THE TARKOWSKI STUTTERING THERAPY METHOD (article in Czech translation)

The method used by Professor Tarkowski represent a system approach to the therapy of people who stutter at a different age. This approach assumes that the structure of stuttering involves linguistic factors (e.g. speech disfluency), biological factors (e.g. excessive muscle tension), psychological factors (e.g. logophopia) and social factors (e.g. communication stress). Previous approaches focus mainly on particular factors corresponding to the therapist specialties. Physicians are used to biological factors, psychologists to psychological factors, logopedists to linguistic and social factors. In the method used by Professor Tarkowski the whole structure of stuttering is affected, aiming at reducing speech disfluency, muscle tension, logophobia and increasing the ability to deal with communication stress. The only specialists who takes the challenge is a balbutologist, who takes the responsibility for the course of the therapy and its results. Examples of such an approach in the kindergarten, school and mature age, were given within this article.