Clinical Reasoning in Voice Pedagogy: A Systematic Foundation for Developing Intuition in Novice Voice Teachers

Abstract

Voice pedagogy literature often draws a parallel between a doctor’s ability to diagnose illness and prescribe treatment and a voice teacher’s ability to identify vocal obstacles and design solutions. The core of these parallel procedures is an ability to utilize critical reasoning skills within highly specific contexts. Medical literature describes this as “clinical reasoning,” and students of medicine study it as a learned and systematic process. In contrast, voice pedagogy literature has traditionally described it as an innate process that is developed through studio experience. This article broadly examines the ways in which medical literature has broken down clinical reasoning into specific cognitive processes and proposes a model through which these processes can be adapted to the needs of developing voice teachers. An emphasis is given to the development of intuition and empathy from teacher to singer, as well as a reexamination of how voice teachers interact with voice literature and research.