Darth Vader and a black and white photo of a young boy
Allstar Picture Library Ltd./Alamy Stock Photo; James Earl Jones Collection
Paired Texts,

Becoming Darth Vader

How a boy who stuttered grew up to have one of the most famous voices in the world  

By Allison Friedman
From the May/June 2022 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will synthesize ideas in two articles about people who stutter. The first article is about the actor James Earl Jones, and the second article is about a teenage girl.

Complexity Factors
  • Purpose & Levels of Meaning
  • Structure
    The first article starts with a present-tense description and then goes back in time. It is otherwise chronological. The second text starts with a description of Olivia onstage and then provides background information about her.
  • Language
    The articles contain a few challenging words, such as astonishment and confidence.
  • Knowledge Demands
    The first text refers to Star Wars and Darth Vader.
Lexiles: 600L-700L, Easier Level
Guided Reading Level: S
DRA Level: 40-50
Featured Skill: Synthesizing,
Other Key Skills: synthesizing, vocabulary, text features, interpreting text, key idea, cause and effect, main idea, key details, compare and contrast, connecting to the text, narrative writing
Standards
  • Common Core
    RI.1, RI.2, RI.3, RI.4, RI.5, RI.6, RI.7, RI.9, W.2, SL.1, L.1
  • TEKS Grade 3
    1a, 1c, 3a, 3b, 6a, 6c, 6e, 6g, 6h, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7f, 9d, 10d, 12a
Content-Area Connections
  • Social and Emotional Learning
    self-awareness (growth mindset); self-management (self-discipline/self-motivation); social awareness (demonstrating empathy)

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Think and Read: Connecting the Texts

As you read, think about the topics of both texts and how they are connected.

Look to the left. Do you recognize the man in the black helmet? That’s Darth Vader—one of the main villains in the Star Wars movies, shows, and video games. His deep, scary voice has boomed on screens, big and small, for more than 40 years. 

That famous voice belongs to an actor named James Earl Jones. But his voice wasn’t always famous. In fact, James Earl had almost no voice for many years. When he was 6 years old, he stopped speaking almost completely.

Look to the left. Do you recognize the man in the black helmet? That’s Darth Vader. He’s one of the main villains in the Star Wars movies, shows, and video games. He has a deep, scary voice. It has boomed on screens, big and small, for more than 40 years. 

That famous voice belongs to an actor named James Earl Jones. But his voice wasn’t always famous. In fact, James Earl had almost no voice for many years. When he was 6 years old, he mostly stopped speaking.

Icy snowflakes whipped and whirled through the air. The wind howled. And 10-year-old James Earl Jones was racing through mountains of snow. 

It was 1941, and a fierce blizzard was raging across Western Michigan. Back at
home, James Earl’s uncle Randy had fallen
to the ground, dangerously sick. James Earl had been sent out into the storm to get help. 

Finally, he reached the local store and burst through the door.

“Call a doctor!” he wanted to shout to the store owner. But it felt like the words were stuck in his throat. 

James Earl had a speech disorder known as stuttering, which made it difficult for him to say words out loud. Worried that others would make fun of him, he rarely spoke at all.

Now, he had to break his silence. Uncle Randy’s life depended on it.

Fear and Worry

James Earl was born in 1931 in Mississippi. Life on his family’s farm was busy and happy. In 1936, his family moved to Michigan. For young James Earl, the move was full of fear and worry. Soon after he got to his new home, he began to stutter.

Stuttering is a speech disorder. It makes it hard to say words out loud. People who stutter often repeat or stretch out words—or become silent in the middle of a sentence. 

Sometimes stutters can be brought on by a very sad or scary experience. James Earl says this is what happened to him.

“I began to find it painfully difficult to talk,” he remembers. 

In his new town, other kids laughed at him. And so more and more, James Earl stayed silent.

Fear and Worry

James Earl was born in 1931 in Mississippi. He grew up on his family’s farm. Life there was busy and happy. In 1936, his family moved to Michigan. The move was hard for James Earl. He felt a lot of fear and worry. Soon after he got to his new home, he began to stutter.

