The article summarizes key events and presentations from the 8th Oxford Dysfluency Conference held in July 2008 in Oxford, England. It discusses presentations given by experts from around the world on topics related to stuttering such as the neurological basis of stuttering, the relationship between stuttering and emotions, and factors contributing to improvement in stuttering therapy. Approximately 150 researchers, clinicians, and people who stutter from various countries attended the conference.

1. www.stutteringhelp.org • 800-992-9392 • www.tartamudez.org
T HE S TUTTERING F OUNDATION
New Look at
A Nonprofit Organization FALL 2008 Since 1947... Helping Those Who Stutter
Stuttering
and Emotions
By Edward G. Conture, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt University
We are grateful to the SFA for
providing us this space to tell you
Oxford Hosts Conference
about the progress of Vanderbilt’s
Developmental Stuttering Project.
In an inter-disciplinary collabora-
tion with a developmental psy-
chologist, Dr. conference. This year’s event was
Tedra Walden, co-sponsored by the Stuttering
and support from
Event Draws Experts
Foundation and the Michael Palin
NIH’s National Centre for Stammering Children.
from Around the World
By Lisa Scott, Ph.D., The Florida
Institute on Keynote speakers represented
State University, and Willie
Deafness and several diverse backgrounds re-
Botterill, MSc, Michael Palin
Other Commun- garding their interests and expe-
Centre for Stammering Children
ication Disorders, riences with stuttering. Their
we have been St. Catherine’s College, Oxford presentations reflected this di-
studying emot- University, was the location for versity and provided new per-
Edward G.
ional and speech- the eighth Oxford Dysfluency spectives for attendees.
Conture, Ph.D.
language development of 3, 4, Conference held July 3-6, 2008. Frances Cook, of the Michael
and 5-year-old children who do The conference is organized every Palin Centre for Stammering
(CWS) and do not stutter (CWNS). three years and brings together ap- Children in London and Stuttering
In our most recent sample, proximately 150 researchers, clin- Foundation Board member,
we’ve tested over 100 CWS and icians, and people who opened the conference
almost as many CWNS. We have stutter from around the Friday morning and in-
proposed to continue this work on world who have a spe- troduced Professor Marc
a longitudinal basis – if our pro- cialized interest in stut- Continued on page 2
ject is renewed during a time of tering. The Stuttering
very tight funding at NIH – to de- Foundation has a history
Photos above: The Oxford University
skyline, Frances Cook of the Michael
termine which of our measures of of co-sponsoring this
Palin Centre, actor Michael Palin, and
speech-language and emotion
Professor Marc Shell.
predict those CWS who persist
Photo of skyline by Nasir Hamid
10 Downing Street
Continued on page 12
Inside... As we go to press, Stuttering
Telemundo airs awareness . . 3 Foundation representatives Joe Fulcher
Web traffic hits 20 million . . 5 and Jane Fraser will join actor Michael
Kids share their thoughts . . . 8 Palin and the remarkable staff of the
Workshops a success. . . . 6, 7 Michael Palin Centre for Stammering
Children at a reception at 10 Downing
Songs with stuttering . . . . . 9
Street hosted by Mrs. Sarah Brown,
Libraries provide help. . . . . 10 wife of Prime Minister Gordon Brown,
MySpace co-leader needed . 13 in honor of the work done on behalf of
Back-to-school materials. . . 13 10 Downing S treet, London. children who stutter. Stay tuned! K

2. 2 800-992-9392
THE
www.stutteringhelp.org
STUTTERING
FOUNDATION
Oxford Continued from front page ample, research seems to indicate Therefore, an important aspect
Shell, the Irving Babbitt that stuttering is related to an im- of measuring therapy outcomes is
Professor of Comparative pairment in left hemispheric re- to assess how much attention the
Literature at Harvard University gions of the brain responsible for client or the family is giving to
whose address was entitled, controlling the speech system, and stuttering at any one point in time,
Talking the that the brain partially compen- and developing measures that are
Walk & sates by recruiting regions of the able to capture the impact of stut-
Walking the right hemisphere. Dr. Alm then tering on the client's quality of life
Talk. A per- described the associations be- rather than looking simply at fre-
son who stut- tween traits of basal ganglia disor- quency of stuttering.
ters, Dr. Shell ders and stuttering, and further Dr. Anne
recently pub- proposed that stuttering, at its Smith fol-
lished a book core, may be a neurological diffi- l o w e d
called Stutter, culty in speech motor initiation. Professor
which pro- On Saturday, Professor Paul Dolan with
vides an in- The audio/v ideo staff Dolan, Chair a presenta-
t e r d i s c i - set up the equipment in Economics tion on her
plinary per- for Professor Marc at Imperial current re-
spective of Shell. College search pro-
how stutter- London, dis- gram, “New
ing has been described through- cussed the W i n d o w s Dr. Anne Smith con-
out time in art, literature, and relationship on the Onset
fers with a colleague.
film. His fascinating address between of Stuttering in Young
highlighted these references and stuttering Children.” It is known that
provided a unique and alterna- and well- adults who stutter exhibit differ-
tive viewpoint for attendees. ences from normally fluent
being in The audience prepares
Next, Dr. Per Alm, professor of adults in motor control, under-
his talk, to hear from Professor
neuropsychology at Uppsala “Stuttering Paul Dolan. standing and processing lan-
University in Sweden and an affil- Into Happiness.” Approaching guage, and in anatomical and
iate of the therapy outcomes from an functional components of the
D a n i s h economist's perspective, Professor central nervous system. What is
Information Dolan emphasized looking at ther- unknown, however, is when
Centre for apy in terms of costs and benefits, these differences emerge. Are
Stuttering, resource allocation, and quality of they present in children? At what
presented life. Conceptualizing quality of life age could we expect to observe
“Fluency as the degree of attention one gives such differences?
Disorders: A to a problem (i.e., past, present, To attempt to answer these
Discussion of and future) and the problem’s im- questions, Dr. Smith and her re-
Dr. Per Alm uses the P o s s i b l e pact on the individual’s thoughts search team are recruiting 72 chil-
analogy of a hy brid Causes and dren who stutter between the ages
car during his pre- Mechanisms and feelings, Professor Dolan pro-
posed that stuttering is “an atten- of 4 and 5, who will be seen once
From a Neuro-
sentation.
tion grabber.” a year for 5 years. Age and gen-
science Pers- der-matched peers are also being
pective.” High- recruited. Early findings suggest
lighting key that children who stutter may ex-
findings re- hibit some evidence of motor dif-
Around the World
Participants came Israel
garding the from: Japan ferences from their typically flu-
role of the Australia Malta ent peers, as exhibited by motor
brain in stut- deficits on a simple clapping task.
