Voice Amplification as a Means of Reducing Vocal Load for Elementary Music Teachers

Morrow, Sharon L.; Connor, Nadine P.

doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2010.04.003

Cited by 48 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…In a study by Gaskill et al [16], two teachers wore a portable amplifier for two weeks: each teacher showed a reduction in vocal intensity during the week of amplification, with a larger effect for the teacher with vocal difficulties. After providing the same instrument to seven elementary music teachers, Morrow and Connor [17] demonstrated that, with the amplifier, mean vocal intensity was reduced by 7.0 dB SPL (p < 0.001). Cycle dose and distance dose also decreased significantly (p = 0.001), while mean IJOMEH 2013;26(3) 366 The teachers of the first group (P) were asked to use a portable vocal amplifier for 3 months, until the end of the school year.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Voice amplification for primary school teachers with voice disorders: A randomized clinical trial

Bovo¹,

Trevisi²,

Emanuelli³

2013

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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Objectives: Several studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of voice disorders in teachers, together with the personal, professional and economical consequences of the problem. Good primary prevention should be based on 3 aspects: 1) amelioration of classroom acoustics, 2) voice care programs for future professional voice users, including teachers and 3) classroom or portable amplification systems. The aim of the study was to assess the benefit obtained from the use of portable amplification systems by female primary school teachers in their occupational setting. Materials and Methods: Forty female primary school teachers attended a course about professional voice care, which comprised two theoretical lectures, each 60 min long. Thereafter, they were randomized into 2 groups: the teachers of the first group were asked to use a portable vocal amplifier for 3 months, till the end of school-year. The other 20 teachers were part of the control group, matched for age and years of employment. All subjects had a grade 1 of dysphonia with no significant organic lesion of the vocal folds. Results: Most teachers of the experimental group used the amplifier consistently for the whole duration of the experiment and found it very useful in reducing the symptoms of vocal fatigue. In fact, after 3 months, Voice Handicap Index (VHI) scores in "course + amplifier" group demonstrated a significant amelioration (p = 0.003). The perceptual grade of dysphonia also improved significantly (p = 0.0005). The same parameters changed favourably also in the "course only" group, but the results were not statistically significant (p = 0.4 for VHI and p = 0.03 for perceptual grade). Conclusions: In teachers, and particularly in those with a constitutional weak voice and/or those who are prone to vocal fold pathology, vocal amplifiers may be an effective and low-cost intervention to decrease potentially damaging vocal loads and may represent a necessary form of prevention.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Voice amplification for primary school teachers with voice disorders: A randomized clinical trial

Bovo¹,

Trevisi²,

Emanuelli³

2013

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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“…Extended vocal loading is assumed to be one cause of the higher prevalence of voice disorders in teachers than the general population (Roy, Merrill, Thibeault, Gray, & Smith, 2004;Smith, Gray, Dove, Kirchner, & Heras, 1997;Villanueva-Reyes, 2011). An increasing number of publications have investigated teachers' voice use in terms of F0, SPL and phonation time (Bottalico & Astolfi, 2012;Gaskill, O'Brien, & Tinter, 2012;Hunter & Titze, 2010;Lindstrom, Waye, Sodersten, McAllister, & Ternström, 2011;Morrow & Connor, 2011a, 2011bSodersten, Granqvist, Hammarberg, & Szabo, 2002;Titze, Hunter, & Svec, 2007). An overall picture exists of teachers' voice demands in general, but few studies have compared specific groups of teachers to determine whether some are more at risk than others.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Vocal Loading Parameters in Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers

Remacle

Morsomme

Finck

2014

J Speech Lang Hear Res

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Purpose: Although a global picture exists of teachers' voice demands in general, few studies have compared specific groups of teachers to determine whether some are more at risk than others. This study compared vocal loading of kindergarten and elementary school teachers; professional and non-professional vocal load was determined for both groups.Method: Twelve kindergarten and twenty elementary school female teachers without voice problems were monitored during one workweek using the Ambulatory Phonation Monitor.Vocal loading parameters analyzed were F0, SPL, time dose, distance dose and cycle dose.Results: Comparisons between the groups showed significantly higher cycle dose and distance dose for kindergarten teachers than for elementary school teachers, in both professional and non-professional environments. Professional and non-professional voice use comparisons showed significant differences for all parameters, indicating that vocal load was higher in the professional environment for both groups.Conclusions: The higher vocal doses measured in kindergarten teachers suggest that particular attention should be paid to this specific group of teachers. Although nonprofessional vocal load is lower than professional vocal load, it is important to take both into account because of their cumulative effects.

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“…Furthermore, a related study claims that vocal pathologies are connected to having labored as teacher for more than seven years (28) . It was not possible to establish a direct connection between the fact of teaching Music or Physical Education and the presence of dysphonia, although the teachers of these areas are four times more likely to acquire voice disruptions than others (29,30) . It is important to clarify that the assessed teachers in this study do not teach these areas full time, but they are an addition to their statutory workload.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Analysis of teacher working environment: factors that influence the voice

Cediel

Neira

2014

Audiol., Commun. Res.

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Voice Amplification as a Means of Reducing Vocal Load for Elementary Music Teachers

Cited by 48 publications

References 27 publications

Voice amplification for primary school teachers with voice disorders: A randomized clinical trial

Voice amplification for primary school teachers with voice disorders: A randomized clinical trial

Comparison of Vocal Loading Parameters in Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers

Analysis of teacher working environment: factors that influence the voice

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