Preservice Music Teacher Voice Use,Vocal Health,and Voice Function Before and During Student Teaching

Participants

Participants were a convenience sample of four undergraduate music education majors (one female, three male) from a major southern university who volunteered to participate. All participants’ principal instrument was voice, and all were student teaching in choral/vocal music at the junior high and high school levels. Two instrumental student teachers were invited to participate but chose not to take part in the study due to time constraints. At the time of this study there were a total of 75 undergraduate music education majors with 12 student teachers (5 vocal, 5 instrumental, and 2 elementary) in this particular university music education program. Student teachers were not allowed to take outside coursework during their 16-week student teaching practicum except for private lessons. Membership in university-affiliated ensembles as well as employment outside of student teaching were also prohibited. Students were often a part of a church choir, an activity not prohibited by the university during student teaching.

Participant 1 was a 22-year-old male undergraduate music education major. During his student teaching, he taught choir to students in grades 6, 7, and 8 for 30 hours per week. The room this participant taught in was 17 feet by 35 feet with 12-foot high ceilings covered in acoustic tile. Walls were cement block with no acoustic treatment, and floor covering was carpet.

Participant 2 was a 21-year-old female undergraduate music education student who participated in church choir concurrent with student teaching. During her student teaching, she taught choir to students in grades 5 to 12 for approximately 30 hours per week. The room she taught in was 40 feet by 62 feet. The ceiling was 25 feet in height and covered in acoustic tile. Walls were cement block with several acoustic tiles spaced evenly around the room. Floor covering was a combination of tile and carpet.

Participant 3 was a 22-year-old male undergraduate student with performance experience in music theatre. During his student teaching, he taught choir and study skills to students in grades 6, 7, and 8 for approximately 25.50 hours per week. The room he taught in was 30 feet by 35 feet. The vaulted ceiling was 20 feet in height and covered in stucco. Walls were plaster with no acoustic treatment. Floor covering was laminate tile.

Participant 4 was a 21-year-old male undergraduate student. During his student teaching, he taught choir to grades 9 to 12 and music theory for grades 10 to 12 for approximately 29.50 hours per week. The room he taught in was 42 feet by 53 feet with 20-foot plaster ceilings. Walls were plaster with acoustic treatment, and floor covering was carpet.

Measures

Participants completed a researcher-constructed questionnaire 2 weeks prior to student teaching. I created the questionnaire based on previous research in teacher voice use (Daugherty et al., 2009; Simberg et al., 2000; Simberg et al., 2004). The questionnaire was first piloted with two undergraduate students to assess clarity and consistency of text and response. The final included items addressed vocal activity (speaking, solo singing [including vocal modeling during teaching], ensemble singing, voice lessons), perceived changes in voice function (breath and phonation), and other factors that may influence voice function. The same questionnaire form was used prior to the study and each week thereafter. I instructed participants to complete the questionnaire responses on a daily basis to ensure greater accuracy of perceptions. Participants were encouraged to keep the questionnaire with them throughout the day and complete it more frequently as time allowed. I collected the completed questionnaire responses from the student teachers every 2 weeks for analysis.

A licensed speech pathologist performed stroboscopic laryngeal examinations. Examinations were done three times for each participant: (a) 2 weeks prior to student teaching, (b) 2 weeks into student teaching, and (c) 2 weeks prior to the completion of student teaching (10 weeks into student teaching). An exit interview about vocal health was given to the students after completing student teaching. Vocal health and possible problems prior to and during student teaching were assessed. All participants were found to have normal examinations before and during student teaching. A stroboscopic exam following student teaching had been planned but because of broken equipment this exam could not take place.

