What is Cluttering?
Cluttering is when speech feels too fast, jumbled, or disorganized, making it hard for others to understand you. It’s not about being lazy — your brain is just working faster than your mouth!
Top Tips for Cluttering in Speech:
1️⃣ Increase Awareness First
Many people who clutter aren’t fully aware of how their speech sounds to others.
Recording their speech and listening back together can be a powerful tool.
Teach them to self-monitor rate, clarity, and organization of thoughts.
2️⃣ Focus on Rate Control
People who clutter often speak too fast for their brain to keep up with their mouth.
Practice pausing between phrases.
Use strategies like:
Tapping out syllables
Using a visual pacing guide (like tapping along to dots on paper)
Chunking thoughts into shorter phrases to say one idea at a time.
3️⃣ Work on Intelligibility (Clarity)
If syllables are being dropped or sounds are blending together, work on:
Over-articulation exercises (exaggerating sounds to practice clear speech)
Practicing at a slower, deliberate rate.
Reading aloud at a comfortable pace to practice word-final sounds and complete sentences.
4️⃣ Structure and Organize Thoughts
Cluttering can include disorganized language, where thoughts jump around and the message is hard to follow.
Teach strategies like:
Outlining what they want to say before speaking.
Using a simple structure: beginning, middle, end.
Practicing storytelling or giving directions with clear, step-by-step speech.
5️⃣ Practice Conversational Turn-Taking
Sometimes people who clutter jump in too fast or interrupt because their brain moves so fast.
Practice pausing after a question and taking a breath before answering.
Use scripts or role play conversations to practice natural flow.
6️⃣ Incorporate Visual and Tactile Cues
Visual cues: Rate reminders on the wall like “Slow and Clear” or colored pacing charts.
Tactile cues: Have them tap fingers for each syllable or use pacing boards for clear phrasing.
7️⃣ Emphasize Self-Advocacy
People who clutter often don’t know how to explain it to others.
Work on explaining cluttering to friends, teachers, or colleagues.
Example: “Sometimes I talk too fast or my words jumble up. I’m working on slowing down so I’m clearer.”
8️⃣ Be Patient and Positive
Cluttering is neurological, not laziness.
Celebrate small wins and progress — even a small improvement in rate and clarity is worth praising.
Build confidence and avoid constant correction (balance feedback with encouragement).
Please contact Lori@allislandspeech.com
For more info: www.allislandspeech.com
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