Belgium Netherlands
Bulgaria
tering, Dr.Alm Croatia
Norway
Additionally, on a grammatical-
summarized ly simple sentence repetition task,
Czech Poland
Russia
for the audi- Republic
Denmark Sweden children who stutter demonstrate
ence what is currently known re- Eire United increased motor variability from
garding the underlying neurologi- France Kingdom their nonstuttering peers in repeat-
cal aspects of stuttering. For ex- Germany United States
ing the sentences. They are also
Continued on page 4

3. 800-992-9392 3
THE
STUTTERING
Telemundo Promotes Stuttering Awareness
FALL 2008 FOUNDATION
The Miami, Fla.-based NBC
Universal, Telemundo TV station,
recently featured the Stuttering
Foundation Spanish Web site,
www.tartamudez.org,
as well as SFA re-
sources to raise aware-
ness and provide help
for stuttering within
Spanish speaking communities. This Telemundo segment shows Lisette
Lisette Betancourt, M. A., SLP,
Betancourt, M.A., (right) work ing
with a young client and her mother.
of Miami Children’s Hospital
along with one of Betancourt’s young children and Telemundo is
clients, a young girl who struggles an excellent source for spreading
with stuttering and her mother, was the word.”
interviewed by Telemundo re- The DVD Stuttering: For Kids,
porter, Diana Montano. By Kids in Spanish and English was
2008 A Great
“The two and a half minute seg- shown as one resource of help for
ment provides a wonderful way parents and is available for free-
Year for PSAs
to reach Spanish speaking parents viewing on SFA Web sites.
with help,” said Jane Fraser, To view Telemundo’s segment on
president of the Stuttering stuttering, visit www.tartamudez.org
or www.stutteringhelp.org and click This year’s National Stuttering
Foundation. “We know of the im- Awareness Week got off to a
portance of early intervention for on Telemundo.
wonderful start early in the year
when public service ads ap-
K
peared in March and April issues
of many national and regional
magazines.
PSAs have appeared in Time,
Good Housekeeping, Parents,
Newsweek, Forbes, Parenting,
Guitar World, LA Confidential,
Betancourt discusses stuttering on Gotham, Hamptons, Capitol
the Spanish TV network Telemundo. File, Wealth Management,
Carolina Country, S.C., School
Nurse News, and newspapers
around the country such as the
New York Post.
The American Medical
Association publications, AMA
News and JAMA also placed re-
cent PSAs, thereby informing
the medical community about
resources available for stutter-
Reporter Diana Montano, ing from a nonprofit source.
right, ask s Lisette Betancourt The excellent support of so
questions about stuttering.
many magazines brought the
total of donated space to a
record high over the past
twelve months.
The Stuttering Foundation
Betancourt ex plains
the Spanish
materials av ailable extends its heartfelt thanks to
from the Stuttering all the publications that donat-
Foundation. ed space this year. K

4. 4 800-992-9392
THE
www.stutteringhelp.org
STUTTERING
FOUNDATION
Oxford Continued from Page 2
Lisa Scott at
less accurate at repeating nonwords (e.g., the Stuttering
mab). Finally, working memory in the Foundation
group of children who stutter seems to be booth.
less robust than in the typically fluent group.
Dr. Smith suggested that these preliminary
findings may be evidence for atypical brain
development in children who stutter.
On the last day of the conference, the
audience heard “Why Stuttering Therapy
Works: The ‘Common Factors’,” by Dr. Jane Fraser, Michael Palin, and
Patricia Zebrowski of the University of Patricia Zebrowsk i at the gala dinner.
Iowa. Dr. Zebrowski discussed research Barbara Moseley
Joseph Agius from
Malta, Jane Fraser,
from the psychotherapy Harris from Telford, and Rosalee Shenk er
literature on four com- Jenny Graham from from Montreal.
mon factors that are Belfast, Norbert
Lieck feldt of the
present in any type of British Stammering
intervention: the specif- Association, and
ic type of intervention Louise Wright from
used; the therapeutic al- Cornwall.
liance between the clin-
Dr. Patricia ician and client; the
Zebrowsk i, fea- extra-therapeutic factors
tured speak er for that clients “bring to the Michael Palin, Elaine
the last day of
the conference.
table,” such as tempera- Kelman, and Joe Fulcher.
ment, resilience, and ex-
ternal support; and, the client’s hope or Rosalee Shenker, conference organizer
expectancy for change. Dave Rowley, and Ronny Boey.
For the field of psychotherapy,
treatment research has yielded find- Mies
ings that individuals who get treat- Bezemer
ment do better than clients who don’t and a
go to treatment. Furthermore, on aver- colleague. Paul Cook e with graduate
age, treatment is effective regardless students from Michigan
of the particular intervention approach State Univ ersity .
used. Finally, statistical differences in
effectiveness of various treatments are Jane Fry
likely to be due to client variability and
and clinician expertise rather than the Kit
specific treatment approach itself. Sparkes.
Dr. Zebrowski challenged the clinicians
and the researchers in the audience to
begin thinking of ways to measure these Suzana
common factors within the context of stut- Jacsic- Per Alm talks with Jane Fry.
tering therapy. In such a framework, build- Jelsic and
ing evidence for specific treatment ap- Mirjana
proaches would receive less emphasis than Lasan of
Croatia.
building evidence for the kinds of factors
that contribute to a client’s improvement in
fluency and in communication.
Elaine
K
Kelman
Jane Coley , Jenny and Ali
Y eatman, and Berquez. Michael Palin with Keith Boss of the
Diane Moore.
British Stammering Association and
Gro Hartveit of Norway. In the back-
groud are Anne Ayre and Frances Cook.