Stuttering is a speech disorder. It makes it hard to say words out loud. People who stutter often repeat or stretch out words. Or they become silent in the middle of a sentence. 

Sometimes stutters can be brought on by a very sad or scary experience. James Earl says this is what happened to him. “I began to find it painfully difficult to talk,” he remembers. 

In his new town, other kids laughed at him. And so more and more, James Earl stayed silent.

Life on the Farm

Today, James Earl Jones is a world-famous actor. He is best known for his deep, booming voice. You might know him as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies, Mufasa in The Lion King, and many famous TV commercials. But when he was 6, James Earl stopped speaking almost completely. 

He was born in 1931 in a small Mississippi town, more than 600 miles south of Michigan. His dad had left the family before
he was born, and when James Earl was little, his mom moved away to find a job. So he was raised by his grandparents, John Henry and Maggie. 

Life on the family’s farm was busy and joyful. When he wasn’t helping his grandfather with chores, James Earl ran around playing with his young aunts and uncles, including Randy. They were so close to James Earl’s age that he saw them more as brothers and sisters. 

But John Henry and Maggie worried about their futures. In Mississippi and other Southern states back then, Black people couldn’t vote or work in many jobs. Black kids had to go to different schools from White kids. These schools were often run-down.

John Henry and Maggie wanted James Earl, Randy, and their other children to have a good education and a life of greater freedom.

Edmund Eckstein/Getty Images (Jones Recording); Photo 12/Alamy Stock Photo (The Lion King)

James Earl Jones recorded the voice for Mufasa in The Lion King.

The Words Flowed Out

James Earl spent the next eight years barely speaking. In high school, he loved to read and write poetry. One of his poems was so good that his teacher thought he had copied it. The teacher told him to say the poem out loud in front of the class to prove that he had written it. 

Shaking with fear, James Earl stood up. “And to my astonishment, the words flowed out smoothly,” he remembers. His classmates and teacher were amazed.

James Earl realized something that day: His stutter mostly went away when he said written words out loud. This helped him begin to talk again. It also led him to become an actor. 

The Words Flowed Out

James Earl spent the next eight years barely speaking. In high school, he loved to read and to write poetry. One of his poems was very good. His teacher thought he had copied it from someone else. The teacher wanted James Earl to prove that he had written it. So James Earl had to say it out loud.

James Earl stood up. He was shaking with fear. “And to my astonishment, the words flowed out smoothly,” he remembers. His classmates and teacher were amazed.

James Earl realized something that day. His stutter mostly went away when he said written words out loud. This helped him start to talk again. It also led him to become an actor. 

Fear and Uncertainity

In 1936, the family took a train up North to move to a new farm in Michigan. For young James Earl, the trip was full of fear and uncertainty. 

Where was Michigan? he wondered. Would he ever see his mom again? Soon after the family arrived at their new home, he began to stutter.

Scientists don’t fully understand the causes of stuttering. Most think that it has to do with small differences in the brain. The disorder tends to run in families. In rare cases, it can be brought on by a very sad or frightening experience. James Earl believes this is what happened to him.

“I began to find it painfully difficult to talk,” he remembers. Like many other people who stutter, James Earl would stretch out or repeat sounds. In his new town in Michigan, other kids laughed at him. And so little by little, James Earl stopped talking. 

But on that night in 1941, when he ran through the blizzard to save Randy, he knew he had to try. James Earl breathed deeply, forcing his hammering heart to slow down. At last, he was able to get the words out. The doctor was called, and Randy soon got better. 

Still, it would be years before James Earl broke out of his silence for good.

John Barrett/PHOTOlink/Newscom

James Earl Jones

Powerful Voice

James Earl worked to make his voice stronger. He studied acting in college and later performed in plays in New York City. Before long, James Earl began to appear in movies and TV shows. Then, in the 1970s, he recorded the voice for Darth Vader in Star Wars. James Earl’s voice made him famous across America.

Since then, James Earl’s voice has brought other beloved characters to life. Today, James Earl is 91 years old. He still has a stutter, but his acting coaches have helped him manage it.