In conjunction with stroboscopic exams, I recorded study participants performing vocal exercises outside student teaching hours. A CSL (Computerized Speech Laboratory, Model 4150, Kay Pentax) was connected to a freestanding microphone and PC desktop. The CSL program Real-time pitch was used to gather acoustic data. Vocal tasks included sustained vowels and octave arpeggios. First, participants performed a sustained vowel (/a/) on four pitches (B-flat, C, F, and high F) twice. This was followed by arpeggios on the same pitches following a 1–3–5–8–5–3–1 pattern for each arpeggio. These vocalizes are typical voice lesson tasks and were therefore employed in this study to assess participant vocal health. I gathered frequency data from the results feature in Real-time pitch and loaded data into an Excel spreadsheet for subsequent analysis. I then converted pitch data (measured in Hertz) to cents (nonlogarithmic scale) to enable comparison of pitch measurements. Deviation in cents from fundamental frequency (F_o) was used for statistical analysis. Changes in the participants’ fundamental frequency over time (more deviation from the target F_o) was used as a possible indicator of vocal health issues.

Questionnaire Results

Before and throughout student teaching, participants completed weekly questionnaires of voice time use and provided details, as appropriate, concerning vocal health and contributing factors. All participants reported normal breath function but abnormal voice function as student teaching progressed. These self-reported voice function issues included increased effort in extended range (falsetto register for male participants) and overall vocal fatigue. Self-reported influences on voice function included lack of sleep, allergies, illness, and repetitive need for modeling of singing outside a comfortable range.

Participant 1 reported that speaking time increased from approximately M = 14 hours per week (prestudent teaching) to M = 34 hours per week of speaking during student teaching. Measures of solo singing and ensemble singing (M = 5–10 hours per week) also increased in time during student teaching while voice lesson (M = 1–0 hours per week) time decreased (see Figure S1 in the online version of the article). Participant 1 noted that before and during student teaching, his breath felt normal. Voice function, however, was perceived as abnormal for Participant 1 as student teaching proceeded. Difficulty with onset, increased effort in his falsetto register, and overall vocal fatigue were issues at 2 and 10 weeks. Participant 1 cited lack of sleep and repetitive vocal modeling outside of his comfortable range as factors that affected the ease of vocal production.

Participant 2 also noted changes in voice function during student teaching but attributed these differences to other activities. She reported on her questionnaire that speaking time increased from approximately M = 10 hours per week (prestudent teaching) to M = 40 hours of speaking per week during student teaching (see Figure S2 in the online version of the article). Amount of solo singing decreased during student teaching (M = 14–10 hours per week), while voice lesson time remained the same (M = 1 hour per week), and ensemble singing time increased (M = 9–12 hours per week). Participant 2 explained that she was no longer singing with a university-affiliated choir during student teaching but had joined a church choir.

Participant 3 also joined a church choir during student teaching while no longer singing in a university-affiliated choir. He also reported that speaking time increased from approximately M = 17 hours per week (prestudent teaching) to M = 42 hours of speaking during student teaching. Solo (M = 15–17 hours per week) and ensemble singing time (M = 10–13 hours per week) increased during student teaching (see Figure S3 in the online version of the article) while voice lesson time remained the same (M = 1 hour per week) for Participant 3.

Participant 4 also reported an increase in speaking time during student teaching. He indicated that speaking time went from approximately M = 21 (prestudent teaching) to M = 50 hours per week during student teaching. Measures of solo singing increased in time during student teaching (M = 6–9 hours; see Figure S4 in the online version of the article) while voice lesson time decreased. Measures of ensemble singing decreased in time during student teaching (M = 7–5 hours) as he was no longer a member of a school-related ensemble.

Acoustic Results

Acoustic measures of voice function were taken 2 weeks prior to student teaching, 2 weeks into student teaching, and 2 weeks prior to the end of student teaching (10 weeks into student teaching). Prior to student teaching, Participant 1 was, on average, 5 cents below the target pitch while 2 weeks into student teaching, he tended to be above the pitch overall (M = 6 cents above target F_o) on measures of mean cents deviation from target F_o on a sustained vowel (/a/). Ten weeks into student teaching, his pitch showed similar tendencies (M = 4 cents from target F_o; see Table 1). On measures of top note of an arpeggio (octaves in B-flat, C, and F), Participant 1 was audibly out of tune before student teaching (M = −7 cents from target F_o). However, 2 weeks into student teaching (M = 5 cents above target F_o) and 10 weeks of student teaching, Participant 1 was audibly in tune (M = −5 cents from target F_o). Despite an overall increase in speaking and singing time, Participant 1 maintained in tune singing throughout student teaching.

