Changes in Teachers’ Speech during a Working Day with and without Electric Sound Amplification

Abstract

An increase in fundamental frequency (F₀) and in sound pressure level (SPL) has been reported both after vocal loading tests and after a teacher’s working day. This increase has been found to be greater among teachers with fewer voice complaints. The present study investigated speech changes during a teacher’s working day (a) in ordinary conditions and (b) when using electric sound amplification while teaching. Five Icelandic teachers (mean age 51 years) volunteered as subjects. Classroom speech was recorded with a portable DAT recorder and a head-mounted microphone first in ordinary conditions, and the next week while using electrical sound amplification. Recordings were made during the first and the last lesson of the hardest working day of the week. F₀ and SPL were analyzed. The subjects’ comments were gathered by questionnaire. An increase in F₀ and SPL was found during the working day in both teaching conditions but the change was larger and for F₀ statistically significant when amplification was used. All 5 teachers reported less tiredness of the vocal mechanism when using amplification. The results support the suggestion that a vocal loading-related increase in F₀ and SPL is not merely a sign of vocal fatigue but may even reflect an adequate adaptation to loading. Situational factors cannot be ignored, however.

Teachers' Voice Use in Teaching Environments: A Field Study Using Ambulatory Phonation Monitor

“…An increase in fundamental frequency has been interpreted as a healthy reaction to voice load in other studies. Laukkanen et al 15 , and Jonsdottír et al 16 showed the F0-rise rise to be more evident after voice amplification, unburdening the voice. Rantala and Vilkman 9 found F0 changes to be significant in a group of teachers with few complaints of voice problems but not in the compared group with many complaints.…”

“…Laukkanen et al 15 described the rise of F0 as a result of an increase in muscular activity, most likely an adaptation to vocal loading during a day at work. In addition, they described that the voice changes during vocal loading include an increase of the SPL and a decrease of jitter and shimmer.. Also Jónsdóttir et al 16 suggests that an F0 increase is a healthy reaction to voice load that promotes effective voice function. However, there seems to be a deviant pattern of the increase of F0 in individuals with voice problems.…”

“…However, there seems to be a deviant pattern of the increase of F0 in individuals with voice problems. Rantala et al 10 studied teachers' vocal behavior during a workday, and found a tendency for teachers with many voice complaints to show a smaller increase of their F0 level than their colleagues with fewer complaints, and Jonsdottír et al 16 found a smaller F0 and SPL increase in teachers with voice complaints when they did not use voice amplification compared to when they did.…”

Objective Measurement of Vocal Fatigue in Classical Singers: A Vocal Dosimetry Pilot Study

“…Also, as a general rule, it should be noted that females experience a higher raw cycle dose due to their higher natural F 0 . 1,[4][5] It is possible that female vocal fold tissue structure is somewhat adapted for these higher vibration doses. 2 Anecdotally, some singers report returning to their subjective baseline quickly from episodes of vocal fatigue while others do not.…”

An overview of occupational voice disorders in Poland

“…Another important issue in the pathogenesis of occupational dysphonia in this professional group is the use of incorrect techniques of voice production causing improper compensation of heavy vocal loading [9]. Furthermore, classroom environment with improper acoustic and reverberation parameters may increase vocal effort of the speaker [10,11]. Also, a poor microclimate comprising dust or even organic pollution, poor humidity, and exposure to fluctuations of temperature may affect the condition of the larynx mucosa in professional speakers and thus enhance voice problems [12,13].…”