Voice for impact

MANILA, Philippines – How much of the time spent by students in a classroom session is really devoted to listening and absorbing a teacher’s lecture? What percentage of an hour-long lecture is really understood and absorbed by the student?

In my multifarious studies and from my more than two decades of teaching, I have gathered that learning is affected by a number of factors which include: mind and personality development, the student’s current domestic and personal circumstances (including his health), quality of instruction and motivation.

While the teacher may have the ability to control the learning environment such that no one talks or texts in class, she has little control on her student’s mind when it wanders. When this happens, learning is reduced.

To catch and hold the student’s attention a minimal requirement is correct use of the voice. This entails discovering and establishing one’s optimum pitch level (OPL) with the help of a vocal behavior modification specialist (There are quite a few in this country that are adequately trained to do this.) and knowing how to employ what I have identified as the six aspects of the mechanics of voice production, namely: mouth positioning, breathing, breath control, projection, placement and resonance.

In our 14 years of managing cases of abused and misused voices at the Gomez Voice Clinic, we have been successful at eliminating voice disorders and temporary vocal disability by eliminating the bad vocal habits of our patients, 40 percent of whom are educators. In addition to this, we have helped transform their personality to one that exudes more self-confidence, dignity, credibility and authoritativeness.

Attendance at our Voice for Impact Seminar-Workshop, an eight-hour high-intensity course has been proven to result in the same, as we only admit a maximum of ten participants each time.

Using the Gomez Method of Vocal Behavior Modification and the Gomez six-pronged wholistic approach to the treatment of voice disorders and maintenance of a beautiful voice, we have made patients at the clinic and the Voice for Impact Seminar-Workshop participants realize the difference in the pathologic way they used to phonate and the correct way to produce the voice, which, to their surprise resulted in a new, pleasant-sounding and clear voice that is able to attract and hold others’ attention.

Moreover, they realize that speaking can be done in a manner that doesn’t tire the voice and doesn’t cause them to be hoarse even after many hours of use.

This yields psychological benefits in that the voice user becomes more aware of himself and how he sounds to people. This redounds to increased self-confidence.

In teaching patients voice care, which is part of our six-pronged wholistic approach, we teach exercises for strengthening body parts involved in phonation, stress management, and proper nutrition for a phlegm-free voice.

Preventive maintenance is also taught at our clinic and that includes recognition of one’s allergens and the use of preventive maintenance products such as Kamillosan M, an anti-inflammatory spray that is effective for preventing and treating inflammation of the mouth and throat. The product is a formulated from a variety of organic products. Thus, it is proven to have no adverse side effects.

Learning correct voice use and proper voice care also has its economic benefits in that it guarantees that one will not have to worry about being absent from class or a lecturing engagement because of a sore throat.

All these, when learned and practised, results in a voice that is able to catch and hold students’ attention.

Students do not need to strain their ears to hear and understand the teacher, nor does he have to struggle in maintaining his concentration on the teacher’s lecture and instructions.

We also know from our many years of study and experience with many cases that when the message or lesson is delivered with a clear, pleasant-sounding voice - a voice that is used optimally - the impact is greater.

(The author is founder and chief consultant of the Joscephine Gomez Clinic for Voice Therapy and Rehabilitation, the Philippines’ premier voice therapy and rehabilitation clinic. She is also author of and principal lecturer in 36 short courses in communication and in personal and mind development. Inquiries on the Voice for Impact Workshop may be coursed through 6877898 or 0921-2397025, or e-mail [email protected]