OPEN IN VIEWER

Table 1.

Mean Cents Deviation From Target F_o for Each Participant.

Participant	Prestudent teaching	2 Weeks	10 Weeks
Vowel participant
1	−5.12	6.39	4.42
2	−6.03	6.07	3.12
3	−3.35	−7.22*	−5.08
4	2.41	−5.15	−4.17
Arpeggio participant
1	−7.26*	5.38	−5.16
2	5.41	3.10	−6.25
3	−10.27*	−4.03	8.07 a
4	−3.29	−2.36	−9.48 a

a

Denotes measurements audibly out of tune (±7 cents)

Overall, Participant 2 also indicated an increase in speaking time. On acoustic measures of pitch Participant 2 was, on average, audibly in tune throughout the investigation. She was below the target pitch (M = −6 cents from target F_o) prior to student teaching while 2 weeks into student teaching, she tended to be above the pitch overall (M = 6 cents above target F_o). Although this measurement changed, Participant 2 was audibly in tune (within 7 cents of the target F_o) on both occasions. Ten weeks into student teaching, her pitch showed similar tendencies to before beginning student teaching (M = −3 cents from target F_o). Acoustic measures of the top note of the arpeggio (octaves in B-flat, C, and F) indicated Participant 2 was in tune before student teaching (M = 5 cents above target F_o) and 2 weeks into student teaching (M = 3 cents above target F_o; see Table 1). However, after 10 weeks of student teaching, Participant 2 was below the target (M = −6 cents from target F_o) yet still audibly in tune.

Although Participant 3 was more in tune shortly after student teaching began, further into student teaching time he was more out of tune. Prior to student teaching, Participant 3 was, on average, below the target pitch (M = −3 cents from target F_o) on a sustained vowel (/a/; see Table 1). Two-week and 10-week measures indicated a similar tendency (2 weeks: M = −7 cents from target F_o; 10 weeks: M = −5 cents from target F_o) with only 2-week measures indicating audibly out of tune singing. Participant 3 was furthest out of tune on arpeggio singing before student teaching (M = −10 cents from target F_o). Two weeks into student teaching was closest to the target pitch (M = −4 cents from target F_o). However, after 10 weeks of student teaching, Participant 3 was audibly out of tune above the target pitch (M = 8 cents from target F_o; see Table 1).

Similar to Participant 3, Participant 4 was more out of tune after 10 weeks of student teaching. For Participant 4, measures of mean cents deviation from target F_o on a sustained vowel (/a/; see Table 1) indicated that prior to student teaching, he was, on average, above the target pitch (M = 2 cents from target F_o). Two-week and 10-week measures, however, indicated a lowering of pitch (2 weeks: M = −5 cents from target F_o; 10 weeks: M = −4 cents from target F_o; see Table 1). On measures of top note of an arpeggio (octaves in B-flat, C, and F), Participant 4 was furthest out of tune 10 weeks into student teaching (M = −9 cents from target F_o). Before student teaching and 2 weeks into student teaching, he was closer to the target pitch (prior: M = −3 cents from target F_o; 2 weeks: M = −2 cents from target F_o).

Implications and Applications for Music Teacher Education

Although there were a several limitations to the current study, there are important findings to note in terms of music teacher education. For example, increased vocal demands on the speaking voice and singing in falsetto register were most frequently perceived as two factors leading to vocal fatigue. The change experienced by these participants in vocal demand seems fairly typical of students making the transition from student to teacher. This is important for those preparing preservice teachers to know. The training preservice teachers receive at the university often prepares these students as singers but not as speakers. Although some preventative programs are in place and have been evaluated (Bovo et al., 2007), more programs of this kind can help prevent vocal health issues in teachers. Specifically, training and conditioning healthy, efficient speech and the entire vocal range (particularly falsetto register for men) could aid in alleviating some voice function issues experienced by student teachers. Teacher preparation programs, therefore, should also include voice health and training protocols for the speaking voice and falsetto register in vocal pedagogy courses.

