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Workshops Help Therapists Improve Skills

Each year the Stuttering Foundation holds professional workshops for speech-language pathologists. Here is some feedback from the Eastern 2012 Class:

20th Anniversary Celebration at Speaker's House

By Elaine Kelman

Michael Palin Centre

March 2nd marked the 20th birthday of the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children.

During this time, the centre based in London, has helped thousands of children who stutter and trained hundreds of speech therapists.

Ken Venturi: A Champion to Those Who Stutter

For Immediate Release
Contact: Greg Wilson
gregwilsonpr@gmail.com
571-239-7474

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (May 18, 2013) – Jane Fraser, president, the Stuttering Foundation (www.StutteringHelp.org), issued the following remarks concerning the passing of Ken Venturi, the first spokesman for the Foundation:

Ken Venturi: A Champion to Those Who Stutter

Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation issued the following remarks concerning the passing Ken Venturi, the first spokesman for the Foundation: “The stuttering community lost a real champion in Ken Venturi.

Nursery Rhymes Can Play a Role

In 2008, an interesting article on music and language learning was published in Cognition by Schön, Boyet, Moreno, Besson, Peretz and Kolinksky, in which they argued that “consistent mapping of linguistic and musical information would enhance facilitation of learning, with a longer-lasting effect in memory” (Cognition, 2008, vol. 106, pp.975-983). This reminds us of what teachers previously did in the classroom when they had the pupils learn songs. What did they know without having the neuroscientific proof of the benefit of music on language learning? They simply had experienced the positive result of music on language and learning in general.

Stuttering Foundation's 22nd Annual Media Awards Competition

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Jan. 23, 2013) — For the 22nd consecutive year, the Stuttering Foundation, www.StutteringHelp.org, announces it will recognize journalists for excellence in reporting that furthers the understanding of this complex disorder.

"We are happy to announce these awards to further public awareness of stuttering," said Jane Fraser , president of the nonprofit foundation. "Media coverage has grown substantially in volume and sensitivity in recent years. We want to continue to recognize outstanding reporting."

Stuttering Foundation Announces 2013 Journalism Award Winners

For Immediate Release 
Contact: Greg Wilson 
gregwilsonpr@gmail.com 
571-239-7474

Overcoming Obstacles

I’d like to introduce myself to all the readers. My name is Milton Castro Saenz, I’m from Costa Rica and I’m 25 years old. I work for a U.S. company in my country and I’m currently studying Business Administration to get a degree next year in one of the best universities in Costa Rica. I’m proud of myself about what I’ve achieved so far; it has not been easy.

Actors Who Stutter Provide Inspiration

While many articles in Celebrity Corner have featured famous actors and other entertainers who have struggled with stuttering, there are many such actors who for whatever reason are not on the radar screen anymore. Such actors may not be known to the general public, but their personal stories of overcoming stuttering are just as inspiring.

The James Soper Merrill Prize Recipient

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CELEBRITY FOCUS

Dave Taylor

Dave Taylor has been on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter for many years, but probably few people know all of the unique accomplishments of this former hockey great who was born on December 4, 1955, in Levack, Ontario.

Bill Walton

From BillWalton.com

Thank you for your interest in my life long problem with my speech and communication skills. I was a very shy and reserved young man who could not speak at all without severely stuttering until I was 28 years old. Always a success in the classroom and on the basketball court, I took refuge in the things that I did well as a youngster. A straight A student, my athletic abilities covered the deficiencies that limited my overall growth and development. The game of basketball was my religion, the gym my church. It was a convenient way of avoiding my responsibilities of developing my human relation skills.

When I was 28, a chance encounter at a social event with Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Glickman completely changed my life in so many ways that things have never been the same since, nor have they ever been better. That day, in a very brief, private conversation (one way, mind you, since I literally could not speak at the time) Marty explained, patiently and concisely, that talking, communicating was a skill not a gift or a birthright and that like any skill, whether it be sports, music, business or whatever, needed to be developed over a lifetime of hard work, discipline, organization and practice. Marty gave me some simple tips that day and then encouraged me to take those keys and apply them to methods of learning that I had received from the special teachers that I had come across in my life, particularly the 6 Hall of Fame basketball coaches that I had played for throughout my career. The beginning of my whole new life was as simple as that. No gimmicks, tricks or shortcuts. Just the realization that with some help, guidance and a lot of hard work that I too could do what seemed so easy, simple and natural to everyone else, yet seemed impossibly out of my reach and comprehension.

Marilyn Monroe

From Edward S. Herrington's letter to Southcoasttoday.com

I am writing in response to "The importance of voice" (May 29), which mentioned that famous actor James Earl Jones struggled with stuttering. Another famous voice that you cited was the trademark breathy voice of Marilyn Monroe; however, you did not make mention of the fact that Marilyn Monroe also struggled with stuttering at various points in her life, sometimes very painfully.

Alan Rabinowitz

Alan Rabinowitz, Ph.D., who passed away in 2018, was an explorer, wildlife conservationist, and author. He established the Hukawng Valley Tiger Reserve in northern Myanmar, which is about the size of the state of Vermont.

His love for animals began when he was very young.

Kenyon Martin

Kenyon Martin, the basketball sensation who was named to the NBA’s All Star Team in 2004, joins other famous people who stutter in a new brochure. The brochure - which unfolds into a small poster - is available free of charge from The Stuttering Foundation.

The poster is intended to give children and adults who stutter inspiration as they grapple with their speech disorder.