I think I speak for everyone when I say that teachers are some of the most underappreciated everyday heroes in our society. This has become especially evident during quarantine, as they navigate online teaching and keeping their students engaged via Zoom and other such platforms. Teaching is a highly stressful and demanding career that is not for the faint of heart.
Though not everyone was allowed to return to school when the season began, I am sure most of us are all familiar with wearing a mask at this point. We all know the struggle of wearing masks properly and the struggle of talking and listening while they are on.
For the educators and students who were allowed to return to their schools with certain restrictions this semester, they may find that they have difficulty concentrating in class through their masks. Teachers literally make a career from talking, which was difficult enough to do all day before the age when masks were required, but now that they are, listeners find it harder to hear through the masks, which puts teachers at higher risk of vocal fatigue.
Vocals are the specialty of Chaya Nanjundeswaran Guntupalli, an associate professor in the Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology in the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences at ETSU. Guntupalli is reaching out to local teachers with tips on how to avoid vocal fatigue while teaching and wearing a mask. These tips are not limited to only teachers, and people from all professions may find them practical.
Her suggestions include choosing the right type of mask — one with a fit that allows for movement of the articulators and free movement of the jaw –and exaggerating your articulation behind the mask by opening your mouth wide and enunciating every sound with precision. She also recommends to speak slower and pause frequently to take breaths.
The full list of Guntupalli’s suggestions on how to avoid vocal fatigue can be accessed through this link https://www.etsu.edu/etsu-news/2020/09-september/voice-tips-for-teachers.php
