Perceptions of Stuttering

Faculty members from the College of Education recently presented their research results at the 2025 International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) conference.

The research, called An Investigation of the Impacts of a Stuttering Storybook, highlights the potential of children’s literature to nurture empathy and encourage acceptance of speech differences among young learners.

Researchers Dale F. Williams, Ph.D., chair and professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Susannah L. Brown, Ph.D., professor of visual art education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, and Francesca Cocilovo, graduate assistant, explored how repeated readings of The Can’t-Be-Seen Who Couldn’t Squawk, a storybook written by Williams and illustrated by Brown, shaped children’s attitudes toward stuttering.

The narrative follows a child (named Nate) navigating stuttering and social exclusion. To evaluate the book’s influence, parents read the story to children ages 4 to 7 three times throughout one week. After the final reading, parents facilitated guided discussions using structured prompts. Survey responses revealed themes of kindness, perseverance and self-acceptance.

“Storytelling offers a powerful way to help children understand and accept differences related to speech,” Williams said. “Through characters like Nate, we’re not just teaching about stuttering; we’re encouraging empathy, resilience, and a broader sense of belonging.”