hey there viewers every year on october 22nd the world celebrates international stuttering
awareness day stuttering is very stressful for those who struggle with it it hurts their
ability to communicate and have conversations thankfully there are resources these days
to help you with it in today's video we'll be talking about seven exercises you can do
at home to reduce stuttering what's the jaw technique how about the gentle onset what
about the self-advertising we'll be talking about all of these and more number one jaw
technique there are a lot of reasons you stutter also known as stammering it's usually noticed
in people during childhood stuttering is brought about by physiological factors this includes
problems controlling muscles neuromuscular complications obstruction in speech organs
and issues with moving your lips and tongue so is stammering some kind of birth defect
well that's a big myth people think that only children stammer but the truth is you can
develop stuttering problems in your adulthood as well it can be caused by anxiety stressful
family atmosphere and loss of confidence stuttering can make living a normal life a bit harder
but with the right exercises practice and therapy you can improve a lot start with learning
the jaw technique first if you have a kid struggling with a stutter this technique can
help out significantly first ask them to open their mouth as wide as possible get them to
hold that position as they do this tell them to lift their tongue toward the roof of their
mouth next get them to move the tip of their tongue towards the back of their mouth this
will stretch the tongue as far as it can go hold the position for a few seconds and then
ask them to stick the tongue out tell them to try reaching their chin by stretching the
tongue downwards again hold this position for a few seconds this is one repetition get
your kid to do five repetitions of this exercise every night jaw technique is easy to perform
you can try it too can you reach your nose or chin with your tongue sound off in the
comment section and let the bestie community know how far you can roll it out number two
diaphragmatic breathing this exercise focuses on your breath wondering what breath has to
do with your speech a lot actually just like your car needs gas your speech is dependent
on your breath people whose stutter find it difficult to breathe properly when they speak
the stress built up over the years due to speech impediments makes it even more difficult
for them it's like trying to skate only to have all your attempts fail whenever you try
the stress gets the best of you you have to overcome your performance anxiety most people
who stammer don't have breath left while speaking this makes them stutter the problem can be
due to swallowing or rapid breathing diaphragmatic breathing techniques target these problems
and help you get enough air while speaking there is a large muscle right beneath your
lungs this muscle is the diaphragm it contracts and expands when your lungs inhale and exhale
so here's how you master the diaphragmatic breathing technique first relax yourself your
neck should be easy and tongue relaxed on the floor of your mouth try to feel your mouth
and throat while keeping your jaw slightly open now inhale deeply as you do this feel
your diaphragm go downwards and your stomach expand please make sure the focus is on your
stomach expanding outward not your chest every time you breathe in make sure you're comfortable
and not clenching relax your diaphragm and feel it naturally returning to its original
position feel the relaxation as all the air eases out of your lungs and you're done you
completed one repetition of diaphragmatic breathing relax for a few seconds and continue
doing 10 more reps a quick tip throughout this exercise you'll focus your attention
on your stomach and diaphragm feel your stomach extend outward and inward and your diaphragm
going up and down your diaphragm and stomach movements have to happen gently and naturally
number three loud vowel pronunciation the most common problem stutterers face is difficulty
pronouncing vowels especially kids who stammer loud vowel pronunciation is a very simple
exercise that needs to be repeated over and over again with practice you will see significant
improvement here's how you do it ask the child to pronounce each vowel of the alphabet clearly
and audibly begin from a through to e i o and u make sure they're being very articulate
this will probably cause them to make funny faces number four pausing technique many people
who stutter find it difficult to decide when to pause during the speech the good part is
that they can be taught when pausing technique is used to train for this purpose it involves
teaching the person when to pause during a sentence usually they have to pause after
the first word it is then followed by short pauses after every two or three words practice
this exercise at least once a day so that pausing becomes a habit make sure that you're
pausing after every few words not at the center of a given word this exercise helps you relax
stay comfortable while speaking and reduce stuttering before we move ahead here's a video
that you might like watch this video to learn more about six ways to stop your memory loss
number five gentle onset technique this technique helps you gain control over your vocal cords
we all have vocal cords placed securely in the larynx right in front of your throat when
you speak the voice box vibrates which turns your voice on when you stutter your vocal
cords turn on too abruptly this blocks speech and makes the person stutter the gentle onset
technique prevents your vocal cords from turning on too abruptly this means there will be reduced
stammering here's how to do this exercise do this exercise for each spoken syllable
begin the exercise by turning on your voice with the softest and lowest vibrations then
slowly increase the strength and volume of your voice bring it to your normal speaking
volume now just as you went from low to high go high to low decrease your vocal vibrations
from loud to low both your vibrational strength and vocal cord volume will return to low levels
gentle onset technique is really this simple want to make it a bit more fun try the gentle
technique on these one syllable words
Hey there, viewers! Every year on October 22nd, the world celebrates International Stuttering
Awareness Day...