5. 800-992-9392 5
Volunteers Across the Country
THE
STUTTERING
FALL 2008 FOUNDATION
Thanks to the many volun-
teers, the Stuttering Foundation
exhibit booths have enjoyed a
hearty success across the United
States this year as health profes-
sionals, educators and SLPs all
showed great interest in the
Web Traffic Hits
many new materials on display. Kenneth O. St. Louis with Emily
North Carolina
20 Million
Garnett and Desiree Phillips at the
“The response to the SFA ma- conv ention in West Virginia.
terials was overwhelming at the
North Carolina Speech- Desiree It seems just about every
Language-Hearing Association shows hour is rush hour on the
conference!” said Rita Thurman, SFA Information Super Highway.
M. S. “It was interesting to see materials. The Stuttering Foundation’s
all the ‘networking’ that oc- Web sites, www.stutteringhelp
curred around the booth. I heard .org and www.tartamudez.org,
many discussions that started Emily continue to draw a record
like this: ‘I need help with a sugggests amount of traffic.
child that …’ a great Just recently the Web site
“There was an atmosphere of
SFA book .
hit 20 million visitors since it
excitement about services for was launched just a couple of
people who stutter that was gen- years ago.
erated by the booth’s presence,” It is not unusual to have 1.8
she said. “So often therapists million hits in a single month
feel overwhelmed and unsure of or 81,382 hits in one day.
how to treat children or adults The streaming videos, down-
who stutter, I feel that the booth loadable brochures, the kids
page, facts about stuttering,
provided materials to empower and a directory of famous peo-
them in this process.” Wendy Wingard-Gay work s ple who stutter continue to be
West Virginia the booth in South Carolina. the most visited part of the
The SFA booth was also well Web site.
received at West Virginia Speech- After the United States,
Language-Hearing Association most of the visitors come
conference, according to Kenneth from Brazil, Canada, United
O. St. Louis, Ph.D. Kingdom, Australia, and
“Many attendees commented India, respectively.
that they appreciate the SFA pres- conference,” said volunteer Recently an RSS feed was
ence at their state convention and Wendy Wingard-Gay, M.S. “The added to allow users who
hope it continues,” he said. Carolinas have seen a dramatic in- subscribe to be notified when
South Carolina crease in the number of Hispanics new content is placed on the
“The brochures in Spanish relocating so the Spanish publica- Web site.
were especially popular at the tions are quite helpful for SLPs A new section for “e-books”
South Carolina Speech- working in all settings.” has been added to the
Language-Hearing Association Many thanks to our volunteers! K Foundation’s Web site. This al-
lows users to download select-
T
ed books free of charge. K
The Stuttering Foundation he Stuttering Foundation of America is a
is a proud participant of the
tax-exempt organization under section
Combined Federal Campaign.
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and
Please note our number.
is classified as a private operating foundation as
defined in section 4942(j)(3). Charitable contri-
CFC #11047
butions and bequests to the Foundation are tax-
deductible, subject to limitations under the Code.

6. 6
Mid-Atlantic Workshop GoesI n t er n a t i o n a l
www.stutteringhelp.org 800-992-9392
THE
STUTTERING
FOUNDATION
By Lisa Scott, Ph.D.,
Florida State University
In June, Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia (CHOP) and the
Stuttering Foundation co-spon-
sored the second Mid-Atlantic
Workshop in Philadelphia. Twenty
speech-language pathologists from
Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Alla Brutter, Shalini Wick remesooriy a, Marina Llobera, Belmar Riv era Vila,
New York, North Carolina, Carla Monteleone , Jonathon Robb, Sharon Lee-Sheridan, Laura Khorozov , Joe
Pennsylvania, Virginia, Puerto Klein, Loretta Connolly , Lisa McManama, Ily ssa Fox , Mara Luque, Martine
Rico, Canada, Spain, Argentina, Sri O’Connor, Gina Iaquinto, Shelley Williams, Madely n Maguire, Sandra Garzon,
Lanka, and South Africa met June Anabel Gordon, Ursula Zsilav ecz, Joe Donaher. Front row seated: Kristin
Chmela, Jane Fraser, and Lisa A. Scott.
18-22.
The workshop was led by co-in- Ursula Zsilav ecz
and Madely n
structors Joe Donaher of the Maguire.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Joe Donaher,
Kristin Chmela in private practice, Lisa Scott,
Kristin Chmela,
Long Grove, Ill., and Lisa Scott of and Alla Brutter.
Florida State University. Joe Donaher
speak s during
The goals were: the work shop.
• to increase participants’ skills
and confidence in communicating
effectively with children,
• diagnose the extent and severi-
ty of the communication disorder, Workshop leaders Kristin Chmela, Jane
• develop appropriate treatment Shelley Williams, Jonathon Robb,
Fraser, and Joe Donaher stand behind
plans, Jane Fraser, Sharon Lee-Sheridan,
Gina Iaquinto, Carla Monteleone, Mara
Luque, Marina Llobera, and Alla Brutter.
• design meaningful therapy ac- and Loretta Connolly .
tivities, and Sandra Garzon and
• learn to model both fluency Shelley Williams.
shaping and stuttering modification
tools.
“We placed emphasis on creat- Jonathon Robb,
ing relationships with children, Loretta Connolly ,
families, and teachers to facilitate and Joe Klein.
the greatest success for children
who are working to improve their
communication skills,” said Scott. Mara Luque from Argentina and
“Learning opportunities included Marina Llobera from Spain.
traditional lectures, guided case Alla Brutter and
Sharon Lee-Sheridan, Laura
Khorozov , and Jonathon Robb.
planning, daily small-group prac- Jane Fraser.
tice of skills, and watching video-
tapes of therapy sessions.”
“We were so thrilled to have so
many clinicians from a variety of
work settings devote a week of their
summer to learning more about stut- Gathering for pictures
tering,” said Kristin Chmela. during the reception.
Scott agreed, and added, “It Ursula Zsilav ecz
was especially interesting to have and Sandra Garzon
An ev ening out with the group.
Continued on page 10
receiv ing their diplomas.

7. 800-992-9392 7
THE
Eastern Workshop: Focus on Cognitive Approaches
FALL 2008 STUTTERING
FOUNDATION
By Diane Parris, M.A.
Boston University
This year, the Eastern
Workshop at Boston University
attracted twenty experienced flu-
ency specialists from across the
United States and Canada. They
gathered to learn about the inno-
vative cognitive approaches to
Parent Child Interaction Therapy
offered at the Michael Palin
Centre for Stammering Children
in London.
