Famous People Who Stutter
What is Stuttering?
True or False: Facts/Myths
Speech Mechanism
For Fun: Guess that...
100
Who is he? He is widely regarded as one of the greatest African American golfers of all time and as one of the most famous athletes in modern history.
He managed his stutter during childhood by practicing speeches, talking to his dog, and taking speech therapy classes.
Tiger Woods
100
What is stuttering?
Stuttering is when someone has trouble speaking smoothly.
Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental speech disorder that interrupts the natural flow, rhythm, and timing of spoken language (ASHA).
100
A person's stutter can NOT change over time even with the help of a speech therapist.
FALSE
Stuttering CAN change over time. Our speech may seem smooth for a while, and then we may start stuttering again (especially if one is experiencing a life-changing event).
100
What are these, and how does it help produce speech?
Teeth
Teeth act like tiny gates, walls, and target spots that shape and control the air moving through your mouth.
Hissing sound for /s/
Zipper or Buzzing sound for /z/
Tongue Sandwich for 'TH'
100
Who's that Pokémon?
It's Pikachu!
200
Who is he? He is the 46th president of the United States. He is the former U.S. President who has spoken openly about managing a stutter since childhood, practicing speech cadences and memorizing passages in front of a mirror.
Joe Biden
200
What causes a stutter?
Brain wiring: Just like some people are left-handed and others are right-handed, some brains process speech timing slightly differently.
Family History: Stuttering is passed down through genes, much like eye color, height, or curly hair.
200
Boys stutter less often than girls.
FALSE
Boys stutter more often than girls. 3 to 4 times more common in boys than in girls by the time they reach school age or adulthood.
200
What is this, and how does it help produce speech?
Tongue
Think of your tongue as a super-flexible acrobat or shapeshifter living inside your mouth.
Your tongue can curl, flatten, lift, tap, and slide into dozens of different positions in a fraction of a second to turn plain air into clear words.
200
Solve the emojis:
Monkey
Hotdog
Mango
300
Who is he? Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is widely regarded as one of the most culturally significant figures of the 20th century.
He struggled with a stutter during his youth, which he largely masked using his relaxed Southern drawl.
300
Demonstrate prolongation. Hint: Stretch out the sounds.
"The watermmmm-elon is tasty." OR "Sssssssee you later."
300
Some people who stutter find their speech is smoother when singing or reading.
TRUE
People who stutter often speak fluently when they sing because singing engages different brain networks, breathing patterns, and psychological states than regular speech. A predictable beat and rhythm also help.
300
What are these, and how do they help produce speech?
Lips
Made of powerful, squishy muscles, your lips can pucker into circles, stretch out wide like a smile, or press tightly together to trap and release air.
Humming Trap /m/
The fish-Face /w/
The Big Stretch "eeeee"
300
Solve the word:
SPACE
400
Who is he? He is well known for playing famous movie characters such as Nick Fury from Marvel and Frozone from The Incredibles.
Struggled with an intense stutter as a child. He used breathing exercises and acting techniques to control it.
Samuel L. Jackson
400
Demonstrate repetition. Hint: Repeat sounds.
"Give me the b-b-b-b-ball." OR "I-I-I-I want a hamburger, please."
400
When you're really excited, nervous, or even angry- your body can get a little jumpy. This might cause you to stutter more.
TRUE
Nervousness, excitement, and anxiety can cause one to stutter more, though they are not the root cause of a stutter.
400
What is this, and what does it do?
Brain
Our brains send messages to our mouths and vocal cords to help us talk. Sometimes, these messages can get mixed up, causing a stutter.
400
Guess these Pokémon!
It's Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur
500
Who is she? She was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde bombshell" characters in the 1950s and early 1960s.
She used a distinct, breathy tone of voice as a conscious technique to prevent speech blocks on camera.
Marilyn Monroe
500
At what age do we see a child develop a stutter?
Roughly 95% of children who stutter begin doing so before age 4, with initial signs appearing as early as 18 to 24 months.
500
It is okay to stutter and stuttering is NOT a bad thing.
TRUE
You are amazing!
500
What are these, and how do they help produce speech?
Lungs
Your lips, teeth, and tongue do an amazing job shaping sounds into words, but they can’t make a single noise without airflow. The air stored in your lungs is the fuel that makes the whole mouth sound factory work!
500
Share a positive affirmation.
"I have the courage to speak and share my thoughts."
"I accept myself completely, stutters and all."
"People care about what I have to say."