 by their lack of appreciation as to why it is wrong or harmful for them to react in this way.
We cannot change this mindset overnight and the practicality of attempting to do so is flawed. However, what we can do and what we must all encourage, is to seek to adjust the language associated with stammering.
Be it a teacher imploring a student to "slow down and take their time" or a manager telling a colleague to "calm down and breathe", even if they are intended to be helpful, these phrases only serve to heighten tension and cultivate a negative mindset towards public speaking and to stammering itself.
Speaking in front of a large crowd is nerve-racking even for the best of us. So, stammer or not, what we must do as adults is to look to find better ways of reacting to individuals stumbling on their words and change the language that we use to address it. Be it a teacher imploring a student to "slow down and take their time" or a manager telling a colleague to "calm down and breathe", even if they are intended to be helpful, these phrases only serve to heighten tension and cultivate a negative mindset towards public speaking and to stammering itself.
For those who don't stammer, this may be a temporary fleeting moment of anxiety. But for those who do stammer, it can be an ever-enduring battle and requires all the positive reinforcements that society can provide. I am of the firm belief that the more we can do to make a person who stammers feel comfortable speaking to a crowd, the better off we will all be by having the pleasure of hearing their voice.
What do you think? If you'd like to write something for the site, click here to find out how.