Frances Cook and Willie Botterill
also provided a “brief taster” of both Back row: Diane Parris, Laura Jo McKamey , Wendy Wingard-Gay , Charleen
Bloom, Caroly n Belle, Melissa Bruce, Melissa O. Kates, Charlie Osborne, Jim
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Tsiamtsiouris, Susan Short, Mercedes Cooper Delaney . Middle row: Sarah
Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Smits-Bandstra, Adriana diGrande, Nancy Swartz, Diane Polledri, Rosalee
These two days of training were Shenk er, Donna Cooperman, Patricia Lohman-Hawk , Steffi Schopick , Barbara
filmed by videographer, Bob Thomas. Front row: Willie Botterill, Jane Fraser, Frances Cook , Brian Hesk in.
O’Brien and his expert AV team and
are now being edited for the SFA re-
source library. The final three days of
this workshop were spent exploring
Parent Child Interaction Therapy.
Frances and Willie did a masterful
job of demonstrating a positive ap- Sarah Smits-
Bandstra and Jim
proach to problem-solving and par- Adriana di Grande and Tsiamtsiouris.
ent training, focusing on the thera- Donna Cooperman at Adriana di Grande, Brian
peutic alliance of child, parent and a coffee break . In back - Hesk in, Nancy Swartz, Steffi Schopick.
therapist. Throughout the training, ground are Jim and Diane Polledri.
many interactive exercises helped Tsiamtsiouris, Susan
Short and Mercedes
attendees develop specific skills in Cooper Delaney .
Parent Child Interaction Therapy. A
lot of time was spent in discussing
how to adapt these techniques with
each client.
Laura Jo McCamey of Montana Charlie Osborne Videographer Bob O’Brien
commented, “I have found that the and Jim Tsiamtsiouris chats with presenters.
strategies I learned can readily apply getting wired.
to other aspects of my life. I am try- Adriana di Grande,
ing to keep the focus so I can imple- Diane Parris, Wendy
Willie
ment what I learned as soon as Wingard-Gay , and
Botterill
Barbara Thomas.
school starts.” gets
“I am excited about the direction of wired.
addressing the cognitive and emotion-
al aspects of stuttering,” added Brian
Heskin from Colorado.
In their closing comments, partic-
ipants reflected that they would prof- Diane
it from incorporating new strategies Frances Parris was
into their existing practices. The Cook and coordinator.
warmth and humor of these experi- Willie Barbara Thomas,
enced presenters and the contribu- Botterill Brian Hesk in, and
tions from each attendee made this present. Sarah Smits-Bandstra.
an extraordinary program for all! K

8. Dear SFA: Reader Response
8 800-992-9392
THE
STUTTERING
www.stutteringhelp.org
FOUNDATION
Send letters to SFA, P.O. Box 11749, Memphis, TN 38111-0749 or email info@stutteringhelp.org.
Speech is like a train I’m still working with my speech
Dear SFA: teacher. She is a really good teach-
Imagine that your speech is a er. When my stuttering was really
train. The train is going across flat bad, it made me angry. Now I’m
land on a bumpy track with no en- doing better so I don’t mind that
gine. The workers of the train, much. I hope my stuttering stays
who pull it across the land, are away forever.
your speech muscles. The boss, Paxton
who is directing the work, is you. E-mail
You must pull slowly and at a
steady rate. All of the works must It is OK to stutter
pull together at the same time Dear SFA:
with the same amount of force. My name is Frank. I am 9 years
Dysfluency is when the train is old. My stuttering goes in a pattern.
derailed. To keep the train from The first year I stuttered and the
derailing, the workers must work second year I didn’t stutter. When I
together at a slow pace. If the was around 3 or 4, I realized I stut-
workers pull too quickly, the tered. Then everybody kept making
bumpy track will make the weight fun of me. They just say that I stut-
of the train shift so much that the In the Summer Newsletter, Colton, 7, ter, and that makes me feel bad
train falls over. said, “stuttering is lik e a hock ey puck be- about myself. Now I learned to say
Seamus cause it starts going fast then it stops “It’s OK to stutter” to people who
suddenly .” Colton, who liv es in Canada, make fun of me. Then I ignore
E-mail drew this picture to illustrate his letter.
them. Then they get bored and they
It takes hard work really badly so I kept on working leave me alone. It makes me feel
Dear SFA: hard not to stutter. Now I’m in 2nd like the stuttering is gone. No one
Hi. My name is Paxton and I’m 8 grade. When we had spring break, I realizes it.
years old. I’ve been stuttering off quit stuttering and when I got back Frank
and on for several years. When I in school I still wasn’t stuttering! Brooklyn, N.Y.
was in first grade I was stuttering So I hope it won’t come back! But Continued on page 9
Student explains stuttering to class
All eyes were on Paul as he prepared to deliver a presentation to his 2nd grade
class about stuttering. In his usual cool, confident manner he assured his speech
teacher, Karrie Johnson (a graduate student at the University of South Alabama),
that he was ready… And he was. They had spent a few weeks organizing and
brainstorming all the information he had learned about his stuttering over the past
year. Paul, being the firecracker that he is, loved the idea of presenting to his class
from the very beginning. “ All I did was make a list of possible topics and walk
him through what he wanted to say about each. He came up with most of the ideas
on his own,” said Johnson. The presentation began with a quiz administered to the
class that exposed facts and myths about stuttering. Then Paul explained how the
speech mechanism works and described different locations and types of stuttering.
Next, he passed around a picture he had drawn of a “speech mountain” while he
explained the highs and lows of his speech and the tools that help him “climb back
up” when he hits a rough spot. The presentation ended with Paul telling the class
about things people do that hurt and help him when he gets stuck on a word. As
the class erupted with clapping, Paul proudly smiled back and cast a glance at his Paul and Karri e Jo hns o n
mother and sister who had come to support him. K o f Mo b i l e, Al a.

