Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Speaking "Hawkingese" (talkin' a mile-a-minute)

I picked this line out of a post by Austin in the Analogy thread -- it was in a little ditty about Stephen Hawking.

The #1 admonishment both in our household and at school is, "SLOW DOWN!" I believe that we have made ZERO progress thus far in getting him to slow down his speech. NONE!

Once in awhile (OK, every third time) he'll get frustrated and S-L-O-W it waaaay down to be a jerk about it, but we can't seem to get him to compromise on a speed somewhere this side of light speed.

Does the "Hawkingese" ever get better?

Gosh, I don't know, but if someone has an answer I'd like to know if it applies to voice VOLUME

Yes and no... That was one of my parents main complaints, I think. It is impossible for a physical mouth to keep up with the speed of thought but I certainly tried.

I still speak very quickly on topics of interest when I don't pay attention to it, also when I've had a drink or two (Hurray for speed slurring!).

Suggestions to help your son:

Make a recording of him talking his normal speed and then very carefully talking at a humanly understandable speed so that HE can hear the difference.

If you are even slightly bilingual try to get him to say it in his less fluent language.

Tell him to pretend he is giving a presentation at school and the "presentation" part is where the grade is coming from.

Explain that you really do have trouble understanding him at that speed, then mimic him so he can understand.

If all else fails, tell him you are are absolutely flat out stupid and unless you can understand him clearly then he'll have to keep repeating it until you can! lol slightly joking...

Oh goodness....I have always been a fast talker....speed of light talker LOL...it drove my mom and dad, and other adults around me crazy growing up. I still talk quite fast, but have learned to slow down and do try to me conscious of it now.

DD is 2.5 and speaks so quickly....I know she is trying to keep up her talking to her thoughts. I really don't have any advice as I think it just took me becoming an adult and aware of it to slow down, but I do still have people comment about howfast I talk, especially when I am excited by a topic.

OH my gosh.... my DD does this when she is READING! It is so annoying! I am CONSTANTLY telling her to SLOOOWWWWW DOWN! Her teachers at school tell her that too. She's not as bad when she talks (though she NEVER STOPS TALKING) but man, I can't get her to slow down with her reading. When she is talking it's just NON-STOP! I swear, the kid even talks in her sleep!!!!