James Earl has had to work harder than most actors. But he believes that’s what has helped make his voice so powerful. So the next time you hear Darth Vader’s voice, you’ll know his secret. That big voice came from years of hard work and determination.

Powerful Voice

James Earl worked to make his voice stronger. He studied acting. He later performed in plays in New York City. Before long, James Earl began to act in movies and TV shows. In the 1970s, he recorded the voice for Darth Vader in Star Wars. James Earl’s voice made him famous across America.

Since then, James Earl’s voice has brought other beloved characters to life. Today, James Earl is 91 years old. He still has a stutter. But his acting coaches have helped him manage it.

James Earl has had to work harder than most actors. But he believes that’s what has helped make his voice so powerful. So the next time you hear Darth Vader’s voice, you’ll know his secret. That big voice came from years of hard work.

Finding the Key

In Michigan, James Earl and his aunts and uncles got what John Henry and Maggie had wanted for them: a good education. In high school, James Earl was introduced to poetry and important books he loved. He was inspired to write poetry himself.

It turned out that he was a good writer—a little too good. Reading one of his poems, his English teacher accused him of copying it.

 “To prove you wrote it, get up in front of the class and say it by heart, out loud,” the teacher said.

Shaking with fear, James Earl stood up. “I strained to get the words out, pushing from the bottom of my soul,” he remembers. “And to my astonishment, the words flowed out smoothly, every one of them.” His classmates and teacher stared at him in amazement.

After eight years of silence, James Earl had made an incredible discovery: His stutter mostly disappeared when he said written words aloud. This turned out to be the key that unlocked his ability to talk. It also led him to become an actor.  


A Source of Strength


For the rest of high school, James Earl strengthened his voice. He joined speech competitions at his school and became a champion. He won a scholarship to the University of Michigan, where he studied drama. Soon, he was acting in plays in
New York City.

James Earl’s work onstage led to roles in movies and TV shows. Then, in the 1970s, he got a part in the movie that changed his life: Star Wars. As the voice behind the masked villain Darth Vader, he didn’t even appear onscreen. But his deep, rich voice made him a star across America. For more than 40 years since then, he has voiced Darth Vader in Star Wars movies, shows, and video games. And his beloved voice has brought many other famous characters to life.  

Now 91 years old, James Earl Jones still has a stutter. But years of training with acting coaches has helped him manage it. Because of his challenges with speaking, he has had to work harder than most actors. But he believes that’s what has helped make his voice so powerful.  

So the next time you hear Darth Vader’s voice, you’ll know his secret: Behind that mighty growl is a brave boy fighting to
be heard.


Finding Her Voice 

How one girl learned to accept her stutter—and speak out for herself.

Mikiodo, courtesy of SAY

Olivia performing onstage at SAY.

Olivia Simmons stood in the middle of a stage. The 11-year-old took a deep breath. Then she began to speak. 

Every few words, she repeated the sound of a letter or paused for a few seconds. But she kept going. When Olivia finished speaking, the audience started cheering. She couldn’t believe her ears.

Olivia has a stutter. Just a few months before, she would have been too nervous to talk to a stranger. She would never have performed in front of 60 of them! But now, it seemed like everything would be different.

Olivia Simmons stood in the middle of a stage. The 11-year-old took a deep breath. Then she began to speak. 

Sometimes she repeated the sound of a letter or paused for a few seconds. But she kept going. Olivia finished speaking. The audience started cheering. She couldn’t believe her ears.

Olivia has a stutter. Just a few months before, she would have been too nervous to talk to a stranger. She would never have performed in front of 60 people! But now she could. Everything seemed like it would be different.

Olivia Simmons stood in the middle of a stage, a bright spotlight shining on her. The whole theater was silent, except for the thump thump thump of Olivia’s heart.

The 11-year-old took a deep breath and began reciting a story she wrote. Every few words, she repeated the sound of a letter or paused for a few seconds. Yet Olivia kept going.

When the story was over, the audience of 60 people started cheering. Olivia couldn’t believe her ears.

It was June 2019. Just a few months before, Olivia would have been too nervous to talk to a stranger, let alone perform in front of 60 of them. That’s because she has a stutter. The speech disorder has been a big challenge for her. 

