital to developing good reading habits. Sounds good right?

But there is one problem. I used the work ‘habit’ when referring to our desire to inspire kids to love reading. The problem is, a focus on developing good reading habits is the wrong goal. On it’s own, it won’t be enough.

Don’t misunderstand. Healthy habits can make it easier for any of us to do things we may not particularly feel like doing on any given day. But to inspire a love for reading is to instill the passion needed to fuel a lifestyle that ‘always includes reading’.

The infographic below gives some great tips on how to set the stage for kids of any age to begin a journey into a lifelong passion for reading. They go hand in hand with good resources that enable parents to do more than just laying a solid foundation. Setting our kids up for success is only the beginning.

Instilling a Passion for Reading in Kids

It’s quite natural for kids desire bedtime stories, but there is a definite point in early child development when their own passion needs needs to take over. This is necessary in order for them to begin a lifelong habit of reading on their own. It’s an important step in a child’s speech and language development. It’s easy to say “less screens and more books” but how does a parent begin to instill a passion for reading early on? This is a

Exploring basic steps to build a foundation of education through reading…

1. Of course, we all know we should read to our children from a very early age, but try to work times for reading into other parts of the day other than just a bedtime. This shows children how fun reading and fun it can be anytime they wish, not just in order to delay having go to sleep.
2. When kids want to watch TV, offer to read them a book instead following by playing a game. This teaches a fun balance or activities.
3. Bring kids to the library regularly so they can explore and pick books that appear interesting to them. If they don’t like a book, affirm that it’s ok to try and find something they like to read.
4. Model reading by having kids read their own books along side you when you are reading yours. You may not be an avid reader, but setting times to read together with your child may help them develop a love for reading that you were not taught.
5. Don’t stop reading to your child after they’ve learned to do it on their own. You can also take turns reading alternate pages of a book with them.

Room for Kids to Explore Safely

There are so many other tips and strategies to raising kids that love to read. It builds a solid foundation for learning. The Internet is one of the greatest resources for kids to access interesting articles or even books, no matter where they are. This is why providing a safe online environment that protects kids while searching the internet is vital, so that kids can freely explore all the positives the web has to offer.

The Benefits of Reading

Reading has many benefits for children of all ages! From toddlers to seniors, the hidden benefits of reading can have a substantial effect on us all. For example, reading can boost your communication skills, as it helps you to understand other perspectives and makes structured conversations easier to maintain. Additionally, reading helps keep the brain active, leading to a slower cognitive decline as you age and an improved memory that comes from the need to remember certain plot points. There has even been research that proves reading can lead to a happier, more satisfied life!

Reading also has surprising benefits on our health. While you read, your body is able to relax completely, reducing muscle tension and lowering your heart rate. These effects in the body help to lower stress levels and equip you to better deal with the stresses of everyday life. To further benefit your mental and physical health, you should start including reading in your bedtime routine. Abandoning your devices in favor of reading for around 30 minutes before bed, you will signal to your brain that it is time for bed, so you can start to wind down, relax and get a satisfactory nights rest.

In short, the benefits of reading are undeniable on both children and adults. There are even studies that show people can live longer if they read as little as 30 minutes per day! So, how can you get your child to enjoy reading?

Early Literacy

Early literacy is vital to child development and lifelong learning. Yet, there is a literacy gap in our world that makes it that much more difficult for kids to get the jump start they need. In any situation, kids need all the help they can get.

We’ve listed some fun and creative ways to teach kids to read.  These methods are also about inspiring our kids to want to read. It’s about instilling passion so they have a life long desire to seek out books they enjoy.  Another way parents and teachers can help is by introducing children to books they can identify with. This can include authors that have a common upbringing or common ethnicity.

What is your child interested in? Is is fantasy, science fiction? Do they want to be a veterinarian when they grow up or a fireman? Search online with your child about topics they may be interested in. Then take them to the library regularly to exploration a world of themes, ideas and authors from all walks of life.

While early literacy is important, it’s never too late to get started.

Reading Resources for Parents!

Another valuable learning strategy to encourage new readers is to teach your child alphabet recognition.  This can begin from very early ages to better prepare them for when it’s time to begin reading. Getting to know letters will give kids a jump start even when you are reading to them from storybooks.  Children will not only follow the pictures but also begin recognizing the letters on the page as you read.

Being well read helps kids be creative writers too.  Here are some easy ways to improve your child’s creative writing skills.

Interaction with other human beings through sight, sound and touch creates those first important bonds. This grows into communication beyond the sense into language. This is why access to online educational tools is so important. Research has actually shown that early literacy first begins through play. Before language. For kids to excel in school from an early age, that “play” needs to soon develop into a love for reading.

When it comes to showing your child the internet, there’s a lot to explore. It can be overwhelming knowing where to start. Just because there are dangers online shouldn’t stop parents from exploring productive and beneficial opportunities for kids to learn. It’s all about finding the right programs to benefit and complement their real-life learning skills.

If you’re not too sure where to begin when it comes to the internet and your child, let’s talk about five things that your child can learn online.

1.     Try a Readability App

A lot of kids struggle to learn to read. Whether it’s at home or kindergarten, for some reason, they’re just not getting it and coming to you frustrated. Teaching them to learn how to read is also easier said than done.

However, there are now online resources that make it a little easier to teach your child how to read. A readability app has a variety of different reading programs to encourage them to persist and learn an important new skill. From pointing out where they make mistakes to encouraging different reading levels, this is a great way to build up your child’s confidence around reading.

2.     Teach Them Math

Math is another tough skill to teach a child, especially if they’re not naturally inclined that way. Luckily, there are a number of different online resources that can not only prepare your toddler for what they will learn in school but can also make learning math fun and interactive.

Whether it’s a math learning game or math training that improves their skill levels, you’ve got many different options to choose from.

3.     Ignite Their Creativity

You may not know it, but there are a lot of resources on the internet for kids that aren’t just mindless games. In fact, there are game apps made for kids with education in mind, designed specifically for the purpose of encouraging their creativity.

Make sure that you find a game and encourage the child to think for themselves and inspires them to use their imagination and get creative.

4.     Learn to be Organized

One of the biggest skills that your child will learn as they prepare to start school is how to be organized and plan ahead. When they’ve got to get up and make their lunch, get dressed, and remember what homework they have to hand in today, having planning skills is going to make all this a lot easier.

There are now quite a few apps that can help your child plan ahead, so they can see their schedule in front of them and not get so overwhelmed by the day.

5.     Improve Language and Grammar Skills

Another essential skill for your child to learn as they get ready to start school is grammar – and, of course, language. These two go hand in hand with reading, so it’s no surprise that there are interactive apps and games that can help improve your child’s grammar and language skills.

While the internet can be tough terrain from time to time, there’s also a lot on offer when it comes to your child learning new skills. Make sure to keep them safe online too, and monitor their activity whenever you can.  There are also methods to help limit your kids screen time to ensure a proper balance between all of their activities.

Around the World Online With Kids