Instructions: This form is used as a worksheet to describe
behaviors that inhibit and/or facilitate fluid speech. The worksheet
is subdivided into seven primary features that contribute to the
production and perception of continuous, fluid speech. The graphic"
The Vocal
Tube often helps identify and/or
visualize the nature and location of disruptive patterns. Refer to
Chapters 3 and 4 in A Systems
Approach to Stuttering Therapy
(Cross, 1996) or The Nature of
Fluency and Stuttering
in this web site for additional
information on describing speech and non-speech movments. It is also
helpful to use this description worksheet in combination with the
rating scale Analysis of Speech Movements
by Phase.
CONTINUITY AND RHYTHM:
Inappropriate Pause locations (Note excessively long pauses and pauses that occurat at non-linguistic boundries. Also note pauses immediately before disfluent episodes.)
During fluent utterances:
Preceding disfluency:
Following disfluency: (pause between nonfluent word and next word)
Omitting Typical Pauses (run on utterances)
DISRUPTED VALVING: (Note the
location(s) of disruption in the continuous flow of air and/or sound
in the vocal tube). "Valves" are locations in the vocal tube where
one articulator (e.g. tongue) approximates another to modify the air
/ sound stream.
Laryngeal valve:
Tongue - posterior palate:
Tongue - mid palate:
Tongue - frontal palate:
Tongue - teeth:
Tongue - lips:
Lips - lips:
CESSATION OF STRUCTURAL MOVEMENT:
Identify if an where structures stop moving during ongoing speech.
This is typically observed as a "silent block" or tense
prolongation".
Vocal folds:
Tongue:
Jaw:
Lips:
REPETITION OF MOVEMENT: Identify
perseveration or repetition of structures during disfluent episodes.
Observe repetitive "recoil" behaviors used to avoid or postpone
disfluencies.
Vocal folds:
Tongue:
Jaw:
Lips:
ACCELERATION OR SPEEDING OF MOVEMENT BEFORE OR DURING
DISFLUENCIES:
Before Disfluency:
During disfluency:
Following disfluency:
PHYSICAL TENSING OR EVIDENCE OF "PUSHING" IN SPEECH
MECHANISM
Before fluent movements:
Before disfluent movements:
During disfluent movements:
After disfluent movements:
PHYSICAL TENSING IN NON-SPEECH STRUCTURES
Before or during fluent movements:
Before disfluent movements:
During disfluent movements:
After disfluent movements:
SUMMARY
Continuity/Rhythm:
Cessation of Air / Sound Movement:
Tensing / Pushing:
Speeding: