Warm-Up Activities
Good News
As members introduce themselves, ask them to share some good news from their recent experiences.
More Information
When introducing themselves, ask members to add an extra bit of information, such as where they first lived when they left home, where they were born, or what their room looked like at ten years old.
Introduce Someone Else
Each person introduces the person next to them after a few minutes of getting to know each other.
Special Name Tags
Pass out index cards and have everyone divide them into four parts, each answering a specific question (favorite movie, place, etc.). Members then mingle and share their answers with others.
“Can You Top This?”
A game where people share their worst stuttering experience. Encourage exaggerated stories, and the person with the most applause wins.
Stretching Exercises
Lead everyone through some simple stretching exercises to get relaxed and comfortable.
Group Singing
Try some group singing. This could also be done at the end of the meeting.
Relaxation or Visualization Tape
Play a relaxation or visualization tape. You can also get ideas from a yoga book.
Next Life
Have people share who they would most like to be in their next life and why.
Group Drawing
Provide pens and a large pad for everyone to draw a group picture. Then discuss the experience and dynamics.
Favorite Childhood Game
Go around the room and have members share their favorite game as a child.
The Name Game
Start with one person saying their name. The next person says the previous names and adds their own. Continue until the last person names everyone.
Handshakes
Take two minutes to go around and shake hands with everyone, introducing themselves.
Different Names
Do the same as above, but have members choose different names for themselves, real or fictional.
The Alphabet Game
Based on a children’s word game, each person adds a word starting with the next letter of the alphabet, repeating the previous words.
Variations on the Alphabet Game
Play the above game with different topics like "I went to the zoo and saw..." or "I went to the movies and saw...".
Rare Knowledge
Everyone shares weird or little-known facts. Allow members to pass if they can't think of anything.
Books
Self-Therapy for the Stutterer
Have members pre-read a selection and discuss how to implement it in daily life.
To Say What Is Ours
Assign a selection from this book and discuss it at the meeting.
A Stutterer’s Story by Fred Murray
Have members select a chapter to discuss at a meeting.
Dead Languages by David Shields
Have members read passages from this book.
The Stutterer’s Survival Guide by Nick Tunbridge
Discuss selections from this book at meetings.
Discussing Stuttering
Worst Stuttering Experience
Have members share their worst stuttering experience and discuss how they reacted and how they could have reacted differently.
Best Moments
Members share the moments when they felt best about themselves as people who stutter.
Difficult Situations
Make a list of the ten most difficult situations for members and discuss strategies for handling them.
Easiest Situations
Make a list of the situations members find easiest and discuss why this is so.
Avoiding Others Who Stutter
Discuss why some people who stutter do not like to be around others who stutter.
Reverting to Old Behaviors
Discuss the dynamics involved in why people often revert to old behaviors after stuttering treatment programs.
Parental Advice
Discuss the advice that was given to your parents about stuttering, and the advice you wish had been given.
Ideal Self
Discuss the kind of person you would be if you did not stutter.
Difficult Words
Have each person make a list of their most difficult words and make up a story using them.
Design a Therapy Course
Break into small groups and have each group come up with a plan for a three-week stuttering therapy course.
Talk to Your Stuttering
Break into pairs and have each person pretend the other person is their "stuttering" and talk to it.
Advantages of Stuttering
Discuss the advantages your stuttering has given you.
Reacting to Inappropriate Behavior
Discuss the best ways to react to someone who behaves inappropriately, like filling in words or looking away.
Advertising Your Stuttering
Discuss the best times and ways to advertise your stuttering.
Changing One Thing
Discuss the question, "If you could change one thing about your stuttering, what would it be?"
Repeating Questions
In pairs, ask open-ended questions about stuttering or life, with one person repeatedly asking the question and the other responding. Then discuss what you found out.
Games
Pictionary
Get two easels and drawing pads and play with the whole group.
Balderdash
A game where you make up definitions of obscure words to fool the other players.
Trivial Pursuit
Play the board game, deciding that questions must be read in a certain way (e.g., using prolongation or voluntary stuttering).
Scruples
Have the facilitator ask random questions from the game.
The Telephone Call
Role-play telephone scenarios where one person stutters and the other is rude or impatient.
Job Interviews
Role-play various job interview scenarios, offering feedback.
Coffee Pot
A guessing game where members ask yes/no questions substituting "coffee pot" for an activity.
Three Words Only
In groups of three, members talk using only three words at a time.
Small Household Object
Put a collection of small household objects in a bag and have members take turns drawing one out. They can either give a talk on its usefulness or make up an outlandish story about it.
