Work-Related Communicative Profile of Voice Teachers: Effects of Classroom Noise on Voice and Hearing Abilities

The Effects of Classroom Acoustic Conditions on Teachers' Health and Well-Being: A Scoping Review

PURPOSE

Teachers spend a significant amount of time in classrooms, which can be noisy environments. The aim of this scoping review was to determine what is known from the literature about the effect of classroom acoustic conditions on teachers' health and well-being.

METHOD

This scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) protocol. Four bibliographic databases were searched: ERIC, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.

RESULTS

Thirty-three articles were deemed relevant for the review. The most studied health aspect was teachers' vocal health. The majority of results showed higher noise levels or a higher number of students have a negative effect on teachers' health and well-being (61% and 60%, respectively), while 39% showed a negative effect of longer reverberation times. Most other results showed no effect.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that poor classroom acoustic conditions can have a negative effect on teachers' health and well-being. Therefore, creating classrooms with good acoustic conditions and controlling noise is vital. Limitations are discussed, and future research to better understand the relationship between classroom acoustic conditions and teachers' health and well-being is proposed. This future research will help in understanding the acoustic conditions that are needed to optimize teachers' health and well-being in the classroom.

Classroom Acoustics for Enhancing Students' Understanding When a Teacher Suffers From a Dysphonic Voice

PURPOSE

The purpose of this project is to assess the acoustical conditions in which optimal intelligibility and low listening difficulty can be achieved in real classrooms for elementary students, taking into consideration the effects of dysphonic voice and typical classroom noise.

METHOD

Speech intelligibility tests were performed in six elementary classrooms with 80 normal-hearing students aged 7-11 years. The speech material was produced by a female actor using a normal voice quality and simulating a dysphonic voice. The stimuli were played by a Head and Torso Simulator. Child babble noise and classrooms with different reverberation times were used to obtain a Speech Transmission Index (STI) range from 0.2 to 0.7, corresponding to the categories bad, poor, fair, and good.

RESULTS

The results showed a statistically significant decrease in intelligibility when the speaker was dysphonic, in STI higher than 0.33. The rating of listening difficulty showed a significantly greater difficulty in perceiving the dysphonic voice. In addition, younger children showed poorer performance and greater listening difficulty compared with older children when listening to the normal voice quality. Both groups were equally impacted when the voice was dysphonic.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that better acoustic conditions are needed for children to reach a good level of intelligibility and to reduce listening difficulty if the teacher is suffering from voice problems. This was true for children regardless of grade level, highlighting the importance of ensuring more favorable acoustic conditions for children throughout all elementary schools.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23504487.

Voice Biofeedback via Bone Conduction Headphones: Effects on Acoustic Voice Parameters and Self-Reported Vocal Effort in Individuals With Voice Disorders

PURPOSE

This study explores sidetone amplification (amplified playback of one's own voice) provided via bone conduction in participants with voice disorders. The effects of bone conduction feedback on acoustic voice parameters and vocal effort ratings are examined.

METHODS

Speech samples of 47 participants with voice disorders were recorded in three auditory feedback conditions: two with sidetone amplification delivered via bone conduction and one condition with no alteration of the feedback. After each task, the participants rated their vocal effort on a visual analog scale. The voice recordings were evaluated by a speech-language pathologist through the GRBAS scale and processed to calculate the within-participant centered sound pressure level (SPL) values, the mean pitch strength (PS), the time dose (Dt%), and cepstral peak prominence smoothed (CPPS). The effects of the feedback conditions on these acoustic parameters and vocal effort ratings were analyzed.

RESULTS

The high sidetone amplification condition resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the within-participant centered SPL values and mean pitch strength across all participants. The feedback conditions had no statistically significant effects on the vocal effort ratings, time dose (Dt%), or CPPS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides an evidence that bone conduction sidetone amplification contributes to a consistent adaptation in the within-participant centered SPL values (ΔSPL) in patients with vocal hyperfunction, glottal insufficiency, and organic/neurological laryngeal pathologies compared to conditions with no feedback.

Voice Problems Among School Teachers employing the Tele-teaching Modality

OBJECTIVES

To assess the prevalence of voice problems among teachers in Riyadh during tele-teaching and examine the relationship between the Voice Handicap Index 10 (VHI10) scores and a variety of risk factors believed to be related to voice problems. We also assessed awareness of voice hygiene and therapy among teachers.

STUDY DESIGN

An observational cross-sectional study conducted using a multistage random sampling method among Riyadh school teachers who taught by tele-teaching for a minimum of one year.

METHODS

A self-assessment questionnaire which included demographic information about teachers, factors related to their teaching backgrounds, tele-teaching settings, effects of tele-teaching on the voice, medical and social histories, reports of voice and reflux symptoms, VHI10, and general knowledge about voice hygiene. This was distributed to school teachers using an SMS link through the Ministry of Education's IT department.

RESULTS

A total 495 were included in the study after exclusions. The prevalence of teachers who had significant voice problems during tele-teaching (VHI10>11) was 21.6%. Multiple risk factors significantly increased the risk of voice problems during tele-teaching. These factors included being female, teacher age, the presence of background noise from both teachers and students, loud voices, using an open camera during the teaching, stress and anxiety, allergies, respiratory disease, reflux, hearing problems, and a family history of voice problems. Only 4.6% of respondents were familiar with voice hygiene and voice therapy, but 65% believe that it is important for teachers to be knowledgeable about them.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the lower prevalence of voice disorders among tele-teaching compared to traditional teaching methods, tele-teaching may be a viable option for teachers who have voice problems. There are still several factors influencing voice problems among tele-teachers. To attenuate potential risks, it is crucial that teachers are aware of the concepts of voice hygiene and voice therapy.

Application of University Campus Noise Map Based on Noise Propagation Model: A Case in Guangxi University

Considering the characteristics of a campus environment and the rules that govern outdoor sound propagation, this paper identifies traffic noise as the dominant noise source of the campus environment based on the measurement of the noise environment. A noise propagation model that is suitable for university campuses was developed and used it was to create a noise map of the ambient area of the teaching building on the campus of Guangxi University. This noise map was then utilized to analyze the noise environment. The results revealed that for a given teaching building, the noise disturbance on high-rise classrooms is more significant compared to the impact on low-rise classrooms. Attention should then be paid to noise control in the high-rise classroom of the building. By appropriately increasing the distance between the building and the main traffic road or by adopting a judicious soundscape design that considers the shape of the building, it is possible to effectively reduce the interference of noise during teaching activities in a building and improve the sound quality of the campus environment. The results of this study provide a theoretical framework for the governance of the campus acoustic environment.

Schoolteachers with voice handicap are twice as likely to report depressive symptoms

This study aimed to examine the association between voice disorder and depressive symptoms in schoolteachers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with elementary and secondary schoolteachers. Voice disorders and depressive symptoms were assessed with the Voice Handicap Index-10 and the Beck Depression Inventory-II, respectively. Logistic and linear regressions models were adjusted for confounding variables. In the 389 schoolteachers studied, the prevalence of voice handicap and depressive symptoms was 18.8 and 38.8%, respectively. Voice handicap was associated with depressive symptoms on all models tested. The logistic regression showed an odds ratio of 2.21 (95% confidence interval: 1.19, 4.08; p value < 0.05), while in the linear regression each point increase on the voice disorder scale increased the Beck Depression Inventory-II score by 0.39 points (95% confidence interval: 0.26, 0.54; p value < 0.05). This study showed that teachers of public schools with voice handicap are twice as likely to report depressive symptoms.