9. BTOʼs Song is Unique
800-992-9392 9
THE
STUTTERING
FOUNDATION
FALL 2008
Bug chews up words
My name is Tyler and I am 9
years old and I stutter. I live in
Lumby, B.C., in Canada. I like Editor’s Note: The author is a per-to Gary and no one else. Randy
soccer and I go to Scouts. I go to son who stutters. For many years he Bachman once said of the situa-
speech class to learn how to stop has been a collector of “stuttering”
tion, “He stuttered. We thought,
stuttering and to be OK with stut- songs – the good and the bad!
just for fun…. We’d take this song
tering. I like to go to my cousin’s and I’d stutter and we’d send it to
place and go to the park. My We all know that there have been
numerous songs of the rock era that him. He’ll have the only copy in
cousin’s name is Josh. Josh helps the world of this song by BTO.”
me by telling me when I’m talking feature stuttering vocals. Evany
Thomas posted a list on the internet However, their record company,
too fast so that I can slow down Mercury Records, felt that their
my speech. Stuttering is nothing entitled “The Top Ten Stuttering
Songs.” The list in- soon-to-be released
bad, over a million people stutter album Not Fragile
cludes Foolin’ by
in the world. I use to stutter lots Def Lepard, My lacked a potential hit
but now I go to the speech teacher Generation by The song and asked if the
Anita, and she helps me stop stut- Who, Changes by band had any leftover
tering. If you don’t like stuttering David Bowie, Jive songs. Randy told the
and people tease you, ask your Talkin’ by The Bee record executives,
mom to get help from a speech Gees, My Sharona by “We have this one
teacher. When I go to talk and I The Knack, You Ain’t song, but it’s a joke.
can’t get the words out I think that Seen Nothing Yet by I’m laughing at the end.
there’s a big bug inside me that Bachman-Turner I sang it on the first
chews up all the words I’m trying Overdrive, Bad to take. It’s sharp, it’s
to say. I slow down and I talk to the Bone by George flat, I’m stuttering to
my friends more slowly and when Thorogood, Benny do this thing for my
brother.” He agreed
Celebrity Corner to include the song
I talk more slowly the bug comes and the Jets by
flying out of my mouth and dies. Elton John, Sussido
Tyler by Phil Collins and on the album only if
Lola by The Kinks. This list he could re-record the
Lumby, B.C., Canada vocals. The record company hated
seems accurate, though a couple of
other tunes are conspicuously ab- the second version with the non-
Trouble at lunch stuttering vocals and insisted that
I’m 8 years old. I started stuttering sent such as Too Much Time on My
Hands by Styx. the stuttering version be released,
when I was about 5. I stuttered for much to the chagrin of Randy. It be-
3 years. Now I go to a speech ther- Of these songs, Bachman-
Turner Overdrive’s You Ain’t Seen came the band’s only chart-topper.
apist. I feel just fine about my stut- You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
tering. There’s this kid in my class Nothing Yet is unique in more
ranks as not only the first song
that imitates me at lunch about my than one way. First, it ranks as the with stuttering vocals to hit
stuttering and that makes me mad. first song with stuttering vocals to number one, but also the first
But I just deal with it. I wish he reach the number one slot on the with stuttering vocals to actual-
wouldn’t imitate me. Billboard Hot 100, reaching that ly be written about a real person
Erik plateau in early November 1974. who stutters.
St. Paul, Minn. However, few realize the interest- Between 1974 and 1976,
ing story behind the song. The Bachman-Turner Overdrive had
School therapist helps Canadian group was led by six songs enter the Top 40. They
Dear SFA: Randy Bachman, and featured his disbanded in 1977 and there
Here is my story. I started stutter- brothers Robbie and Tim, as well have been a couple of minor re-
ing when I was 6 now I am 7. Last as Fred Turner. The band’s first union tours since. It is com-
year I went to a speech therapist. manager was another Bachman pelling that their former manag-
I’ve needed help for a while now brother, Gary. er, the famous Gary Bachman,
with my stuttering. They told me The song was never intended to got on top of his stuttering
if you slide it, start out like this ... be released with stuttering vocals. through speech therapy and for
sllllide. I don’t like stuttering Randy sang the stuttering vocals to many years has been a highly
poke fun at his brother Gary, who successful realtor in his home-
though. Near summer time I stut- had recently stepped down as the town of Winnipeg, owning and
ter the most. I don’t know why. band’s manager. It was done with operating Century 21 Bachman
Dylan the intention that it would be given and Associates for 25 years. K
Allen Park, Mich. K

10. 10 800-992-9392
THE
Doing Self
www.stutteringhelp.org
STUTTERING
Libraries Helping Those Who Stutter
FOUNDATION
By Patty Reed
Discovery Work
Editors Note: Our friend Wonder Ny oni
Public libraries are helping from Zimbabwe is a person who stutters.
educate people about stuttering. He decided to learn more about how his
general phy sical condition might affect
With more and more joining the his stuttering.
8,500 that have shelved SFA
materials, libraries are a real Say s author Dr. Fred Murray about each
asset to teachers, employers, person’s quest for fluency , “This called for
searching and self-inquiry . Some of these
co-workers, parents, relatives, quests led toward better organized and
and those who stutter. more helpful ty pes of therapy . Others led
The Atmore Public Library inward in a scrutinization for more self-
in Alabama has made space for
Oneida Community Library in Oneida, k nowledge.”
Wis., shared information on stutter-
“Information on Stuttering” on ing with their patrons during National By Wonder Nyoni
their Web site at www.atmore Stuttering Awareness Week in May.
Being a stutterer myself, I have dedicat-
library.com and included a ed a fair part of my life to studying and
copy of our home page with have a seizure disorder support
group, a diabetes support group, a analysing this demoralizing speech disor-
links to help their patrons who der, obviously hoping that one day I
stutter. They have also shelved memory loss support group, and would crack the code to the cause and at-
every book, DVD, and video have materials to help visually im- tain some form of relief. I have requested
that we offer. paired. With our materials, they information on stuttering from various
Little Elm Public Library in can now help those who stutter. sources including the world wide web.
