Looking after your voice

Alongside psychological issues, voice problems are a major cause of illness among teachers. 

I recently attending a workshop on how to look after your voice as a teacher (held by Frank Gutjahr at Universität Trier), and in the post I’d like to share the practical tips I heard. They’ll probably be relevant for anyone who does a lot of public speaking. 

Tip 1: Drink still water.

Here in Germany, people seem to be somewhat obsessed with sparkling water, but the carbon dioxide bubbles can irritate the vocal chords. I know a lot of people drink herbal or fruit teas, too, but even these can actually cause you to have a dry throat. Apparently, the best thing to drink if you need to speak a lot is still water. If you have a dry throat, try inhaling sage or sage essence in hot water.

Tip 2 : Breathe!

Our natural breathing rhythm consists of breathing in, breathing out, and a brief pause. During this pause, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax, which is why it is so important. If you try to rush your breathing rhythm and don’t pause between exhaling and inhaling, you’ll quickly get out of breath and have to strain your vocal chords and larynx to be able to speak loud enough. Also, this brief pause in your speech breaks what you’re saying into units of thought, which makes the content of your speech easier for your audience to understand.

It is important to use the muscles in your torso to push the air out when you exhale and speak, otherwise you put all the pressure on your voice box! You can practice breathing like this by singing along to a song – which will also warm up your speech apparatus. One of the best warm-up songs I’ve found is “What’s Up?” by 4 non blondes.

Tip 3: Warm up.

To ensure you articulate clearly, you need to warm up your speech apparatus – your jaw, lips and tongue. There are several funny exercises you can do to warm up. For example, use your tongue to ‘clean’ your teeth – stretch your tongue into the corners of your mouth and run it along the inside and outside of your teeth. Or, if you’re alone, poke your tongue out and try to paint circles in the air with the tip of your tongue. You can also make circular movements with your bottom jaw, as if you were chewing a big chunk of something! To warm up your lips, swap between grinning as widely as you can and pouting. Reading tongue twisters slowly and with exaggerated enunciation can also help, especiall yif you find ones that focus on vowel sounds. Repeat after me: “Roberta ran rings around the Roman ruins.”

Tip 4: Watch your posture.

Apart from being good for your back, good posture ensures that your lungs and diaphragm have enough space to ensure your natural breathing rhythm. Sitting or standing up straight, without over-straining, will mean that you can inhale more deeply and have enough air to speak loudly, and makes spaces for the muscles in your torso dto do their work! If you slouch, it can also mean that your breathing becomes audible, which makes you sound out of breath and distracts from what you’re saying!

In general, the most important tip I head from Frank Gutjahr is: Relax! If you’re preared and follow these tips, you’ll be able to speak well as a teacher, and protect your voice for all those lessons and speeches that are yet to come! And remember: It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it!

 

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Sarah Mercer at #iatefl2017

Sarah Mercer’s plenary on 5th April was a hit! Her topic “Connecting minds: language learner and teacher psychologies” struck a chord with many in the audience.

If you couldn’t watch it live, you can catch up here, thanks to the British Council and Iatefl Online!

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I heard lots of people talking about the plenary, and lots of speakers referred to it too, “as Sarah Mercer said…. ” Etc. It was her final points about teachers’ psychological wellbeing that seem to have made the biggest impression!

Here are some if the comments and reactions I heard when I asked people to record a quick audio of their thoughts on her talk. Please add your own comments below!

• In my context its always like the teacher is the expert and has control over the class, so are, like, meant to keep a distance, authority figure, you know? For a long time I’ve thought that, well, maybe different kinds of relationship, like no authority or distance, not so much, less hierarchy might be better. So I was so happy, I felt like a confirmation, when Sarah Mercer said the same thing today. Why don’t more people think like this at home? But I’m going to tell them, I was right, we should maybe, well, maybe its time to think about some change.

• What I particularly liked in the talk were the small, specific tips. So, I mean, small tips of things we can easily adopt into our teaching that might have a big effect. Just like, “smile!”

