Health Sciences

School of Human Communication Sciences

Professional Resources

Voice Care for Teachers - Online Program

Available free of charge from the following website: http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/HRWeb/ohs/health/voice.htm

In 1998, the Department of Education and Training (DET) in Victoria contracted Dr Jenni Oates to work with their Occupational Health and Safety Unit to develop a web-based educational program designed to promote vocal health and prevent voice problems in school teachers. The high prevalence of voice problems among teachers, the negative impact of such problems on teachers, students and the school system, and the preventable nature of most voice disorders had indicated to DET that allocating resources to develop an effective prevention and voice education program was warranted. The resulting Voice Care for Teachers Program was completed and implemented in schools throughout Victoria in 2000. The program is now also used widely by teachers in non-government schools and by other professionals who rely on an effective and reliable voice for their occupations (e.g., singers, actors, television and radio presenters, auctioneers, barristers etc). The Voice Care for Teachers program is comprised of 3 components:

• Implementation Guide for School Management
• Action Planning Guide with Voice Assessment Tools for Teachers
• Voice Care Training Materials (Anatomy and Physiology of voice production, symptoms and causes of voice problems, effective voice production techniques, minimising harmful vocal behaviours, maximising physical and emotional health, optimising the physical school environment for healthy voice use).

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Voice Care for Teachers - a video package

Because a high proportion of school teachers and other professional voice users (singers, public speakers, salespersons etc) experience voice problems that affect their ability to work effectively and because such voice problems can be prevented, Australian speech pathologists Dr Alison Russell, Dr Jenni Oates and Ms Cecilia Pemberton have developed a video package that aims to provide effective and efficient vocal health education for teachers and other people who rely on an efficient and reliable voice for their occupations. This comprehensive, stand-alone video and accompanying printed booklet is designed for individuals or groups. The video includes a detailed description of the anatomy and physiology of voice production, video clips of teachers talking about their experiences of voice problems, examples of the common symptoms and causes of voice problems, and presentation of practical strategies for the care of the voice.

The video package, Voice Care for Teachers, may be purchased for $155 from:

Clear Digital Vision
PO Box 651
North Adelaide, SA 5006
Email: cdv@cleardv.com.au
How to order: http://www.cleardv.com.au/Webshop%20VC.htm

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