Are we putting our teachers' voices at risk?

by admin 2011-10-04 17:14:00

As budgets in education are being paired down or completely cut, a worrying trend seems to be emerging. Voice workshops for teachers are being cut. It may seem like an expendable option, but a 2001 government report recognised that teachers could experience long term voice disorders as a result of their work. The worst case scenario in the past has been teachers who could no longer practise their chosen profession because of vocal damage. What a waste! Especially as the evidence suggests that teachers who have voice training will experience fewer voice problems during their careers than teachers who receive no voice training. Professional voice users need support and for teachers I believe it should still be viewed as part of CPD and as a Health and Safety issue.