• Actually, well-being was my prediction of a ‘big topic’ for this year’s conference. And there have been lots of talks on it, for teachers and learners, like also mindfulness stuff and positive psychology for classrooms and teaching. I liked the plenary, and I’ve been seeing this topic come up more an more in conference talks. I think having the “look after yourself” message made so well in a plenary might really start to move things forward in that area. Which can only be a good thing, considering all the awful stories we’re hearing recently about work-life total imbalance in many teachers’ lives.

• It was refreshing to hear someone focus on the teachers’ health and mental wellbeing, when so much work focuses on learners. It was great, as a reminder, that, yes, learners are people, but so are teachers!

• I loved that metaphor, the one like on a plane! Please do your own mask before you help the children. I like it as an image for teachers looking after their wellbeing so they can help the children. And that we shouldn’t feel bad about it.

• I thought it was nice to reflect on the wellbeing of teachers for a change. It’s not something that is often focused on at these sorts of conferences. They often look at making the learner do better, but, yeah, making sure you’re doing the best for yourself first is obviously really important. So it was a good talk, reminding us.

• I don’t work in the classroom anymore, but I think that some of the points there, well I work in product development, but, yeah, the points, well, are relevant for working in teams, and like as a leader of a team, my emotions impact very much the motivation of the team mates. It’s the same in a classroom, as a teacher, so it was a good plenary also for people outside teaching, because it’s relevant there too. So yeah, it was good!

 

Stress Awareness Discussion Points #teacher5aday

April is Stress Awareness Month – a perfect time for reflecting on your own well-being and how you tackle stress in your life and work!

The aim of this article is to raise awareness of some of the more theoretical work that has been done in the area of (tackling) stress and burnout, particularly among teachers, and to provide impetus for reflecting and discussing with colleagues. The post can be used to support stress awareness discussions in staff meetings and other developmental groups. If you’re unable to join a discussion in person, please add your comments and answers to the ‘Talking Points’ in the comments box below. 

Burnout

One of the most widely used definitions of the complex construct of ‘burnout’ was developed by Maslach & Jackson (1981).  Their research explored the organizational contexts which often provide a background to burnout and similar syndromes, and they developed the multidimensional Maslach model, which includes emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a sense of reduced personal accomplishment as its three main symptoms. Maslach, Jackson & Leiter (1996) described these symptoms of burnout in more detail. Emotional exhaustion is linked to feelings of anxiety and fatigue, for example, and a general feeling that one’s emotional resources are depleted. Highly correlated with exhaustion is depersonalization; the development of negative or cynical perceptions of others. The third aspect, reduced personal accomplishment, refers to dissatisfaction and prevailingly negative self-evaluation regarding professional activities.

This model of burnout and the self-diagnosis tool derived from it, the ‘Maslach Burnout Inventory’ (MBI) (Maslach & Jackson, 1981), have promoted a vast amount of research over the last few decades, and many studies have shown the MBI’s reasonably high internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and as well as good levels of validity, both concurrent and predictive.

TALKING POINT: Have you ever experienced any of the symptoms of burnout (in bold in the text above), or other negative effects of stress? Have you ever noticed any of these symptoms in your colleagues? How did these symptoms manifest themselves concretely in your life? What would you advise other teachers to watch out for when it comes to catching burnout symptoms early enough to do something about?

Well-being

A strong sense of well-being, then, is the positive antithesis of burnout; something we should all strive for. The term ‘well-being’ is used to imply a sense of balance between being under-stimulated and overwhelmed, with regard to various facets of life. Holmes (2005), for example, denotes four intrinsic sub-categories of well-being: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Physical well-being starts with the absence of illness, and extends to being in good physical shape. For an individual’s emotional well-being, they need to be able to suitably handle the emotions they feel and apply this to maintaining healthy relationships with others. Within Holmes’ definition, intellectual, or mental, well-being involves having a positive attitude to developing both personally and professionally. And finally, spiritual well-being is the ‘ability to be constructively self-conscious and self-critical when a sense of greater good is being pursued’ (Holmes, 2005, p.10). This four-category definition of well-being provides a useful framework for any work or discussions pertaining to well-being training and awareness.

