Public Relations – Spreading the Word

Start Spreading the News

Personal public relations materials that have been or can be used to educate the public about stuttering. Please send copies of things you've done and feel free to adapt the materials below to your needs.

Index

Stuttering Awareness Designated Times
Making Public Presentations
Newsletters
Brochures
Television/Radio Interviews
Magazine/Newspaper articles and letters to the editor
Posters about Stuttering
Cards and Letters
Other ideas

Stuttering Awareness Designated Times

International Stuttering Awareness Day - October 22, 1999
U.S. National Stuttering Awareness Week
- Brochure: National Stuttering Awareness Week in html or PDF from the Stuttering Foundation of America
Ideas for celebrating Stuttering Awareness Week

Making Public Presentations

People who stutter are often invited to speak about their experience with stuttering. Below are some examples and ideas to assist others in taking advantage of these opportunities to educate others about stuttering.

Some ideas for Breaking the Ice
Stuttering: The real story behind the person by Bobby L. Childers II. Presented for a Graduate Speech Fluency Class at New Mexico State University 26 April 2000
Stuttering (Teen and Adult) What It Is and What It Isn't: for Emergency Services Personnel by Bobby L. Childers II is a Power Point presentation developed by Childers to be presented to Emergency Services Personnel. There are also speaker notes that accompany the presentation. This can be used by others, but credit should be given to the author.
Outline of a Presentation To SLP Students Governors State University 1999 by Jim McClure and Jimmy Zerlentes
Outline of a Presentation to St. Xavier undergraduate fluency class, 4/13/04 by Jim McClure.
Been There - Done That;-) -- Ideas For When Speaking To Classes About Stuttering

Newletters

International Stuttering Associations

United States - The National Stuttering Association
- March/April issue of Letting GO
United Kingdom
- Articles from and information about "Speaking Out" a quarterly magazine from the British Stammering Association.

Brochures

The following brochures are not copy-righted and can be reproduced and distributed as they are printed online. Attractive, colored brochures can also be ordered from the sponsoring organization, for a small fee.

A School Bulletin from Language, Speech and Hearing Services in the Schools, designed to be used as a public relations piece about stuttering.
Suggestions for Listeners: What to Do and What to Know When Speaking With a Person Who Stutters from the NSA
How to React When Speaking With Someone Who Stutters, from the SFA
Brochure from Korea

Television / Radio Interviews

Check New Technologies
Right Here, Right Now - Jonelle - PBS autobiographical program about a women who stutters and her experience with one intensive therapy program. Aired April-May, 2000.
John Stossel Interview - CNN - May 13, 1997
Transcript of Healthweek Segment on Stuttering, taped September 25, 1997, transcribed by Ira Zimmerman and posted to Stutt-L.
Alan Rabinowitz 6 1/2 minute interview on the Colbert Report, June 10, 2008
Roundtable Interview with Pam Mertz - to dispel some of the misconception about stuttering, and discuss some of the treatment options. On WAMC, Northeast Public Radio.

Magazine/Newspaper articles and letters to the editor

Talking Back To The Media: A Two Way Street, ASHA members are encouraged to play a part in insuring that the information presented in the media is accurate and professional. Perhaps you'd like to practice by formulating a response to these:
T. Berry Brazelton New York Times Syndicated column, May 1997
Barton D. Schmitt Your Child's Health.
Ask the Doctor, Good Housekeeping, July 1997
- The "Official" NSP Response to Good Housekeeping Magazine, by Jim McClure
Ann Landers, August 28, 1998
- Response to column from Nancy Swiggert, ASHA President.
- Response to column from Stacy from Mankato, MN
Ann Landers' column, June 17, 1998
or writing a thank you letter to another pediatrician, Robert W. Steele who formulated a good response to a parent inquiry.
October 22 is International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) - article in the Badger Herald by Paul Engelman
Stuttering still mystifies medical doctors, psychologists and those who have it November 16, 1999, Detroit Free Press.
New treatment has stutterers talking By John Morgan, USA Today Health, May 8, 2000
Getting The Word Out an article by Dave Kadleck in Continuum, Spring 1999.
Stutterers Speak Out by Sue MacDonald of The Cincinnati Enquirer, Wednesday, March 10, 1999
Genetic Study Brings Hope to Stutterers by Jodie S. Cohen, Detroit News, July 10, 2000.
Stuttering no obstacle for retired engineer from the Plano Star Courier, Jul 21 2000.
Stuttering can be helped with patience and professional help By Jean Gruss For AccessLife.com (August 18, 2000.)
Finding The Words How Some Stutterers Are Talking Their Way Out Of Isolation By David L. Ulin. Cover feature of the Chicago Tribune Magazine, September 24, 2000.
Stuttering Myths, Causes and Treatements - article on Boise Health News for November 2011.

