More News

Here are two letters we recently received from other countries:

Addressing students about their stuttering is one of the hardest tasks for me to do. Maybe it is because I am new to the field. I do not have the perfect words to say or a script to memorize. I’ve learned that you have to approach every student differently. That goes for any child – even those who do not stutter. Nobody is the same. I love that!

In 2013, reality TV shared with us several talented artists who are also persons who stutter. American Idol’s Lazaro Arbos was a huge favorite among our Facebook friends while Harrison Craig of The Voice – Australia came in first place. Today’s Q&A Spotlight is on Shane Garcia, a contestant from Florida on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance.

As is evident from the Stuttering Foundation’s list of Famous People Who Stutter, there is no shortage of U.S.-based singers who have achieved success. Across the pond in the UK, there also seem to be notable entertainers who have used singing to break free of their stuttering bonds. Take British rock performer Paul Young. He was highly successful in the ’80s.

Keep Calm and Carry On. We’re sure you’ve seen it on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter or even Instagram. It’s a catchy meme. It seems to be a phrase to which many persons who stutter can relate. Its first appearance wasn’t on a Droid RAZR  or a Macbook Pro but in London during a time of great panic and uncertainty. And it has deep roots in the stuttering community.

To celebrate National Stuttering Awareness Week, May 12-18, the Stuttering Foundation honored four authors whose recent books are widely acclaimed by both critics and readers alike.

Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, author of the recently released children’s book “A Boy and A Jaguar”,  is one of the world’s leading big cat experts, and has been called ‘The Indiana Jones of Wildlife Conservation’ by TIME Magazine. Alan’s tale is a simple memoir that recounts a lifelong bond between a child who felt “broken” and the animals, especially jaguars, which have informed his life’s work.

Rubin “Hurricane” Carter was famous for many things in his life. First, he was a world famous boxer who seemed destined to win the World Middleweight Boxing Championship. After losing a title fight for the championship, he was set to make another attempt for the world crown when he was erroneously arrested and wrongfully convicted for the triple murder of three people in a bar in Paterson, New Jersey in 1966.

If your child is stuttering, treat him as you would any other child: with kindness and respect. Above all, convey total acceptance. Working on communication and fluency skills is a challenge that affects all areas of a child's day; therefore, the child needs as much support, encouragement and acceptance as possible.