Kate's Voice

Even at the beginning of a new school year, many teachers feel the wear and tear on their voices that will only get worse as the year progresses.  According to research findings in both the UK and the US, teachers are in the profession at highest risk for developing voice problems. A study in the Journal of Voice showed that children’s comprehension was negatively effected by a teacher’s dysphonic voice.  So, isn’t it time we seriously addressed this issue?

The University of Iowa Reports:

1. Teachers are 5 times more likely than non-teachers to miss work due to vocal problems
2. More than 10% of teachers today say thy are currently experiencing voice problems
3. Teachers are 32 times more likely than people in other professions to develop voice problems

However, it has also been found that with the right information, 75% of teachers with vocal problems can initiate solutions on their own.  In addition, teachers whose early training included advice on care of their voice appear to have fewer problems than those who did not have that advice.  Consequently,  The University of Iowa built a virtual academy to help teachers overcome the vocal problems inherent in their profession.  If you are interested, I encourage you to visit the online Voice Academy.  It’s pretty cool!

In addition to checking out that site, if you are a teacher, here are some things you can do to avoid or abate the vocal problems that seem to plague your profession:

1. Treat your voice with care and concern.  Set up your room so that people can hear you without your yelling.
2. Let the students do some of the talking by having them make presentations often that aid in your teaching and their studies.
3. Use a sound system in class to amplify your voice.
4. Raise the pitch of your voice to speak in median range…not too high and not too low.
5. Always have a bottle or glass of water handy and drink it often.
6. If your voice is  tired, rest it.