Letters to the editor

Dale Williams at Florida Atlantic University has developed an assignment that can be adapted elsewhere to help "spread the word" about stuttering.
Review of Marty Jezer's book, Stuttering: A Life Bound Up In Words that appeared in the NY Times, and the official NSA response letter to the editor by Jim McClure.
Letter to the Editor about Stuttering Awareness Week, by Lisa Arras, published in the New Ulm Journal, May 11, 1998

Magazine/Newspaper articles - pointers to internet news information articles and releases about stuttering.

Dallas Morning News, December 27, 1995
Efforts to Increase Awareness of Stuttering, personal article first published in a university newspaper
Dear Abby August 23, 1985
Dear Abby May 8, 1997, featuring a letter from Margaret Hansen.
A New 'tune 'tude featuring Ira Zimmerman, The Orange County Register-June 13, 1997
A War of Words Stutterers' Convention Tries to Help Those Who Struggle to Speak by Bob Condor, Chicago Tribune, June 26, 1997
Fast, Terri, Your Child Stutters, Should You Worry?, Today's Health, Spring 1998, p. 4ff
10-Year-Old Educates Classmates on Battle With Speech Disorder, an article from the Saint Francis Reminder January 15, 1998.
D-D-Disability and Responsibility, an article by Paul Engelman, published in the UW-Madison Daily Cardinal.

Posters about Stuttering

Not all posters depicting about stuttering have been "positive." There is an interesting example of cooperation between ASHA and the National Council on Stuttering to get a poster pulled from the market.

However, on a more positive note, putting up posters in your office, home, or dorm are good ways to provide information about stuttering. Several examples are provided below.

Stuttering Foundation of America
- Examples and ordering information
Warner Brothers Top of the Tune Squad
- Everyone's Unique and Th-th-that's Good Folks! downloadable poster.
Poster from Korea
FRIENDS has a full color poster (Famous Contemporary People Who Stutter), that features twenty-one well known, people who stutter, most along with a message of hope they have written for young people who stutter. Another poster is also available If You Stutter. . You Have Friends

Cards and Letters

It was suggested that a thank you card (or letter) might be appropriate to send to someone who was a particularly good listener. The NSP may be developing cards, but if anyone would like to submit an electronic version which could be sent as an attachment or could be printed out, please contact Judy Kuster

Other ideas

Stuttering Awareness Ads created by Daniele Rossi
A Play About Stuttering written by Valerie, a fourth grader, and performed for her class.
Ideas for projects about stuttering for English, history or science classes by Tom Kehoe, from his online book Stuttering: Science, Therapy and Practice
Armann and Gentle distribution project. Armann and Gentle is a childrens' book recently translated from Icelandic, and available from the Stuttering Foundation of America. Mankato State University students ordered 60 copies (at $1.00, they are a bargain!!) to donate to city or grade school libraries, along with an information flier on how the library could order two free videos about stuttering from the SFA.
Bumper stickers, T-Shirts, and buttons
- Several "slogans" were posted by Steve Hood, on Stutt-l, Oct. 14, 1997, including:
  - Take a Stutterer to Lunch
  - Stutterers do it Repeatedly
  - If you Stutter, you're not alone
  - He who hesitates is not lost
  - Stutterers do it in spurts
  - It's all right to be repetitious
- Amy Johnson recalled a public service announcement by The Stuttering Foundation of America. It went something like: "For the person who stutters, it's not easier said than done."
- Gina Waggott modified that to "Stuttering - Easier done than said"
- Ward Harkavy added - "Stutterers: Best on the Block"
- Anita Blom has a button that says, "I stutter. And what are you good at?"
- Suggested by S.M. on Stutt-L - "Building a stutter-friendly world...one block at a time!!"
- Suggested by Alan R on Stutt-l - I stutter because what I say is worth repeating.
- Suggested by Steve K on NSAchap - "Legalize Stuttering" bumper sticker and "I don't stutter. My mouth is just equipped with instant replay."