Ottens himself writes that "To address this handicap, the suggested response is to learn to talk to yourself in a way that guides you through an academic task." By this he means using inner speech as behavioral control. Self-talk is used to talk yourself through a task making sure you slow down and take the time to do things correctly. This method is also a coping mechanism because it helps the student learn how to establish discipline to slow him down and create an atmosphere of serenity.