CSD 4200
Introduction to Fluency Disorder

Syllabus

Cindy S. Spillers, Ph.D.	University of MN Duluth
227 Bohannon Hall (726-7992)	Spring 2008
cspiller@d.umn.edu	Mon, Wed, Fri. 1:00 - 1:50
alias: csd4200-1-s2008@d.umn.edu	Montague 30

 

Course Objectives:

 

1.	To differentiate among the terms fluency, disfluency, and stuttering
2.	To describe the behavioral, affective, and cognitive components of stuttering.
3.	To distinguish between normal fluency development and the development of stuttering.
4.	To analyze the major theories of the causes of stuttering and their contributions to our current understanding of the disorder.
5.	To relate historical beliefs about stuttering to current popular beliefs about the disorder.
6.	To develop professional empathy for people who stutter.

 

Texts:

Silverman, Franklin H. (2004). Stuttering and other fluency disorders (3nd edition). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.

Readings on Electronic Reserve at the UMD Library:

Starkweather, C. Woodruff (1987). Fluency and stuttering. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Ch 2 "The Dimensions of Fluent Speech, " pp 15 - 47.

Starkweather, C. Woodruff (1987). Fluency and stuttering. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Ch 4 "The Development of Fluency in Children," pp 73 - 113.

Web-based articles:

Alm, Per (2006).  Stuttering and the basal ganglia.  [on-line] Stuttering Foundation of America.

Drayna, Dennis (2005). New clues into stuttering may be found in genes.  [on-line]  Paper presented to the 8th International Stuttering Awareness Day Online Conference.  http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad8/papers/drayna8.html

Foundas, Ann (2008).  Atypical cerebral laterality:  Neural risk for stuttering [on-line] Stuttering Foundation of America.

Johnson, Gerald F. (1998). A Clinical Study of Porky Pig Cartoons [on-line] The Stuttering Home Page. http://www.mankato.msus.edu/dept/comdis/kuster/gjohnson/ppig.html

Kuster, Judith, et al. (2006).  Extraordinary people who stutter.  [on-line] Paper presented to the 9th International Stuttering  Awareness Day Online Conference.  http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad9/papers/ordinary9/ordinary9.html.

Scott, Lisa (2006).  A look at genetic and neurological correlates of stuttering.  [on-line]  Stuttering Foundation of America.

Scott, Lisa (2008).  Communication disorders and temperament.  [on-line]  Stuttering Foundation of America.  

St. Louis, Kenneth (2005). A Global Project to Measure Public Attitudes About Stuttering. [on-line] The ASHA
Leader on line. http://www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2005/051018/051018d.htm

Stewart, Tony and Van Keilegom, Robert (2006). Success! In spite of (or maybe because of) stuttering - Personal stories.  [on-line] Paper presented to the 9th International Stuttering Awareness Day Online Conference http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad9/papers/stewart9.html

Yairi, Ehud (2006).  Genetics of stuttering:  New developments.  [on-line]  Stuttering Foundation of America.

 

Policies:

1. Mitigating Circumstances: If you have any disabilities, either permanent or temporary, which might affect your ability to perform in this course, please let me know at the beginning of the semester. I will try to adapt methods, materials, or testing to provide for your equitable participation in the course.

2. Attendance: Although daily attendance is not required, it is encouraged very strongly. Much of the information that you ultimately need to know will not be available in the textbook. You will be responsible for obtaining lecture information and handouts presented on days that you miss. You are required to be present on days when in-class exams and presentations are scheduled. Please let me know ahead of time if you will not be in class. This is a gesture of respect and professional courtesy for your classmates and me.

3. Reading Assignments: Reading assignments will come from the text book, web sites, and articles listed above. Read the assignments before class meetings so that you can understand what we're talking about and participate intelligently in the class discussions. Use the Course Outline to help you determine what readings correspond to what weeks of class.

4. Class Participation: Since you are responsible for your own learning, you will be expected to come to class prepared and to participate in discussions and activities. See the description of assignments for more details.

5. Exams: You will be expected to write an exam on the day it is scheduled to be written. If you are ill or you must be absent on the day of an exam, you must notify me prior to the class meeting time. The official final exam slot for this course is Monday, May12, 12:00 p.m. For take-home exams, you will have one week in which to complete the exam. The exam is due by 12:00 p.m. on the due date. Failure to return the exam on time will result in a failing grade for that exam.

6. Make-up Exams: Students who must be absent from class on the day of an exam must write the exam within 2 working days of the originally scheduled exam. If you do not make up an exam within the allotted time period, or if you fail to notify me of your absence in due time, you will receive a failing grade for that exam. Realize that if I have to develop an alternative form of an exam, I (or any instructor) cannot guarantee that the difficulty of the alternative version equals that of the original exam.

7. Due Dates: Due dates for written work will be announced well in advance. Materials will be due by 1:00 p.m. on the given date, unless otherwise announced. All late work will be reduced by one letter grade for each day that it is late.

8. Incompletes: If life becomes overwhelming during the term, come to visit me. We can talk about some options that you may have available to you before you decide on taking an incomplete. Be sure to read the university's and the college's policies on incompletes before choosing this option.

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The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
©2008 Cindy S. Spillers. For concerns about this course contact the instructor at cspiller@d.umn.edu