We have noticed that sometime, under stress, our mouth just runs away with words and we feel
helpless, as if we have absolutely no control over our sound box (throat & mouth). Bouncing is a
technique which gives us back the control over our speech mechanism and related emotions. It also teaches us to stutter in a relaxed way- as very young children do. This is the purpose of the self-therapy here: to teach us to stammer as a four ye r old child does – no struggle, no secondary behavior, no shame, no fear. That effortless stammering is less tiring to us and less distracting to the listener.Lastly, it is a nice way of letting
people know that we stammer and getting used to their reactions. Here are the main rules: 1. Start with easy, simple words. Bounce on difficult words only after 2-3 months of regular practice with easy words. By difficult words we mean sounds which pose problems regularly-for example for some of us, it could be K (as inKanpur); for others it could be B (Bimal), P (Peepul) etc. Do not start with these difficult words. Speak them as you have been doing all this time. Start bouncing on easy simple words. 2. Practice alone fora few days; When comfortable, do it with a friend or in the self help group or on phone with friends or strangers and after many months, in the work-place or in a bus or train etc. You may have tor eorganize this protocol depending on what situation you find least to most stressful where speaking in concerned. Start a new exploration or technique in that particular order: easy to difficult situations. 3. Read a story book or news paper and bounce on every second or third word in ever sentence. Finance m-m-m-minister has d-d-d-decided to l-l-l-lower the interest r-r-rates... 4. You just repeat the first sound (syllable) slowly.SLOWLY is the key principle here . 5. Avoid bouncing rapidly, which happens sometimes during uncontrolled stammering: Finance mmmminister hasddddecided to llllowerthe interest rrrates.. This is bad bouncing. This can be avoided by stopping completely and being totally relaxed between two bounces. If this happens, do not get discouraged. Start all over again with easy word sand with less stressful situations. 6. Vary the number of bounces.Start from 6 more bounces and then gradually reduce it to2-3. Then, again increase it to 5-6 or even more. The idea is to get totally comfortable withthis technique and develop good control. 7. Keeping relaxed while bouncing in a controlled way is important. When you achieve this target,only then increase the level of difficulty by choosing longer / difficult word in a more challenging situation as mentioned above. If you have difficulties, go back to the lower level and practice for few days before taking up the challenge once again. 8. Finally after some months’ practice, you should be able to say a word with just one small relaxed unnoticeable bounce: Finance m-minister has d-decided to lower the interest r-rates... If you watch TV carefully, you will notice many speakers, anchors using this little (sometime even bigger) bounce frequently. 9. While learning to bounce, pay close attention to your emotions. Bounce as a child does. No fear, no struggle and with total acceptance. Give me a ticket for Ha- Ha- Herbertpur. 10. Gradually,try to bounce on a difficult word in spontaneous conversation on phone or in person. Remember: failing to bounce on a word in a given situation is only a temporary setback. It does not mean that this technique is not for you. Whenever you fail to bounce properly on a word go back couple of step sand start again. Bounce on that very word alone, then with a friend and then wit strangers. You have stammered for many years and therefore you must give some months to yourself while trying out a new way of stammering. Also, do not get influenced by unthinking feedback from friends or relatives. Since they know nothing of your stammering and speech therapy, they may say that your new way talking seems unnatural etc. Remember, you will not be bouncing like forever. As your fluency and comfort level improves, need to bounce will reduce and manner of your bouncing will become unnoticeable. 11. What decides your success is (a) following plan (easy to difficult words, easy to difficult situations) (b) consistent practice over a long period (at least six months) and (c) keeping your moral high over this long period. Written By Sachin Srivastava
helpless, as if we have absolutely no control over our sound box (throat & mouth). Bouncing is a
technique which gives us back the control over our speech mechanism and related emotions. It also teaches us to stutter in a relaxed way- as very young children do. This is the purpose of the self-therapy here: to teach us to stammer as a four ye r old child does – no struggle, no secondary behavior, no shame, no fear. That effortless stammering is less tiring to us and less distracting to the listener.Lastly, it is a nice way of letting
people know that we stammer and getting used to their reactions. Here are the main rules: 1. Start with easy, simple words. Bounce on difficult words only after 2-3 months of regular practice with easy words. By difficult words we mean sounds which pose problems regularly-for example for some of us, it could be K (as inKanpur); for others it could be B (Bimal), P (Peepul) etc. Do not start with these difficult words. Speak them as you have been doing all this time. Start bouncing on easy simple words. 2. Practice alone fora few days; When comfortable, do it with a friend or in the self help group or on phone with friends or strangers and after many months, in the work-place or in a bus or train etc. You may have tor eorganize this protocol depending on what situation you find least to most stressful where speaking in concerned. Start a new exploration or technique in that particular order: easy to difficult situations. 3. Read a story book or news paper and bounce on every second or third word in ever sentence. Finance m-m-m-minister has d-d-d-decided to l-l-l-lower the interest r-r-rates... 4. You just repeat the first sound (syllable) slowly.SLOWLY is the key principle here . 5. Avoid bouncing rapidly, which happens sometimes during uncontrolled stammering: Finance mmmminister hasddddecided to llllowerthe interest rrrates.. This is bad bouncing. This can be avoided by stopping completely and being totally relaxed between two bounces. If this happens, do not get discouraged. Start all over again with easy word sand with less stressful situations. 6. Vary the number of bounces.Start from 6 more bounces and then gradually reduce it to2-3. Then, again increase it to 5-6 or even more. The idea is to get totally comfortable withthis technique and develop good control. 7. Keeping relaxed while bouncing in a controlled way is important. When you achieve this target,only then increase the level of difficulty by choosing longer / difficult word in a more challenging situation as mentioned above. If you have difficulties, go back to the lower level and practice for few days before taking up the challenge once again. 8. Finally after some months’ practice, you should be able to say a word with just one small relaxed unnoticeable bounce: Finance m-minister has d-decided to lower the interest r-rates... If you watch TV carefully, you will notice many speakers, anchors using this little (sometime even bigger) bounce frequently. 9. While learning to bounce, pay close attention to your emotions. Bounce as a child does. No fear, no struggle and with total acceptance. Give me a ticket for Ha- Ha- Herbertpur. 10. Gradually,try to bounce on a difficult word in spontaneous conversation on phone or in person. Remember: failing to bounce on a word in a given situation is only a temporary setback. It does not mean that this technique is not for you. Whenever you fail to bounce properly on a word go back couple of step sand start again. Bounce on that very word alone, then with a friend and then wit strangers. You have stammered for many years and therefore you must give some months to yourself while trying out a new way of stammering. Also, do not get influenced by unthinking feedback from friends or relatives. Since they know nothing of your stammering and speech therapy, they may say that your new way talking seems unnatural etc. Remember, you will not be bouncing like forever. As your fluency and comfort level improves, need to bounce will reduce and manner of your bouncing will become unnoticeable. 11. What decides your success is (a) following plan (easy to difficult words, easy to difficult situations) (b) consistent practice over a long period (at least six months) and (c) keeping your moral high over this long period. Written By Sachin Srivastava
No comments:
Post a Comment