Korean Job Discussion Forums

[crazylemongirl]

First of all it was a little for column a, a little from column b. I was looking for some flu remedies but also something to do. As there is a lot of talking, singing and chanting in my classes.

Fourtantly my be queit clap doesn't require me to talk. I just have to clap be queit and the kids join in.

We do a lot of singing because I like singing. I borrow stuff that they use for sing song and use it in the classes. 'oh, no don't do that.'

And I use chanting just to get the crowd revved up.

It had mixed results a lot the kids were really sympathetic, and were extra queit. Also I figure they no their songs so well now I just have to say the first few words and they finish it.

CLG

[EH]

Hi. I'm a speech-language pathologist. Here's my advice:

- drink lots of liquids, especially water. The hot fruit teas and honey other people on this board have recommended certainly won't hurt (I drink a lot of honey water, myself), but there's no scientific evidence that they help more than plain water. orange juice is good for vitamin c, but the acid in it is not so good for your voice, so it might be better to get your vitamin c from another source for a while. milk and dairy products do lead to excess mucous production in some people (and a lot more people *think* that is the case for them), so avoid milk for a while if you feel like it's making you cough or clear your throat more. otherwise, milk is perfectly okay.
- avoid alcohol and caffiene (they dry you out).
- avoid smokey places. air pullution isn't great either.
- avoid coughing and frequent throat clearing (unless absolutely necessary to save yourself from choking).
- speak more quietly. a portable microphone really helps with this. noraebangs and noisy bars are places where quiet talk is impossible, so avoid them if your voice is in trouble.
- speak less. use clapping, gestures, and facial expressions to get some of your points across or get students' attention.
- if you lose your voice, don't talk or sing or hum. relaxed, very quiet whispering is okay, but tense, loud whispering will result in further vocal abuse. be very careful with your voice for at least a week or two after it comes back.
- be very careful about what kind of sound effects you make with your voice for the kids' amusement. hard glottal attacks (machine-gun noises, rapid vowel sound repetitions, etc.) and vocal fry (that super low voice that sounds bumpy) are terrible on vocal cords.
- feel your neck when you talk in the classroom. is it tense? it shouldn't be. consciously relax your neck muscles periodically, and be sure not so use an unnaturally high or low voice on a regular basis.
- be aware of the effects of medication. decongestants will dry you out, so drink more water. aspirin and other anticoagulants will increase the risk of burst blood vessels on the vocal cords, so talk quietly if you're on those.
- don't eat anything right before lying down (wait up to 3 hours to be really safe). also, sleep with your head and shoulders slightly elevated. this will decrease risk of sore throat caused by slight acid reflux. most people don't have to be too concerned about acid reflux, but if you get heart burn or if your voice is particularly bad in the morning, then definitely you should be aware of the possible voice problems that go with it.


Also, you should know that some people have a really robust outer cell layer on their vocal cords, and can talk loudly all day without ever feeling discomfort. Others are just not as lucky, and feel pain even when they take decent care of their voice. It's just not fair. Also, teachers in general have the highest rates of vocal pathology of any profession. Much more even than professional singers.

-EH

[crazylemongirl]

thanks for that advice great stuff there. I think my problems are due to having the flu and a very dry apartment.

CLg

[Skarp]

There is a good book - the Language teachers voice by Alan Maley.

It has excellent practical advice and exercises.

You'll find it on amazon.

Skarp