AN INVESTIGATION OF STUTTERING DISORDER AMONG LEARNERS IN A MULTILINGUAL SPECIAL SCHOOL IN LAFIA, NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines the prevalence, characteristics, and educational implications of stuttering disorder among learners at the Government Comprehensive Special School, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Guided by the Demands and Capacities Model of stuttering, the study adopts a mixed-method descriptive survey design to explore how linguistic, cognitive, and environmental demands influence speech fluency in a multilingual school context. Data were collected through the Stuttering Severity Instrument Fourth Edition (SSI-4), structured classroom observations, spontaneous speech sampling, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were thematically analysed to contextualise fluency patterns and intervention practices. Findings indicate that most learners exhibit moderate stuttering severity, with disfluencies more pronounced in English than in indigenous languages. Limited access to speech-language therapy and reliance on informal classroom strategies further exacerbate fluency difficulties. The study provides context-specific evidence on stuttering in a Nigerian special-school setting and highlights the need for language-sensitive interventions, professional training, and integrated speech-therapy services in multilingual classrooms.