Craig Coffeehttps://usedtostutter.com/comparing-stuttering-programs# What do I ask when someone tells me about another stuttering course? By [Craig Coffee](/craig-coffee) I want to know what part is helping. In one conversation, the person I was speaking with was taking another course. I asked, “What’s the most effective thing that you’ve learned or that he shares?” Don said articulation was the biggest thing for him. He described mumbling and not pronouncing words clearly. He was working on varying the pitch of his voice as he spoke. I asked whether that helped, and whether it helped at work. He said he sometimes practiced it there and felt his speech got better when he articulated. He wanted to practice more. Those were his answers in that conversation. ## I’ve said that something helping is a good thing “If it works, that’s great.” That was my response in that conversation. In another explanation, I said that if some of what you’ve learned helps you and you feel good about it, I’m all for doing what is working for you. I’m showing my way. I happen to like my way. But I have also said there are a lot of ways people work on their speech. ## The real setting matters I spent years taking ideas into the real world. I tried them on dates, at work, when I was applying for jobs, standing in front of people, and making calls. I wanted to know what worked and what didn’t. That is why I ask about work. A person can tell me what they learned, and I can ask whether it is helping where they actually have to speak. When a work meeting is the hard part, I ask what makes it hard. What is going through your head while the meeting continues? In one conversation, finding out that the meetings were on Teams changed the suggestion I gave. I want the conversation to get that specific. The useful part is hearing what you are doing, where you are trying it, and what you say is helping. ## Related answers - [How did I turn things I read into something I could use when speaking?](/how-i-tested-speaking-advice) - [Why did I have to practice in real conversations?](/stuttering-practice-in-real-conversations) - [What do I try to do before a work meeting starts?](/stuttering-in-meetings) [Find your question](/questions)

I want to know what part is helping. In one conversation, the person I was speaking with was taking another course. I asked, “What’s the most effective thing that you’ve learned or that he shares?” Don said articulation was the biggest thing for him. He described mumbling and not pronouncing words clearly. He was working on varying the pitch of his voice as he spoke. I asked whether that helped, and whether it helped at work. He said he sometimes practiced it there and felt his speech got better when he articulated. He wanted to practice more. Those were his answers in that conversation.

## I’ve said that something helping is a good thing “If it works, that’s great.” That was my response in that conversation. In another explanation, I said that if some of what you’ve learned helps you and you feel good about it, I’m all for doing what is working for you. I’m showing my way. I happen to like my way. But I have also said there are a lot of ways people work on their speech.

## The real setting matters I spent years taking ideas into the real world. I tried them on dates, at work, when I was applying for jobs, standing in front of people, and making calls. I wanted to know what worked and what didn’t. That is why I ask about work. A person can tell me what they learned, and I can ask whether it is helping where they actually have to speak. When a work meeting is the hard part, I ask what makes it hard. What is going through your head while the meeting continues? In one conversation, finding out that the meetings were on Teams changed the suggestion I gave. I want the conversation to get that specific. The useful part is hearing what you are doing, where you are trying it, and what you say is helping.