Thanks To My Stutter, I'm Never Lost For Words

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Re: Thank you for sharing your story

From: Alan Badmington (to Andrea)
Date: 20 Oct 2008
Time: 04:31:33 -0500
Remote Name: 195.194.75.225

Comments

Hi Andrea, I am most grateful to you for reading my paper and contributing to the threaded discussion. Thank you, also, for your generous comments – it was kind of you to write in such a vein. The Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC) is a public speaking organisation in the UK (where I live). It has its origins in Toastmasters International (which is very active in the US) and is run on similar lines. You may wish to read more about these organisations by visiting their respective websites at: (1) ASC - http://www.the-asc.org.uk/ (2) Toastmasters International - http://www.toastmasters.org/ My earlier responses to Kris and Marlanna touched upon some of the latter questions you pose, so I hope you will forgive me if I summarise the content of those exchanges. My first positive experiences of public speaking occurred in May 2000 when I joined a stuttering programme that (inter alia) provided me with tools/techniques to deal with speech blocks and words that held an emotional charge. I felt so comfortable speaking in that safe environment and gained, immensely, in confidence. The Programme also afforded me unlimited opportunities to speak on future courses, and at designated support groups, thus increasing my confidence even further. However, I wished to challenge myself outside that safe supportive environment, so I joined the Association of Speakers Clubs. The tools and confidence that I had earlier acquired enabled me to participate in the public speaking activities without difficulty. Indeed, it was not long before I was winning trophies in competition with the fluent speakers. The judges frequently made favourable comments about some of the tools that I attained while coming to terms with my stuttering (voice projection, pausing, clear articulation/enunciation etc) and recommended to the other (fluent) contestants that they should follow my example. How ironic. :-) You enquire if I am still an active member of the ASC. I am not as involved as I was in the early days, principally because my public speaking has caused me to venture in many other directions. I have a busy schedule of talks (about a variety of subjects) that already extends as far ahead as November 2009. This involves a considerable amount of travelling, both in the UK and overseas. Consequently, I am unable to attend the ASC meetings as regularly as I did in the past. Incidentally, I have also challenged myself by undertaking public speaking on a soap box at the famous Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London, as well as in Central Park, New York ; near to the White House in Washington DC; and on The Strip in Las Vegas. The more unusual the challenge, the greater the satisfaction I derive. :-) I wish you every success with your studies. Kindest regards Alan


Last changed: 10/20/08