Presentations & Public Speaking If You Stammer

Tips for coping with presentations, speeches, wedding vows, etc, if you stammer.

Public speaking is the stuff of nightmares for lots of people, even those who don't stammer. But if you do, the anticipation of having to talk in public can make it seem so much worse. 

You might have to do a presentation or a wedding speech, say your vows or speak at a committee meeting. Here are some things that might help.

Don't forget, you can phone our Helpline for support. Call us free on 0808 802 0002.

On this page:

Tips
After the event
Places to practise & develop skills
Apps & fluency devices
Reasonable adjustments at work, uni or school

Before reading on, try and remember that you have the right to speak and take all the time you need.

Tips

Prepare

If you've got a speech or presentation coming up, practise it beforehand as much as you can. Knowing your stuff will mean there's one less thing to worry about on the day. 

If there'll be a Q&A afterwards, think of possible questions that might come up and plan how you might respond to them. 

Relaxing

If you're feeling tense, try relaxation or breathing exercises before the actual event. Take a moment. Breathe in through the nose slowly, hold it for a few seconds then breathe out through your mouth. Tense, then relax, any areas of tension. For example, drop your shoulders. All this can help to reduce your heart rate, and feel calmer and less tense.

Image

Caption

Marin, founder of the Entrepreneurs Who Stammer Network

Don't focus on fluency

Stammering does not mean you are a bad communicator! There are loads of fluent speakers out there who make really dull and boring speeches. But there are lots of people who stammer who are engaging and inspiring speakers. That unpredictability makes you interesting to listen to.

It's not about how you speak. Or how fluent you are. It's about connecting with your audience and being engaging. Having enthusiasm and passion for what you're saying. 

Even if I stammer, I'm still capable of delivering an engaging and interesting presentation that people respond to. As long as I'm passionate about what I'm talking about, and can convey that enthusiasm, then it doesn't matter if I stammer sometimes.

(Read Lynne's article)

Mentioning that you stammer

This might feel really uncomfortable, especially if your stammer is covert. But being deliberately open about stammering is one option that you might find useful.

It can take pressure off you and make you feel more relaxed. If you know that your audience is aware that you stammer, you won't have to worry about being 'found out'. People in the audience won't think 'What's going on, are they okay?' if you stammer. Making them aware will help people see that it's just a stammer and nothing more. 

You could mention it at the start in a matter-of-fact way. For example, "Just to let you know, I stammer so if I block or repeat myself, that's the reason why". Then move on. Or do it with humour — this can make the audience warm to you and relieve any tension in the room. But don't apologise for it.

Eye contact

This can be tricky. Many of us look away when we stammer, either consciously or unconsciously. But try as best you can to look at people around the room, even if only for a second at a time. This can really help to connect with your audience.

Find a friendly face in the audience and see that person as a 'base'. Look around the room at other people and return to that friendly face every now and then.

If making eye contact is too daunting, look slightly above peoples' faces. Looking around, rather than just in one place all the time, can make your talk more engaging.

Watch your pace

It can be really tempting to rush through what you're saying to avoid stammering. But speaking fast can make it hard for the audience to understand. Try and slow the pace down. 

This is easier said than done though. If you feel like you're rushing, stop. Pause and release any tension that might be in your face or body. This leads us onto the next tip.

Embrace pauses

Look at videos of great speakers, like someone doing a TED talk. You'll see them stopping often, sometimes for several seconds. Watch how the audience hangs on their every word. 

Don't be afraid of pausing. It can give you time to take a breath, relax and think about what you're saying if you feel like you're rushing. It can also emphasise a point and help listeners absorb what you've just said. Not only that, it can give the audience a sense that you're poised and in control. 

Get comfortable in that space and use it to your advantage.

Image

Caption

Kieran

Body language

Don't slouch — stand up straight without being too rigid. Imagine there's a piece of string leading from your head to the ceiling and it's gently pulling you up straight. Like the string on a puppet.

Try and smile. This helps the audience warm to you. This can be hard if you're feeling lots of tension in your body. 

Use hand gestures to emphasise points and make your talk interesting. But don't overdo it and wave your arms around. Try to be open with your body language and don't fold your arms.