Table Topics
Members "think on their feet" and speak for a minute or so on given topics.
Telephone Game
Whisper a quote or statement to one person, who then whispers it to the next, and so on. Compare the final message to the original.
Three Words Only
In groups of three, members talk using only three words at a time.
Sharing
Picture Party
Members bring photos of their family, pets, etc., and share stories.
Stuttering Metaphors
Come up with various metaphors to describe stuttering.
Most Embarrassing Moment
Have members share their most embarrassing moments, not related to stuttering.
Worst Year or Day
Have members describe the worst year or day of their life.
Best Year or Day
Have members describe the best year or day of their life.
Social Events
Local Baseball Game
Attend a local baseball game as a group, getting your chapter name on the scoreboard.
Bowling
Organize a bowling night for the chapter.
Summer Picnic
Plan a summer picnic and involve everyone in making arrangements.
Run in a Race
Have members who run enter a local race, with the rest of the group supporting and having a potluck picnic afterward.
Long Hike
Go on a long hike together.
Volunteer Work
Answer phones for a local PBS radio or TV station or distribute meals for the Salvation Army.
Museum Visit
Visit a local museum together.
Fundraising Event
Organize a fundraising event such as a garage or yard sale.
Lending Library
Develop a lending library for members.
Public Speaking
Take it From Here
An impromptu storytelling exercise where members continue each other's stories.
Debate
Organize debates on various topics, humorous or serious.
Best Excuse of the Week
Members explain why their stuttering is bad this week, with a small award for the best excuse.
Zany Questions
Members pick ridiculous questions from a hat and answer spontaneously.
Small Household Object
Members take turns drawing an object from a bag and either give a talk on its usefulness or make up an outlandish story about it.
Table Topics
Members "think on their feet" and speak for a minute or so on given topics.
Perform a Scene
Perform a scene from a play.
News Broadcast
Put together a news broadcast and have members take turns being anchorpersons or reporters.
John Harrison’s Book
Use John Harrison’s book, "How to Conquer Your Fears of Speaking Before People." Each lesson can be taken individually.
Oral Reading
Meaningful Passage
Have members bring a meaningful or humorous passage from a novel, play, or poem to read out loud.
Children's Books
Read from children's books like Dr. Seuss.
Using a Video Camera
Record Speeches
Videotape members giving speeches and play them back for feedback.
Record Meetings
Videotape an entire meeting for record-keeping or presentations.
Public Service Announcement
Create, write, and produce a five-minute public service announcement on the NSA.
Video Presentations
NSA Conference Video
Show selections from an NSA Conference video.
Voice in Exile
Show the 28-minute film "Voice in Exile" about a 17-year-old who stutters.
Joseph Sheehan Films
Show Alan Holzman's films "Message to a Stutterer" or "No Words to Say."
Films
Mask
Watch Cher's movie "Mask" about a boy with a congenital disease and discuss.
Roxanne
Watch Steve Martin's "Roxanne" and discuss how he deals with his "deformity."
A Fish Called Wanda
Watch and discuss "A Fish Called Wanda."
My Left Foot
Watch and discuss "My Left Foot."
Canadian Documentaries
Order and watch the documentaries "Voices to Remember" and "Speaking of Courage."
Inspirational Films
Watch any inspirational film of your choice and discuss.
Guest Speakers
Invite guest speakers, such as a local yoga expert or someone involved in stress management, to speak at your meetings.
Hobby Presentations
Have a member with a particular interest or hobby make a presentation to the group.
Local Speech-Language Pathologists
Invite one or more local speech-language pathologists to speak. Ask one from the schools to tell you about his or her work.
Personal Contracts
Pledges
Members can pledge to do something between meetings.
Meeting Goals
Members can set goals to achieve during the meeting, like maintaining eye contact while speaking or stuttering more openly.
Presentations
Therapy Research
Have one member research a particular therapy and report on it to the group.
Outside Presentations
Put together a panel of members and volunteer to present a program at a local university or community group.
Role-Playing
The Telephone Call
Role-play various telephone call scenarios where one person stutters and the other is rude or impatient.
Job Interviews
Take turns role-playing different job interview scenarios, offering constructive feedback.
These activities are designed to create a supportive, engaging, and fun environment for NSA meetings. By incorporating a mix of warm-ups, games, discussions, role-playing, sharing, social events, public speaking exercises, and multimedia presentations, you can ensure that each meeting is enriching and beneficial for all members.
For more information and to find an NSA Chapter near you, visit our Chapter Locator page.
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