Little Elm, Texas, serves another Our thanks go out to public li- Of significance has been information re-
need in their community. They braries across the country. ceived from the Stuttering Foundation
(SFA). The impact of a self-therapy book
K
written by Malcolm Fraser has been
amazing. This openness that you witness
Mid-Atlantic continued from page 6 cation experience of my profes- in sharing reflections on my stuttering is
sional career. Thank you for a direct result of encouragement and sup-
so many participants from for- making it possible!” port obtained from this wonderful book. It
eign countries, who shared with And “this was an excellent is especially helpful in instances where
us how children are served workshop! The length and in- professional speech therapy is either un-
within their educational and tensity of it allowed time for the available or unaffordable.
health systems.” sharing of an abundance of in- In this brief article, I will focus on the
“The dedication of these SLPs importance of physical exercises and
formation. For the first time, their benefit to me.
to helping kids is inspirational. I’m not nearly as anxious about Physi cal Exerci ses
Many children will benefit from working with a person who stut- Having read one or two aspects about
the talents and interest these in- ters. This workshop not only the importance of physical exercise from
dividuals have,” added Donaher. gave me a lot of insight and in- Fraser’s book on self-therapy, I decided to
Feedback from workshop par- formation, it confirmed some of explore this phenomenon further. Earlier
ticipants included comments the things I was doing and pro- this year, I suspended all forms of physi-
such as “I really think this week vided me with a new sense of cal exercises for my body and subsequent-
confidence. Thank you for pro- ly increased my calorie intake for about
will stand out as perhaps the three months.
most significant continuing edu- viding me this opportunity!” K During this period, I was monitoring
This Just in to Our Newsroom...
both my breathing rates and stuttering be-
haviour. It took about a month and half to
realize the substantial changes. Apart from
If you read or watch a news lished or aired between Jan. 1, the obvious increase in weight that my
story on stuttering, please let us 2008 and April 1, 2009, and must friends and family relentlessly commented
know about it. The Stuttering be received by April 5, 2009. on, the other observation was a change in
Foundation is accepting nomina- Please submit copies or tapes of the my breathing pattern. I began experiencing
tions for our Media Award, news items to the Stuttering heavy breathing. Consequently, production
which recognizes reporters who Foundation, 3100 Walnut Grove of fluent speech was affected.
advance the public’s understand- Road, Suite 603, Memphis, TN An attempt to explain this result shed
more light on the relationship between
ing of stuttering. 38111-0749. Call 800-992-9392
Entries must have been pub- for more information. K Continued on page 12

11. Just What the Nurse Ordered
11
THE
800-992-9392
STUTTERING
Poignant Look at
FOUNDATION
FALL 2008
Tangled Tongues Pediatric nurse practitioners
steadily made their way to the
nursing from Massachusetts
grateful to receive information
Sharing the Journey … Lessons Stuttering Foundation booth dur- to be used in professional train-
from my Students and Clients with ing the 35th Annual Conference of ing, a past president of the orga-
Tangled Tongues by author Lon the National Association of
Emerick, Ph. D., is available again
nization sharing her gratitude
from SFA through a special offer Pediatric Nurse for SFA’s liter-
with North Country Publishing. Practitioners at ature and pres-
Emerick, self-ap- the Opryland ence at many
pointed inspector of Convention conferences,
all the natural wood- Center in and a nurse
land beauty of his Nashville, Tenn. practitioner
Upper Peninsula, As she has for from Alabama
Michigan home, and the past several who shared in-
severe stutterer, years, June formation with
takes readers on an Campbell shared an adolescent
enchanted journey information about at her church.
with stories gleaned
the Stuttering
June
from a lifetime of experi- Campbell Also visiting
ence. The former university professor F o u n d a t i o n ’s answers the booth were
and therapist combines experiences support services questions six nurses in
from his personal life, clients, stu- to medical pro- during the training from
dents, and his long academic career, fessionals for National the University
parents of chil- of Tennessee, a
Association
into a delightful journey highlighted of Pediatric
by 10 maxims for good living. dren who stutter, Nurse nurse practi-
This 1st Edition printing, with ir- as well as for Practitioners tioner working
resistible chapters such as “Don’t older individuals. conference. with neurologi-
Wear a Raincoat in the Shower” and “I was amazed cally impaired
“Keep Looking for the Pony” is that over one children in
available for $10.00, including
postage and handling, by calling
hundred profes- Pennsylvania,
800-992-9392. Take a walk along sionals wanted to and one with
with Emerick through his life-long be added to the advanced ex-
immersion in nature, the greatest SFA mailing list,” pertise in hyp-
teacher and detangler of lessons. Campbell said. nosis. Many
Nurse practi- others shared
Venturi Featured tioners working in diverse set- how valuable the SFA literature
in New Book
tings, in turn asked questions of was or will be in dealing with the
June and shared their own needs many inquiries they field from
The Book of Sports Virtues: and experiences with stuttering. parents, and some shared personal
Portraits from the Field of Play fea- Among the hundreds who vis- experiences with stuttering in
tures a chapter on legendary golfer ited the booth was a professor of their family or friend’s lives.
Ken Venturi.
The book by Fritz Knapp tells
K
Bob Love Keynote Speaker in Florida
how Venturi over-
came many obstacles
in life including stut-
tering to become a Three-time NBA All-Star Love overcame poverty and
successful golfer and Bob Love will be the keynote stuttering to become a suc-
commentator for speaker for the 2008 Southwest cessful basketball player.
CBS Sports. Florida Blue Chip Community Today he travels the country
The book, pub- Business Award in Fort Myers on spreading his inspirational
lished by Acta Nov. 6. story to students and adults.
Publications, also Stuttering Foundation Love has earned numerous
mentions how Venturi helps spread Board member Jean awards and honors. His life
the word about stuttering by serving Gruss recommended is the subject of a documen-
as a spokesman for the Stuttering Love, who also serves as tary film that was recently
Foundation. For more information, a spokesman for the honored at the Sundance Film
visit www.actapublications.com. K
Foundation. Festival. K

12. 12 800-992-9392
THE
www.stutteringhelp.org
STUTTERING
FOUNDATION
... look ing for impala
Conture who did not; however, for
continued from front page
and those who recover. CWNS, no such relation was ob-
To study these children, we served between emotional regu-
have used validated parent re- lation and speech disfluencies.
ports and systematic behavioral Furthermore, decreased emo-
observations of emotions (and tional arousal (reactivity) was
recently child-friendly physio- strongly associated with in-
logical indices) as well as con- creased expressive vocabulary
versational, standardized and for CWNS but not CWS.
experimental measures of Importantly, changes in emo-
These photos are from the Shashe- speech and language. tion occurred during listening and
Limpopo Predator Research Group
While earlier aspects of this work before talking suggesting that
meeting in Beitbridge, Zimbabwe.
have been published, we’d like to changes in stuttering may follow
share two preliminary findings indi- rather than merely preceed
Zimbabwe continued from page 10
cating that speech-language and emo- changes in emotion!
fear and stuttering. My assumption These findings also suggest that
is that when one is experiencing tions interact to contribute to child-
fear, the muscle cells are activated in hood stuttering. emotional processes relate to speech
anticipation of the ‘fight or flee’ sit- Using an experimental proce- disfluencies in different ways for
uation and therefore ‘call’ for more dure called CWS than CWNS.