I find that talking with my hands when presenting at work helps. For example, when listing items, I count them on my fingers. When discussing changes over time, I draw an imaginary timeline with my hands. This helps me engage with what I'm presenting, not how I think my stammer sounds to the audience. 

(Read Kieran's article on what helps him)

Use props

If you're doing a talk or presentation, prepare slides if it's appropriate. If you're feeling self-conscious, this will shift the audience's attention away from you. It will also give you somewhere to look if you find it difficult to keep looking at the audience. Just make sure that you're not always looking at the slides!

Move around

If you feel like it, you could take a few steps around every now and then. But don't overdo it. Don't walk up and down and zoom around the space.

After the event

After the event, try not to focus on how much you stammered. Instead, reflect on your achievement and the fact that you did it. You did something you were dreading and survived. Did you get your messages across? That was the ultimate goal. Be kind to yourself.

If you have to do more events in future, be constructive instead of negative. What could you tweak that would make it more engaging next time? Ask someone you trust if they can give you some constructive feedback that isn't based on your stammer.

Places to practise & develop skills

Stammering groups

Have you got a speech, presentation or wedding vows coming up? A great place to practise and get support is at a stammering self-help or support group. You're bound to get tips from other people there and can build confidence in a safe space. 

See if there's a group near you on our Communities & Groups page.

Public speaking clubs

If you want to develop your public speaking skills, there are clubs that can help you. The 'Association of Speakers Clubs' and 'Toastmasters International' are two such organisations. They have clubs all over the UK.

These clubs aren't focused on stammering, but they're welcoming and friendly places. Members can only give positive feedback, so you won't have to worry about being judged for stammering. You can just go and observe if you're not comfortable talking at first. There's no pressure to join in.

Go to the Association for Speakers Clubs or Toastmasters websites to find a local club. You can usually attend the first few sessions for free and become a member later if you enjoy it. There is a London-based Toastmasters group especially for people who stammer, if you're in the area.

City Lit

City Lit in London often has one-day public speaking workshops and speaking circles for people who stammer. This is an adult education centre, which offers senior and concession rates. See the City Lit website for details. 

Apps & fluency devices

If you're looking for something to make speaking easier or to increase your fluency, you could try an app. Download one to your smartphone and use it whilst doing a public speaking event. You'll need to use an earphone/ ear bud while using it. See Stammering Apps & Devices to find out all about them. 

Reasonable adjustments at work, uni or school

Do you have to do a presentation at work, school or university? If you find this difficult, you can ask for 'reasonable adjustments'. These are changes they can make to accommodate your stammer. 

For example, you could ask if you can pre-record all or part of the presentation. Or to do the presentation with a colleague. Or submit a written report instead.

Download the 'Reasonable adjustments' guides for employees and students below. You can also download our reasonable adjustments form. Fill it out with the adjustments you'd like, then email it to your employer, school or uni. Or start the conversation with them in person. 

For more information, see our Reasonable Adjustments For Stammering page.

If you have any questions, or if you have any problems with your employer, school or university, get in touch. Contact our Employment Support Service and we'll try and help you get the adjustments you'd like.

Tell us your tips

Do you have any other public speaking tips? Email them to editor@stamma.org and we'll consider adding them to this page.

More support & information

• Join the Entrepreneurs Who Stammer Network
• Cafés, Shops, Services, etc Tips
• Using The Phone tips
• Self-Help For Stammering
• Work & Job Hunting

What next?

• Become A STAMMA Member for free and join the community. We'll keep you updated with our activities.
• Get involved with the STAMMA community. Find an event, fundraise, share your story, volunteer, take part in research and more.

Donate & make a difference

Creating this page was only possible thanks to your kind donations. 

Please consider making a donation to STAMMA: click here. You'll be helping us to: 

• keep our support services running for people who stammer and worried parents 
• put on workshops and support groups
• stage events to bring people together
• create guides for teachers and employers 
• create our award-winning campaigns for change. 

Thank you.

Our information

Find out How We Produce Our Information.

What did you think of this page? Give us your feedback, we'd love to hear from you.