But now, it seemed like everything would be different.

Courtesy of family

Olivia Today

A Big Change

Olivia’s stutter began when she was 6. She and her family don’t know why. But she continued to stutter as she grew up. 

“Sometimes I didn’t even talk in class,” Olivia remembers.

Then, three years ago, her life began to change. Olivia joined SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young. The group teaches kids who stutter how to sing, dance, and act. It helps kids build confidence. A few times a year, the kids perform onstage. Performing has changed Olivia.  

“I felt like I finally had a voice,”  Olivia says.

Today, Olivia is no longer afraid to tell people that she has a stutter. And she has some advice for you if you meet someone who stutters. “Just be patient and kind,” she says.

A Big Change

Olivia’s stutter began when she was 6. She and her family don’t know why. But she continued to stutter as she grew up. 

“Sometimes I didn’t even talk in class,” Olivia remembers.

Her life began to change three years ago. Olivia joined SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young. This group teaches kids who stutter how to sing, dance, and act. SAY helps kids build confidence. A few times a year, the kids perform onstage. Performing has changed Olivia.  

“I felt like I finally had a voice,” Olivia says.

Today, Olivia is no longer afraid to tell people that she has a stutter. And if you meet someone who stutters? Olivia has some advice for you. “Just be patient and kind,” she says.

Big Change

When she was a little girl, Olivia could speak just fine. Her stutter began when she was 6. She and her family have no idea why. 

As Olivia grew up, her stuttering continued. She tried to hide it by keeping to herself. Doing simple things like ordering at a restaurant often made her feel humiliated. 

“In class, I would be so anxious to say anything that I wouldn’t talk,” says Olivia, who’s now 13. “I felt like somebody would judge me from just hearing my voice.”

But Olivia’s life began to change three years ago, when she joined SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young. The group teaches kids who stutter how to sing, dance, and act. The goal is to build the kids’ confidence. 

A few times a year, the kids perform onstage. That time in 2019 was Olivia’s first time performing. Since then, she’s done it at least 10 other times. The experience has changed her. “It was empowering,” Olivia says. “I felt like I finally had a voice.” 

Being Herself

Going to SAY has helped Olivia embrace her stutter. She’s no longer afraid to tell people that she has the speech disorder. 

Plus, she’s met good friends. When she’s with them, Olivia feels like she can be herself, without fear of being judged. 

For all her other friends who don’t stutter, Olivia has some advice. “You just have to be patient and kind because you really don’t know what people who stutter are thinking about themselves.”

THINK AND WRITE

Write an imaginary conversation between James Earl Jones and Olivia Simmons about their experiences with stuttering. Include ways that dealing with their challenges changed them. 

THINK AND WRITE

Write an imaginary conversation between James Earl Jones and Olivia Simmons about their experiences with stuttering. Include ways that dealing with their challenges changed them. 

THINK AND WRITE

Write an imaginary conversation between James Earl Jones and Olivia Simmons about their experiences with stuttering. Include ways that dealing with their challenges changed them. 

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Can't-Miss Teaching Extras

For another inspiring story about a young person who copes with stuttering, check out “Talen’s Got Talent” from our October/November 2018 issue.

Our captivating play Go! from March/April 2021 tells the story of Wilma Rudolph, who overcame polio and became a Gold Medalist at the Olympics. Ask students to compare the ways in which James Earl, Olivia, and Wilma all succeeded despite the obstacles they faced.

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read

2. Close Reading

3. SEL Focus

4. Skill Building and Writing

5. Differentiate and Customize

Striving Readers, Multilingual Learners, Advanced Readers

Special Note for Teachers: These articles should be handled with special sensitivity if you have a child in your class who stutters. We suggest sharing the articles with the student in advance, introducing them as inspiring stories about people who stutter. After the child has had a chance to read or listen to the pieces, ask how they feel about them and whether they would be comfortable having the class read and discuss them. 

1. Preparing to Read

Set a Purpose for Reading/Preview Text Features/Build Background Knowledge (10 minutes)  

  • Instruct students to study the title, subtitle, and illustration on pages 16-17. Ask them to describe the illustration and predict what the story will be about. 