Stuttering is very stressful for those who struggle with it. It hurts their ability to
communicate and have conversations. Thankfully there are resources these days to help you
with it.
In today’s video, we will be talking about 7 exercises you can do at home to reduce stuttering.
What’s the jaw technique? How about the gentle onset? What about the self-advertising?
We will be talking about all of these and more...
Jaw Technique
There are a lot of reasons you stutter. Also known as stammering, it’s usually noticed
in people during childhood.
Stuttering is brought about by physiological factors. This includes problems controlling
muscles, neuromuscular complications, obstructions in speech organs, and issues with moving your
lips & tongue. So is stammering some kind a birth defect?
Well that’s a big myth. People think that only children stammer. But the truth is you
can develop stuttering problems in your adulthood as well. It can be caused by anxiety, stressful
family atmosphere, and loss of confidence.
Stuttering can make living a normal life a bit harder. But with right exercises, practice,
and therapy, you can improve A LOT!
Start with learning the Jaw Technique first. If you have a kid struggling with a stutter,
this technique can help out significantly. First, ask them to open their mouth as wide
as possible.
Get them to hold that position. As they do this, tell them to lift their tongue towards
the roof of their mouth.
Next, get them to move the tip of their tongue towards the back of the mouth. This will stretch
the tongue as far as it can go.
Hold the position for a few seconds. And then ask them to stick the tongue out. Tell them
to try reaching their chin by stretching the tongue downwards.
Again hold this position for a few seconds. This is one repetition. Get your kid to do
five repetitions of this exercise every night.
Jaw technique is easy to perform. You can try it too. Can you reach your nose or chin
with your tongue? Sound off in the comment section, and let the Bestie community know
how far you can roll it out.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
This exercise focuses on your breath. Wondering what breath has to do with your speech?
A LOT actually!
Just like your car needs gas, your speech is dependent upon your breath. People who
stutter find it difficult to breathe properly when they speak. The stress built up over
the years due to speech impairments make it even more difficult for them.
That’s like trying to skate, only to have all your attempts fail. Whenever you try,
the stress gets the best of you. You have to overcome your performance anxiety.
Most people who stammer often don’t have breath left while speaking. This makes them
stutter. The problem can be due to shallow or rapid breathing.
Diaphragmatic breathing techniques target these problems and help you get enough air
while speaking. There is a large muscle right beneath your lungs. This muscle is the diaphragm.
It contracts and expands when your lungs inhale and exhale.
So here is how you master the Diaphragmatic Breathing technique.
First, relax yourself. Your neck should be easy, and tongue relaxed on the floor of your
mouth. Try to feel your mouth and throat, while keeping your jaw slightly open.
Now inhale deeply. As you do this, feel your diaphragm go downwards, and your stomach expand.
Please make sure the focus is on your stomach expanding outward, not your chest.
Every time you breathe in, make sure you are comfortable and not clenching. Relax your
diaphragm and feel it naturally returning to its original position. Feel the relaxation
as all the air eases out of your lungs.
And you’re done! You completed one repetition of Diaphragmatic Breathing. Relax for a few
seconds and continue doing 10 more reps.