“Converging
glucose and oxygen. Any hindrance “background Likewise, CWNS,
to the respiratory system exacer- stimulation,” when compared to
lines of evidence
bates the situation and makes it hard borrowed from CWS, appear more
to relax and reach a calm state. And proficient at using
psychological
should help us
obviously relaxation is vital in
making easy, trouble-free and fluent studies of chil- expressive vocabu-
dren in families lary as a resource
better understand
speech. All these connotations gave
me an indication of how normal with marital dis- to regulate their
emotions. We are
the role of
breathing is important or at least re- putes, preschool-
lated to speech production. age CWS and eager to see how
emotion in
After the three-month period, I CWNS listened physiological mea-
began gradual physical exercises in to three audio- sures of emotion,
developmental
the morning and after work. It took presented two- for example, heart
about a fortnight to realize a signifi- minute conver- rate variability,
stuttering...”
cant change in my breathing system sations that were
again. Also, when I exercised in the corroborate these
mornings before going to work, I presumably findings.
would generally start the day in a overheard be- These cross-sec-
good or ‘happy’ mood. When in this tween two speak- tional or one-
mood, I would rarely stutter. Most ers in the next point-in-time
importantly, I would not become room. One in- Edward G. Conture
findings beg the
conscious about my disorder thereby volved “flat” af- question of wh-
allaying any fears about stuttering. fect, another ether differences in emotional
This relationship has been a major “happy” and a third “angry.” processes not only differentiate
breakthrough to my work life since Immediately after listening to
most management meetings where I CWS from CWNS but also pre-
these conversations, the children
usually suffer speech disfluency take dict CWS who do and do not re-
provided a short narrative from a
place in the morning.
text-less picture book while we cover. To do that, as we have
I therefore conclude that for me at
measured their emotional, proposed, we must study children
least physical exercises are not only longitudinally using multiple
important for the respiratory system speech-language and disfluent be-
havior. Findings indicated that methods and measures.
or the heart, but also essential to pro-
ducing relaxed trouble-free speech. most children reacted emotionally Converging lines of evidence
Perhaps, it would be worthwhile for in line with the overheard conver- should help us better understand
researchers to pursue this interesting sations, but some children in both the role of emotion in develop-
relationship in a more scientifically groups regulated their emotional mental stuttering, a link often
acceptable research method. arousal better than others. speculated about, but less often
Post S cri pt CWS who engaged in emo- empirically studied, especially in
These reflections are only intend- preschool children, the childhood
ed for my fellow stutterers and are
tional regulatory behaviors (for
example, self-soothing) stuttered years in which developmental
based on personal experiences. K
significantly less than for those stuttering begins. K

13. 13
Back-to-School Opportunities for a Promising Year
800-992-9392
THE
STUTTERING
FALL 2008 FOUNDATION
notes Dr. Lisa Scott, “they should ing and introducing children to other
By Joan Warner consult with the school speech students who speak like them may
It is time to think about back to clinician as well as the parents to be as important as
school and how to make make sure their approach to the teaching speaking
this the best school year child’s speech is consistent.” strategies [for confi-
possible for all students. Ultimately, each teacher is part dence building].”
If a student is stut- of a child’s team and everyone Reitzes suggests,
tering in the class- should work in the same direction. “Create an open di-
room, his or her teach- In addition to being practical, alog about stutter-
er will have the first Stuttering: For Kids, By Kids ing with your stu-
opportunity to make a highlights children discussing dents and their
difference. Some re- their experiences in parents, teachers and principles.”
sources include the the classroom and In a school therapy setting, he likes
Stuttering Foundation’s sharing what works to plan “stuttering cele-
brochures Notes to the best for them. brations” with his stu-
Teacher and 8 Tips for Teachers. Trouble at Recess dents in which they go
And a must-see DVD Stuttering: is a new book that into classrooms and
Straight Talk for Teachers answers appeals to parents, teach their peers
fundamental questions and offers teachers, the SLP, and about stuttering.
concrete suggestions. the child who stutters. A classic book
This DVD includes a newly up- Eight-year-old author Jamie tells us that should be in
dated handbook with sections for about her problems both in and out of all back-to-school
both the classroom teacher and the the classroom. Teasing and bullying, professional libraries, Treating
school clinician. are all addressed openly and calmly. the School-Age Who Stutters: A
“Any time teachers are con- Peter Reitzes, M.A., CCC-SLP, Guide for Clinicians includes
cerned about a child’s fluency,” offers, “Talking openly about stutter- helpful dialogues.
Wanted: MySpace Co-Leader ... Tell Us Why We Are Looking for You!
K
You just might have what we are cated out there! time to celebrate the Stuttering
looking for to join our MySpace The qualifica- Foundation MySpace One-Year
Team. Read on and enter our con- tions are simple: Anniversary in October. The top
test to become our new Co-Leader. If you are a three applicant’s essays will be pub-
The response to the launching of Person Who lished on our website and the winner
the Stuttering Foundation’s Stutters; know a announced with an introductory
MySpace page in October 2007 has thing or two about MySpace design splash on MySpace. This is consid-
been truly gratifying, and not just a and upkeep; are 21 – 28 years old; ered a volunteer position with all the
little educational, too! Attracting a enjoy meeting new people; and have benefits that come with philanthropy,
cross section of ages and back- a practical, compassionate, fresh na- including the less tangible gift of giv-
grounds and nationalities, the one ture … you may be the one! ing, along with the practical bonus of
thing these members who stutter The responsibilities are equally an addition to your resume!
have in common is they all say, “I am simple: Check the space daily; ac- “People who stutter have found a
so glad I found this group!” knowledge/respond to posts; update
wonderful place to share ideas, offer
We hand much of that credit to the page face from time to time as
directed; and familiarize yourself support, and sometimes, just grum-
the Foundation’s long-time friend,
Eva Woolwine, group leader for with the Stuttering Foundation and ble about things. But I think always,
SFA’s MySpace. “It’s been my communicate with Eva and the SFA we end up putting a smile on each
pleasure to run this group!” Eva office as needed. others faces,” Eva says. “Amazingly,
says as she welcomes each new We are accepting 250-word essays some people are finding other stutter-
member. And by the time this is in that tell a little about you, your inter- ers for the first time and I am thrilled
print, our MySpace may have some ests and goals, and why you’d like to to be a part of that discovery!”
