ADD ADVICE TO FAVSpeech impairments
Some people fear that by bringing their speech impairment into the open they may jeopardise their career at the start. However, if you disclose your speech impairment when making applications, you and the employer will be better prepared to handle it at interview.
On an application form or at an interview, employers should ask what adjustments or support they can provide. They could give you more time at an interview, for example, or allow you to give written answers.
For many people with speech impairments, how they speak at interview does not represent their speech in everyday working life. If this is the case for you, make sure the employer is aware of this.
Working with a speech impairment
Does my stammer count as a disability?
Under the Disability Discrimination Act, stammering is recognised as a disability if it has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
The Department for Work and Pensions issued revised guidance on the definition of disability in March 2006. According to the guidance, it would be reasonable to regard as having a substantial adverse effect:
- difficulty giving clear basic instructions orally to colleagues or providers of a service
- difficulty asking specific questions to clarify instructions
- taking longer to say things than someone who does not have an impairment.
Even if you do not stammer all the time, or if you use coping strategies to hide the effect of your stammer, it may still qualify as a disability. Contact the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) for more information about how disabilities are defined by the law.
When you start work, mention your speech impairment in a matter-of-fact way to colleagues. Key points to include are that stammering can be very variable and that it sometimes appears for no apparent reason. Explain what other people can do to help.
Workplace adjustments that employers may consider include:
- arranging for someone else to take front-line phone calls or providing a quiet place or time for you to make or receive calls
- ensuring the chairs of meetings give you time to speak without interruption
- giving you time to attend speech therapy courses.
Sources of support
Many people find speech therapy helpful as a way to break out of the cycle of fear that makes any speech impairment worse. It is available both privately and through the NHS (depending on the area). You may also want to consider joining a public-speaking organisation to develop confidence and audience communication skills.
It’s also a good idea to talk to your university careers advisers about what sort of communication skills you are likely to need for different jobs. They should also be able to give you advice about giving presentations and preparing for oral exams.
The British Stammering Association can send you a free information pack. We can also put you in touch with therapists and with others who stammer just knowing you are not alone with it is very helpful.
