The issue of voice-related health problems affecting school teachers has become a widely discussed topic in recent years and for good reason. If you are a teacher, Head teacher, PGCE Programme Director or EBITT provider (for the Graduate Teacher Programme) or indeed any professional involved in the development of teaching as a profession you may well be aware of some or all of the following: | * | Teachers talk for around 60 per cent of their working day, yet while actors at drama school will train their voice every day a teacher at training college is likely to get no more than one morning's lecture on voice use; | | * | While teachers comprise only 2% of the working population they constitute 16% of hospital voice clinic patients diagnosed with voice disorders; | | * | 20% of teachers have had to take time off work because of voice problems, compared with a national average of only 4% in other professions; | | * | Every year, a small number of teachers are forced to leave the profession altogether due to irreparable damage to their vocal cords and voice loss is an increasingly common reason for teachers taking early retirement; | | * | As many as 50% to 80% of teachers experience or have experienced voice problems; | | * | The vulnerable include both newly qualified teachers who may have little or no voice awareness and those who have been teaching for 15 or 20 years who gradually find their voices wearing out; | | * | A recent UK study of 50 NQTs about to start work found that not one of them had a voice of "professional user standard" and half of the sample group lost their voice at some point during their first year in the classroom; | | * | Some reports suggest that the struggle to make oneself heard in noisy classroom environments can rebound on the professional and social life of the person concerned, affecting their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. |
As a result of these somewhat alarming findings many in the teaching community now recognise the potential value of prioritising voice development, vocal health and vocal care for teachers. However, the logistics and cost issues of implementing this vital shift in focus and fully incorporating voice training among the core professional skills that student teachers need to acquire during their training - irrespective of their subject specialism or their route to training - mean that the provision of voice coaching and voice training for teachers is by no means standardised across UK training bodies and in many cases is still not recognised as a priority. Gillian McAuley has been providing powerful and effective voice coaching for teachers and lecturers over many years. This includes working with private individual clients as well as providing small, intensive group sessions or larger voice workshops for teachers. As an expert in vocal health and voice development and a passionate exponent of the care of the human voice she has been able to transform the speaking skills and professional experience of teachers seeking to address a whole range of voice related issues that may be adversely affecting their performance and confidence in the classroom, including: | > | How to project the voice powerfully and effectively - without shouting - and greatly increase vocal stamina for long periods of speaking; | | > | How to take good care of the voice and avoid voice-loss, voice damage, vocal strain and fatigue; | | > | How to use your voice to convey appropriate authority and to command and hold your pupils' attention; | | > | How to develop positive vocal energy, clarity and variety of expression to achieve a dynamic, pleasing, engaging voice that will capture your pupils' imaginations and gain and retain their interest; | | > | How to identify and eradicate any distracting vocal habits, repetitive or monotonous inflection patterns or excessive use of "filler" words or phrases that will detract from your message; | | > | Recognising that those teachers who are constantly identified in observation / appraisal as "excellent teachers" are most likely to be those who make effective use of their voice - their most versatile and valuable educational tool. |
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Gillian can offer voice coaching for teachers in a number of formats. She welcomes all enquiries from individuals seeking help on a one-to-one basis. She can also provide voice training as part of PGCE programmes or directly to schools, for example as an optional or prescribed component of an INSET day. Although Gillian advocates this type of vocal training and development ideally be conducted in small to medium sized groups or one-to-one voice sessions she recognises that this is not always compatible with the training requirements, time or cost constraints of many schools and teacher training bodies. She is highly adept at focussing on / carefully addressing the often very disparate needs and concerns of each individual in a group, even when conducting training for larger numbers. As Gillian's level of aftercare is extremely high for all her clients she would in these cases make a point of offering and indeed recommending cost effective follow up and support solutions and will happily advise on which individuals would most benefit from further training or support. |
If you are a teacher, head teacher or training provider and would like to discuss your voice coaching requirements please contact Gillian McAuley to request further information. |
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