300 members! contribute to and be a part of this ex- We look forward to meeting you,
So now is a good time to find a citing opportunity. You should e-mail so please send your essay today. Be
Co-Leader to help Eva and share in your essay, with “MySpace Co- sure to address all qualifications,
the fun. If we could clone her, we Leader Essay” in the subject line, to including practical knowledge of
would, but we know there is a candi- info@stutteringhelp.org by Oct. 15, MySpace design, and Tell Us Why
date equally as interested and dedi- 2008. We hope to have a winner in We Are Looking for You! K

14. 16 www.stutteringhelp.org 800-992-9392
THE
STUTTERING
FOUNDATION
International as a way to improve fluency, Guitar. (2006). Available from Lippincott, Williams
Newsbriefs communication or public speaking skills, their & Wilkins, 800-638-3030, www.LWW.com.
Thanks to ads on Google, more than 40,000 address is: Toastmasters International, Inc.,
Web users each week visit Attention: Membership Department, P.O. Box Beyond Stammering, Revised edition by
the Stuttering Foundationʼs 9052, Mission Viejo, CA 92690, Telephone: David Maguire. (2008) Souvenir Press, London.
(714) 858-8255; Fax: (714) 858-1207.
TM
site, www.stutteringhelp.org.
The search engine provides these ads at no
cost to the Foundation as a public service. For those wanting to obtain a copy of Self- Empirical Perspectives by Dale F. Williams.
Stuttering Recovery Personal and
You may have seen the ads; they are located Therapy for the Stutterer in Japanese, (2006). Available from Lawrence Erlbaum
on the top or right of Googleʼs search page. write to Dr. Shokichi Nakajima, 2-21-1 Associates, Mahwah, NJ, www.erlbaum.com.
Ogawa Machida-shi, Tokyo 194, Japan, tele-
The Stuttering Foundation Five Day phone/fax: 0427 (96) 5092.
Workshops will be held in the following loca-
Speech Therapy for the Severe Older
tions in 2009: Portland, Oregon; Self-Therapy for the Stutterer is avail- for Change by George Helliesen. (2006).
Adolescent and Adult Stutterer: A Program
Boston, Massachusetts; Iowa City, able in French. Write to the Association des Available from Apollo Press, Newport News,
Iowa. The Stuttering Foundation pays Begues du Canada, 2596 A rue Chapleau, VA, 800-683-9713, www.apollopress.com.
all tuition costs as well as room and Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H2K 3H6; 1-877-
board for these exceptional in-depth 353-1042. Please enclose $20.00 Canadian
workshops. Dates to be announced - to cover printing, postage, and handling costs. Treatment and Activity Resource Guide by
The Child and Adolescent Stuttering
stay tuned! Peter Ramig and Darrell Dodge. (2005).
Available from Thomson Delmar Learning,
For those wanting to obtain a copy of
The eleventh annual ISAD On- Clifton Park, NY.
line Conference, Don’t Be Afraid Answers in Hindi, write to: Dr. Sajiv Adlakha,
Stuttering and Your Child: Questions and
of Stuttering opens Oct. 1 and Adlakha Speech and Hearing Clinic, A67
ends Oct. 22, International Clinicians by Clinicians by Ehud Yairi and
Dayanand Colony, Lajpat Nagar - 4, New Dehli-
Early Childhood Stuttering: For
Stuttering Awareness Day. Go to Nicoline Grinager Ambrose. (2005). Available
110024, India, or e-mail: adlakhas@hotmail.com. from ProEd, Austin, TX and amazon.com.
Those interested in joining a fluency and public
speaking skills group should also contact Dr.
www. stutteringhomepage.com.
The Second African Conference on Adlakha at the above address.
Stuttering will be held in Stutter by Peter Reitzes. (2006). Available
50 Great Activities for Children Who
from Pro-Ed, Austin, TX, www.proedinc.com.
Ougadougou, Burkina Faso, Books on Stuttering or Related Topics
West Africa, from October 30-
November 1, 2008. For more
information, contact Mouusa and Practice by Nan Bernstein Ratner and
Current Issues in Stuttering Research
Stammering: Palin PCI Approach by John Tetnowski. (2006). Lawrence Erlbaum
Dao at daomoussa@yahoo.fr
Practical Intervention for Early Childhood
Kelman, E. & Nicholas, A. (2008). Associates, Mahwah, NJ.
or ouaga2008@yahoo.fr
Speechmark Publishing Ltd: Milton
The Sixth IFA World Congress, August Keynes, U.K., www.speechmark.net.
7-9, 2009, in Sao Paulo,
Sharing the Journey: Lessons from my
Brazil.For more information, visit Stammering, Advice for All Ages by Renee by Lon Emerick, Ph.D. (2001). Available for $10
Students and Clients with Tangled Tongues
the International Fluency Byrne and Louise Wright. (2008). Sheldon from the Stuttering Foundation at 800-992-9392.
Association Web site at: http:// Press, London, www.sheldonpress.co.uk.
This newsletter is published quarterly. Please
e-mail address changes and story ideas to
www.theifa.org/IFA2009/
for School-Age Children Who Stutter by info@stutteringhelp.org.
IFA_congress_2009.doc Speak Freely: Essential Speech Skills
The 9th World Congress of Mark Allen, Ph.D., (2007) Speak Freely
the International Stuttering Publications, Evanston, IL , www.cfst.com.
Association will take place in
Volume17, Issue 3
Beijing, China 2010. For more in-
Renee Shepherd . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor
formation, visit www.bj2010isc.cn
Stutter by Marc Shell. (2005). Harvard Scot Squires . . . . . . . . . . Writer/Designer
University Press, Cambridge, MA.
/index.php.
Special thanks to Joan Warner, Patty Reed,
For those interested in joining Toastmasters Nature and Treatment, Third Edition by Barry
Stuttering: An Integrated Approach to Its
Susie Hall, Pat Hamm, Lisa Hinton, Terri
Jones, and Carol Ecke.
THE
STUTTERING
FOUNDATION
3100 Walnut Grove Road, Suite 603
P.O. Box 11749 • Memphis, TN 38111-0749