T he Man Behind the Voice: James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones (Continue) James Earl Jones was born in 1931 in Arkabutla, Mississippi His mother Ruth, a teacher, and his father Robert Earl Jones, an actor, butler, and chauffeur who left the family shortly after James Earl's birth. Jones was raised by his maternal grandparents Maggie and John Henry Connolly, [ and is of African, Irish, Choctaw and Cherokee descent. Home

James Earl Jones He moved with his maternal grandparents' but the adoption was traumatic and he developed a stutter so severe he refused to speak aloud. When he moved to Michigan (in later years), a teacher started to help him with his stutter. He remained functionally mute for eight years until he reached high school. His high school teacher, Donald Crouch, thought he had a gift for writing poetry and helped him out of his silence. The teacher believed that public speaking would help him gain confidence and insisted he recite a poem in class each day. Home

What is Stuttering? (continue) Stuttering is a speech disorder in which sounds, syllables, or words are repeated or prolonged, disrupting the normal flow of speech. Stuttering can make it difficult to communicate with other people, which often affects a person’s quality of life. Symptoms of stuttering can vary significantly throughout a person’s day. In general, speaking before a group or talking on the telephone may make a person’s stuttering more severe, while singing, reading, or speaking in unison may temporarily reduce stuttering. Home

Causes of Stuttering Developmental stuttering Developmental stuttering occurs in young children while they are still learning speech and language skills. It is the most common form of stuttering. Neurogenic stuttering Neurogenic stuttering may occur after a stroke, head trauma, or other type of brain injury. With neurogenic stuttering, the brain has difficulty coordinating the different components involved in speaking because of signaling problems between the brain and nerves or muscles. Home

What device should be used? (Continue) SpeechEasy is a combination of proven technology and techniques which can be used to reduce stuttering and to help increase fluency. SpeechEasy is a tool which can help your message be heard. SpeechEasy is similar in appearance to a hearing aid. However, rather than amplifying sound, SpeechEasy alters sounds that go through the device so that you hear your voice at a slight time delay and at a different pitch. Home

How does SpeechEasy work? The purpose of the delay and pitch change is to recreate a natural phenomenon known as the “choral effect.” The choral effect occurs when your stutter is dramatically reduced or even eliminated when you speak or sing in unison with others. This choral effect has been well documented for decades and SpeechEasy utilizes it in a small, wearable device that can be used in everyday life. Home