TRANSCRIPT OF A PRESENTATION, BY ALAN BADMINGTON, TO ...

Let us now relate what we have learned about the Stuttering Hexagon to
some of the speaking situations that I have experienced in my life. You may
recall me telling you earlier about the courtroom scene that gave me so
many problems.
The seeds of doubt were sown some weeks before the court appearance,
when I learned that I would be required to give evidence. I must have
rehearsed the oath a hundred times, when alone.
I knew the second word commenced with the feared letter ‘S’ (SWEAR),
and that the oath also contained many other problematical letters.
Let us examine some of my beliefs:
Due to my previous difficulties with these letters, I believed that I would
stutter and make a fool of myself.
I believed that I could not speak in front of an audience when I was the
centre of attention.
I believed I could not say the oath, or my name.
I believed I would be judged by my performance (especially as a young
officer on probation).
I believed the court would expect me to be perfect.
My perceptions (at the time of being in court) were:
I’m performing in front of people who would not understand or be
sympathetic to my problem.
The group of young men at the back of the court, who I had cause to deal
with a couple of weeks earlier for public disorder, were talking about me
and eagerly waiting for me to stutter.