The Effect of Teaching Experience and Specialty (Vocal or Instrumental) on Vocal Health Ratings of Music Teachers

Abstract

The current study sought to determine the relationship among music teachers’ length of teaching experience, specialty (vocal or instrumental), and ratings of behaviors and teaching activities related to vocal health. Participants ( N = 379) were experienced ( n = 208) and preservice ( n = 171) music teachers, further categorized by specialty, either vocalists ( n = 198) or instrumentalists ( n = 181). Teachers provided demographic information, vocal health ratings for selected behaviors, and ratings of perceived vocal stress in selected teaching activities. Years of teaching experience had a significant effect for four behaviors and one teaching activity. Specialty had a significant effect for two behaviors and three teaching activities. The interaction of years of teaching experience and specialty was significant for the following behaviors: clearing the throat, getting adequate sleep, and breathing secondhand smoke. The interaction of years of teaching experience and specialty was significant for the following teaching activities: verbal instruction while students play instruments, speaking over noisy classroom conditions, hall duty, and lunch duty. Overall, ratings provided by preservice teachers tend to reflect healthier practices. Suggestions for further research include instrumentalists’ perceived vocal stress, how perceptions can be shaped to aid prevention of vocal disorders in teachers, and vocal health opinions where diverse experience levels are explored more deeply.