VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Valdís Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir Akureyri, Iceland BENEFITS OF TEACHING VOICE AMPLIFICATION AS RELATED TO SUBJECTIVE LARYNGEAL SYMPTOMS IN TEACHERS, AND TO THE LISTENING CONDITIONS FOR STUDENTS

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Background Poor acoustics, high background noise, too great a distance between learners and teachers are known risk factors for the teachers voices and students’ ability to hear the teachers.

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Risk Factors For Teachers’ Voices Physiological: Prolonged voice use (e.g. Lauri et al, 1997, Stemple et al 1995) Majority of teachers are women. Female voices may be more vulnerable to vocal loading as their vocal mechanism is smaller and of weaker structure (Vilkman, 2000, Fritzell, 1996). Psychological: Teachers find teaching stressful (e.g.Kyriacou and Sutcliffe, 1978; Sapir et al., 1993) Environmental: Background noise, too high reverberation, distance (e.g., Ko, 1979; Markides, 1986; Pekkarinen and Viljanen, 1990; Vilkman, 1996)

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Risk Factors For Children’s Hearing Physiological, psychological or social: Hearing problems Underdeveloped hearing ability Language disorders Development disabilities Learning disabilities Bilingual Environmental Background noise, reverberation, distance

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Amplification in Classrooms Research have indicated: Teachers: Evaluations by teachers indicate that amplification reduces vocal strain and voice fatigue (Sarff, 1981; Gilman and Danzer, 1989; Rosenberg et al., 1994) Students: Sound field amplification improves student’s speech recognition, academic achievement, learning behavior, ability to receive instruction and improves the classroom behavior of young children (Sarff, 1981; Gilman Danzer, 1989; Palmer, 1998; Allen and Patton, 1990)

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Aims of the Study Investigate the effects of amplification on the vocal parameter of teacher’s voices in the classroom Collect data on students and teachers opinion on amplification Reveal other benefits and/or disadvantages of the usage of amplification in classrooms

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Amplification in Classroom Shure cordless amplification equipment (A WL 184 lapel condenser microphone, ETGS transmitter & receiver) Portable amplifier (Anchor AN100 or Trace Elliott 30 Watt) Amplification level chosen by teachers

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Subjects 33 Icelandic teachers (26 females and 7 males; mean age 45 (27 – 64) years; teaching experience mean 16 (1 – 32) years: class hours mean 23 (6 – 38) lessons (basic school, junior college, university) 791 students (446 females and 345 males; age 6 - < 20).

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Methods Teachers used amplification in class for at least a week. Three questionnaires were used at the end of the research period. Teachers 27 multiple-choice questions to elicit background information, stressfulness of the teaching, sick leaves because of voice failure, concern about learners ability to hear them. 12 multiple-choice questions to obtain opinions on effects of amplification on voice and attention of pupils. Free comments on disadvantages of using amplification.

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Methods Students Age 10 years and older, n= multiple-choice questions to obtain their opinions on effects of amplification. Free comments on advantages and disadvantaged of using amplification. Age 6 – 9 years, n=127 (were individually asked 2 questions) Did you like it when the teacher used an amplification system? Why?

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Results Results from the Teachers’ questionnaire

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Background information of the teachers (n=33) %

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Self reported vocal symptoms of 33 teachers

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Miscellaneous data

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Teachers comments on amplification Yes % No % Advantages for the teacher91 You produce your voice differently97 Easier to speak97 You talk more1282 Necessary to repeat yourself when using amplification 988 Necessary to repeat yourself when not using amplification 8215

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Teachers comments on amplification Yes % No % Less classroom chatter6427 Students pay more attention933

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Free Comments from Teachers Free comments from teachers (n=33) on disadvantages using amplification One third reported they lacked technical skill in installing or using the equipment One fifth reported that the equipment was inconvenient (e.g. it was difficult to transport the equipment between classrooms or the microphones were inconvenient) One fifth reported that the disadvantages were none or very few One fourth did not reply

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Results Results from Students’ Questionnaire

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Advantages for Students Listening easier Easier to follow the lesson Easier to hear the teacher Easier to concentrate Less class chatter Lessons more interesting Fewer repetitions

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Student Comments on Amplification

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Students Comments on Amplification

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Students Comments on Amplification

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Students Comments on Amplification

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Comments from 6-9 yr old Children Over 95% commented that they liked the amplification, as they heard the teacher better Some of them commented as well that the teacher was not as angry

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Free Comments From Students Examples from students (n=528) Advantages when teachers used amplification Hear better 30% Hear better and % Better for teachers voice production12%

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Free Comments from Students Examples from students (n=528) Disadvantages when teachers used amplification No disadvantages22% Technical problems or lack of technical skill in the teachers37% Did not answer 9% Gives headache or make ears ache 5% Teacher forgets to switch off when talking to an individual student 4%

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Discussion Majority of teachers and students reacted positively to the use of amplification in teacher’s classroom speech. However for consideration: Subjects are too few to draw any conclusions All teachers participated voluntarily in the research Same questionnaire was used for all students from the age of 10 to over 20 years Possibility that the authors’ positive expectations may have been reflected in the questions

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Main Advantages Benefits reported by teachers and pupils in this study are much in line with results from other studies (Sarff, 1981; Berg et al., 1989; Gilman and Danzer, 1989; Allen and Patton, 1990; Rosenberg, et al., 1994; Palmer, 1998; Flexer, Millin and Brown, 1990; Lehman and Gratiot, 1983) For teachers: reduced voice fatigue, less need for repetition, improved student attention, improved behavior, fewer distractions, diminished discipline problems For students: easier to hear the teacher, improved attention, class noise diminished, teacher heard without the need for straining.

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Main Disadvantages Teachers and students agreed that the main disadvantage related to amplification stemmed from: Technical problems The teacher’s lack of knowledge about the proper use of the equipment. Teachers and students cited: Too much amplification Acoustic feedback Problems experienced in setting up the equipment

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Research Results Point To The amplification system needs to be simple in use Appropriate number and position of loudspeakers The microphones have to be comfortable for the teacher The classroom has to have good acoustics. Too high reverberation time will cause amplification to become uncomfortable Teachers has to be given proper training in how to use it A person in the school with adequate expertise available in the school district to install and maintain the equipment This is much in line what Flexer et al (1995) emphasized

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Conclusions Teachers and the pupils agreed that use of an amplification system in the classroom is “voice-ergonomic” i.e. the teachers voice is protected; and at the same time the learners can hear the teacher’s voice more clearly

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 For consideration Limitation of voice to carry. According to ISO since 1996 at the distance of 1 meter the maximum A -weighted sound level (dB (A)) is 90 dB. Inverse square law. Causing the sound level in the voice to decrease by distance Lombard effect. Causing the teacher to strain his/her voice by increasing SPL

VALDÍS JÓNSDÓTTIRVANCOUVER, MAY 2005 Thank You For Listening