Ten Tips for Communicating with Someone that Stutters

• Resist the temptation to finish sentences or supply missing words.
• Don't say "Relax," "Slow down" or "Take a breath."  Such coaching can be seen as patronizing to a person that stutters---and such advice doesn't really work.
• Try not to look embarrassed.  Maintain eye contact during the conversation.
• Be patient and allow the person to finish speaking.
• Use a moderate pace when you are speaking, and allow the conversation to flow at a natural and relaxed rate.
• Realize that people who stutter often have difficulty in speaking on the telephone. Saying hello might take them a while.  Be patient when answering the phone.
• Don't be afraid to say, "I'm sorry, I didn't understand what you said."  Most stutterers don't mind repeating themselves and appreciate that you were honest.  It communicates the message you are interested in knowing what they said, instead of pretending you understood or are just guessing.
• Use the term "person that stutters" rather than "stutterer."  Stuttering is something people do, it is not who they are. Calling someone a stutterer is to refer to them in terms of their disability, and this is insensitive. All human beings are much more than their differences and difficulties!
• In family or group situations, be sure everyone takes turns listening and speaking.  People that stutter find it easier to communicate without the distraction of competing conversations.
• Ask fewer questions.  It is easier for someone who stutters to communicate if there are fewer interruptions.  Fluency often improves when the speaker can express their own thoughts in a flowing manner.  Simply acknowledge that you are listening by making comments throughout the conversation, and let it progress at a normal pace.