From New Currents 2.5 November 1995

Voice care suggestions for faculty

Introduction by Donald Bell,
Department of Music

In September, a series of talks under the title Voice Care Clinic was provided for campus members at The University of Calgary. This series was sponsored by the Teaching Development Office through the Royal Bank Teaching Development Fund. An Internet survey had confirmed that many of the U of C's teaching and support staff suffered from vocal complaints. Sessions were held by the U of C's Dr. Marcia Epstein, Dr. Betty Donaldson, and professor Donald Bell, and by two guests from the medical area, Dr. Linda Rammage of the B.C. Voice Care Clinic and Dr. J. Douglas Bosch from the Rockyview Hospital. The following article includes some of the information provided by Dr. Donaldson in her session with Dr. Epstein entitled Caring for your Voice.

By Dr. E.L. Donaldson, Faculty of Education

University faculty who have prepared extensively for the classroom through years of research and study may be quite unprepared for some of the challenges when communicating this expertise to students. One area often ignored is the classroom voice. While education is not a performance art, nor is the classroom a public platform, many of the skills involved are similar to other professional voice users. Here are some suggestions that might assist university educators to communicate better when teaching. An understanding of communication, that is, the sending and receiving of messages, can be improved when attention is directed toward the environment, the physical voice, and the student audience.

The environment

With respect to the environment, it is wise to assess the strengths and drawbacks of lecture halls or classrooms when planning material. Rooms that are noisy, with poor temperature controls, or that are long and narrow may have an impact on presentations. These characteristics make a difference with respect to how much lecturer effort is expended, how well students listen, and what classroom management strategies might be effectively employed.

All classes have natural cycles, such as an introductory phase (when student attention needs to be focused), a middle session (when student learning is probably greatest, or least), and a conclusion (when student attention is drifting to the next set of tasks.) Structure the presentation accordingly.

Be kind to your voice

Most professors don't do physical warm-ups of any type before commencing lectures that may last more than an hour. Be warned: unless the vocal apparatus is prepared, over the years, pathology may develop. An assessment of general physical health, specific vocal needs, and energy levels during the term could help you to develop a specific regime. For example, using a water bottle reduces dryness in the throat and voice strain. Nonverbal strategies, such as pauses or student problem-solving exercises, provide opportunities for periodic vocal naps and help vary pacing. It may be necessary to rest the voice before class; therefore, avoid scheduling office hours preceding it.

Understanding student perceptions

An understanding of student perceptions based upon background demographics, interest in the subject area, and expectations of how the content might be interesting or useful is worthwhile knowledge. A professor educated in a cultural milieu different from the Canadian may face barriers, some of which may be overcome. For example, styles of humour vary; Canadian students may chuckle silently, whereas students elsewhere might laugh aloud. In such a first and second generation, multi-cultural, immigrant society, the probability that students have a restricted oral and written vocabulary is high. Therefore, students' ability to listen and to understand new words or jargon may be more limited than their talents for conceptualizing. In this situation, questioning strategies are invaluable learning tools because the interaction in itself teaches so much. Students have paid for tuition, so they are not disinterested in the class; but, they may be uninterested in the situation.

Furthermore, at a commuter university, for many students, approaching a professor just before or just after class is the maximum contact they have with the academy. Indeed, the classroom represents the university experience for most commuter students. What students learn there is all they know of the post-secondary environment and the opportunities it presents to live a more fulfilling life. Therefore, the voice of the professor makes an eloquent statement, and it is important to care for that voice.

To obtain the handout from which these comments were excerpted, contact Dr. Donaldson by e-mail: edonalds@acs.ucalgary.ca or phone: 220-5695.

A useful resource might be Caring for your Voice (Teachers and Coaches), E.L.Donaldson, ed., Calgary: Detselig Enterprises Limited, 1995 ($17 at the campus bookstore.) While not directed specifically to a post-secondary audience, it addresses educator voice problems.