A quick tip: Throughout this exercise, you’ll focus your attention on your stomach and diaphragm.
Feel your stomach extend outward and inward, and your diaphragm going up and down.
Your diaphragm and stomach movements have to happen gently, and naturally.
Loud Vowel Pronunciation
The most common problem stutterers face is difficulty pronouncing vowels. Especially
kids who stammer! Loud vowel pronunciation is a very simple exercise that needs to be
repeated over and over again. With practice, you will see significant improvement.
Here’s how you do it. Ask the child to pronounce each vowel of the alphabet clearly and audibly.
Begin from A through to E, I, O and U. Make sure they’re being very articulate. This
will probably cause them to make funny faces.
Pausing Technique
Many people who stutter find it difficult to decide when to pause during the speech.
The good part is that they can be taught when. Pausing technique is used to train for this
purpose. It involves teaching the person when to pause during a sentence.
Usually, they have to pause after the first word. It is then followed by short pauses
after every two or three words. Practice this exercise at least once a day, so that pausing
becomes a habit.
Make sure you are pausing after every few words and NOT at the centre of a given word.
This exercise helps you relax, stay comfortable while speaking, and reduce stuttering.
Before we move ahead, here is a video that you might like. Watch this video to learn
more about the 6 ways to stop your memory loss.
Gentle Onset Technique
This technique helps you gain control over your vocal chords. We all have vocal chords
placed securely in the larynx, right in front of your throat. When you speak, the voice
box vibrates, which turns your voice on!
When you stutter, your vocal cords turn on too abruptly. This blocks speech and makes
the person stutter.
The gentle onset technique prevents your vocal cords from turning on too abruptly. This means
there will be reduced stammering!
Here is how to do this exercise...
Do this exercise for each spoken syllable. Begin the exercise by turning on your voice
with the softest and lowest vibrations. Then slowly, increase the strength and volume of
your voice. Bring it to your normal speaking volume.
Now, just as you went from low to high, go high to low. Decrease your vocal vibrations
from loud to low. Both your vibrational strength and vocal cord volume will return to low levels.
Gentle onset technique really is THIS simple! Want to make it a bit more fun? Try the gentle
technique on these one-syllable words.
Ah: aaaAAAAaaaaa Eat: eeeEEEEaaat
Want to try more words? How about these:
Why: wwwWWWWhhhyyy
Yeah: yyyEEEAAAhhh
Confident Eye Contact Technique
When you stutter, your first response is to avert your eyes. You avoid eye contact with
the listener because you feel uneasy and embarrassed right?
This is what we need to check first. There is nothing to feel embarrassed about. Even
actors like Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and James Earl Jones struggled with stuttering.
Don’t break eye contact even when you stammer. Eye contact is a powerful thing. You will
realize how important it is to maintain eye contact even when you stammer. It can help
you get desensitized to the discomfort of stuttering.
It will definitely seem like a lot at first. You might feel awkward maintaining eye contact
when you’re stammering. But you will also see how your listeners won’t give up on
you. You won’t go unheard and your listeners will stay with you.
Another great thing about continuing eye contact is that it boosts your confidence. The person
you’re talking to realizes you aren’t afraid to speak. This makes them even more
invested in listening to you.
Surely a win-win!
You can begin practicing eye contact technique by looking into your listener’s eyes while
telling them your name. Don’t break eye contact even if you stammer.
Self Advertising Technique
People who stutter often panic when talking with others. They wonder if the other person
will find out they stutter. “What will that person think of me? Will I scare them away?”
Ironically, this thought of impending doom makes you stutter even more!
This is where the self-advertising technique steps in. It will take the stress away during
conversations. But I should warn you- this is the hardest exercise. You will find it
the most challenging. All you need to do is let the other person know you stutter.
It’s the hardest thing to do for people who stammer. But believe me on this. This
self-advertising brings peace. You will be able to think clearly and speak with more
ease.
Do you stutter? Will you be trying any of these exercises? Let us know in the comments
below. We would love to hear from you!