Furthermore, special workshops led by experts in musician wellness or vocal health, and vocal pedagogy or choral methods course units on vocal health, could provide music education majors with explicit knowledge as to the impact of classroom acoustics and structure on voice use/demands, as well as pedagogical (roaming the room instead of staying fixed on the podium) and technological (use of amplified microphone and speaker system) adaptions designed to moderate the influence of these and similar factors on vocal health. Scientific concepts such as the Lombard effect (tendency to increase vocal loudness in noise) are crucial for all music educators to understand and should, therefore, be included in coursework. Possible impacts of technology on the voice (sounds of fans, placement within the classroom space, posture assumed to use equipment, etc.) are also important for teachers to understand. Furthermore, information on choices of technology, classroom equipment, and classroom structure should be disseminated, examined, and discussed in methods courses such that students enter the teaching field equipped with knowledge to make informed choices for longevity of vocal health.

Voice use outside the teaching day is another important factor to consider. All participants in this study were involved in singing activities outside of the regular school day. This type of extension to the day is common for many teachers and conductors who rehearse extracurricular choir, marching band, or drumline, for example. These activities are often a part of music educators’ jobs and are not always optional. These young teachers should be given information on the impact of such involvement so that they can make educated decisions on vocally demanding activities. Perhaps involvement in vocally demanding activities outside of the regular school day conditions the voice beyond classroom demands and therefore makes it stronger and less prone to injury. Alternatively, the extra demands and consequent stress on the body and voice may cause greater vocal fatigue that could lead to long-term damage.

Support of young and experienced teachers’ vocal health, therefore, is crucial. One possible avenue of support may come through continued private voice study. Voice teachers may aid teachers in more efficiently using the voice during times of higher vocal demand. However, it would be important for voice teachers to focus on specific demands of student teaching, such as use of falsetto register and prolonged use of the speaking voice, instead of rigorous study of solo literature for performance. All male participants in the current study, for example, perceived use of falsetto register as increasing vocal fatigue. Several music education textbooks and therefore music education programs advocate for the use of falsetto in the male vocal model (e.g., Phillips, 1992; Swears, 1985) while teaching; however, researchers (Vincent, 2008) have found that male participants reported more voice problems than female participants, attributing these problems to modeling in the falsetto register. This finding is similar to the perceptions of the three male participants in the current investigation. Conditioning of the falsetto register in male preservice teachers during music education courses and in private voice lessons before student teaching could ameliorate vocal fatigue during teaching. Furthermore, as often promoted in private voice study, a short daily warm-up (10–15 minutes) and cooldown prior to and following teaching would also be very helpful whether or not weekly lessons are possible.

Data in this study were gathered perceptually and acoustically outside of the teaching environment following the teaching day. Results confirmed that participants experienced vocal health issues typical in other teachers (Simberg et al., 2000). This investigation did not, however, gather real-time analysis of voice function during teaching. A videotaped protocol could be employed in the classroom within preparation programs and during student teaching. This type of recording and analysis may offer insight into vocal habits or even adaptations made by teachers within the teaching environment. These adaptations might be attributed to personal habits (physical or vocal), class size, student behavior, structural materials of the teaching space, or room acoustics. Discussion of impact on vocal technique and health offered by an acoustician, body awareness expert, or psychologist could be helpful to young teachers as well. Subsequent tracking of such possible causes of vocal fatigue should be included in teacher preparation programs to a greater extent to prevent and understand impact of space, intention, and structure on vocal health issues. Analysis and discussion of video footage might allow insights into future vocal issues. Inclusion of tools, resources, and prevention strategies in teaching preparation curricula based on individual observation could equip student teachers with preventative strategies useful throughout student teaching and their career.