  • Call on volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 17 and the Think and Write box on page 19.

Introduce Vocabulary (15 minutes)

  • Use the Vocabulary Slideshow to preview challenging words. Assign the Vocabulary Skill Builder before or after reading.

2. Close Reading

Reading and Unpacking the Text

  • Read the story as a class or have students follow along as they listen to the Read-Aloud. 

  • Project or assign the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions. (Alternatively, use all or part of the Learning Journey Slide Deck.)

Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)

  • Read the first section of “Becoming Darth Vader.” Explain what the author means when she says “James Earl had almost no voice for many years.” (interpreting text) She means that James Earl mostly stopped speaking when he was 6 years old.
  • Read “Fear and Worry.” How does stuttering affect the way people talk? (key idea) Stuttering makes it hard to say words out loud. People who stutter repeat or stretch out words. Or they might become silent in the middle of a sentence.
  • Why did James Earl start to stutter after he moved to a new town? (cause and effect) Sometimes a very sad or scary experience can bring on stuttering. Moving made James Earl feel fearful and worried, and he started to stutter.
  • Read “The Words Flowed Out.” What did James Earl realize when he said his poem out loud in class? How did this change his life? (key idea) James Earl realized that when he said written words out loud, his stutter mostly went away. This changed his life because it helped him begin to talk again. It also led him to become an actor.
  • Read “A Powerful Voice.” What is the secret behind James Earl’s strong voice? (main idea) The secret behind James Earl’s strong voice is years of hard work and determination.
  • Read “Finding Her Voice.” What is SAY? What does it do? (key details) SAY stands for The Stuttering Association for the Young. SAY helps kids build their confidence. The group teaches kids who stutter how to sing, dance, and act. Kids in SAY perform onstage several times a year. 
  • How did joining SAY change Olivia’s life? (main idea) After joining SAY, Olivia performed on stage for the first time. She used to be too nervous to talk to strangers. Performing changed her and made her feel that she finally had a voice.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  • How are the experiences of James Earl and Olivia similar? How are they different? (compare and contrast) Both James Earl and Olivia stuttered from an early age. James Earl believes his stuttering started because of fear and worry when his family moved to a new town. Olivia and her family don’t know why she began to stutter. James Earl barely spoke for eight years. Sometimes, Olivia didn’t talk in class. Performing enabled James Earl and Olivia to manage their stuttering and succeed. James Earl became a world-famous actor in plays and movies. Olivia joined SAY, a group that helps kids build confidence by teaching them how to sing, act, and dance. Today, Olivia is no longer afraid to tell people that she stutters. Both James Earl and Olivia faced an obstacle in their lives when they were kids and overcame it through determination and hard work.
  • If you could interview James Earl and Olivia, what are two questions you would ask each of them? (connecting to the text) Answers may vary.

3. SEL Focus

Facing Challenges

Talk with students about how James Earl Jones and Olivia Simmons overcame challenges they faced as people who stutter. Ask: Why is it important to face challenges in life? How can facing a challenge help a person become stronger?

4. Skill Building and Writing

Featured Skill: Synthesizing

  • Distribute or digitally assign the Synthesizing Skill Builder.  

  • Ask students to write a response to the prompt in the Think and Write box on
    page 19.

Differentiate and Customize
For Striving Readers

Have students read the lower-Lexile version of the articles. As they read, students should look for and highlight the ways in which James Earl and Olivia both overcame a big challenge. After, work with students to complete the Synthesizing Skill Builder as a group. Tip: When students read the articles online in Presentation View, they can use the highlighter tool to mark the text.

For Multilingual Learners

Point out to students that the title of the second article, “Finding Her Voice,” is based on the common idiom “to find your voice,” meaning to be able to express yourself. After reading the lower-Lexile version of the articles, work together to summarize how the individuals in the two articles found their voices.

For Advanced Readers

Have students choose one of the individuals in the “Famous People Who Stutter” slideshow. Invite them to do some independent research to share with the class. The final project can be an informational paragraph, an imaginary Q&A, a poem, or something else.

Text-to-Speech