TALKING POINT: What do you do to maintain or improve your own well-being?  What do you do to help others maintain or improve their well-being? How do these activities relate to the four categories in Holmes’ definition? Did you choose these activities deliberately to counteract stress? What activities would you recommend to other teachers?

 

 

References

Holmes, E. (2005). Teacher well-being: Looking after yourself and your Career in the classroom. London & New York: Routledge Falmer. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203465400 

Lee, R.T. & Ashforth, B.E. (1990). On the meaning of Maslach’s three dimensions of burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 75(6), pp. 743-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.75.6.743 

Maslach, C. (1982). Burnout: The cost of caring. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Maslach, C. & Jackson, S.E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2. pp 99-113. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205 

Maslach, C., Jackson, S.E. & Leiter, M.P. (1996). Maslach burnout inventory manual (3rd edition). Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists press.

 

IATEFL Conference Tips – Updated

Preparing for IATEFL 2017? First-time at the conference? Here are some tips to help you enjoy it and benefit as much as you can!

What to pack

• Maps
• Plugs, adaptors, chargers, etc.
• Smart(ish) clothes (but warm & comfortable!)
• Comfortable shoes
• Drinks bottle
• Money (cards – inform your bank you’ll be abroad)
• Paper, pens, clipboard
• Tablet / laptop
• Space in suitcase for freebies!

Preparation Tips

• Read the programme in advance. You can download it here.
• • Get the app – here.
  • Choose talks to attend, inc. Plenaries
  • Use abbreviation codes to help
  • Look out for ‘big names’
  • Pick alternatives (esp. if limited audience)
  • Talk about choices (share notes!)
• Don’t try to attend all sessions!!!
• Try something new
• Pick your interests / set goal
• Attend or watch the recordings of how to” webinars & sessions – here.

Networking Tips

• In advance:
  • Join IATEFL Facebook group – here.
  • Follow @iatefl on Twitter – here.
  • Look for SIGs on Facebook / Twitter
  • Join in discussions, etc.
• At conference: meet online contacts
  • Chat / socialise after sessions
  • Ask questions, maintain discussions
  • Join evening events
• After the conference:
  • Catch up online
  • Keep up contacts – form your PLN
  • Make a note of who people are / your connection

Make the most of it

• Pace yourself – Leave time to reflect, digest, sleep!
• Look after yourself – Eat healthly, drink enough water, get fresh air.
• Take notes on what presenters say – You can get slides later.
• Contribute!
• Catch up on sessions you missed at IATEFL Online – here.

• Remember: You are valuable members of IATEFL.

Introducing #tleap

TLEAP: Teaching & Learning in EAP

Issues in EAP Discussion Group

#tleap is an active online community of EAP professionals who discuss issues and share ideas regarding English for academic purposes. The members are EAP teachers and others who are interested in this area of language teaching, from adjunct tutors to full-time lecturers, and even materials writers and policy makers. The purpose of the #tleap community is to discuss relevant pedagogical, logistical, and research-based issues with others, and to give those involved in EAP a voice that may otherwise go unheard.

#tleap evolved from the #EAPchat Twitter hashtag set up by Tyson Seburn, Adam Simpson, and Sharon Turner, and has now spread across a variety of social media platforms, also thanks to Kate Finegan, to enable and encourage wider participation. You can join in for free here:

Twitter: #tleap

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tleap/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/communities/114679086713772400315

#tleap hosts biweekly discussion on Facebook: A focussed discussion point is posted on the 1st and 15th of every month. Please feel free to add your ideas to it and share widely. If there’s something you’d like to discuss, please add to this list: http://bit.ly/1OnYoWM.

#tleap also hosts bimonthly discussion chats on Twitter- look out for the next one!

The chat and discussion archievs are freely available, along with more information on the #tleap community, here http://tiny.cc/tleap

#tleap thrives on the contributions of members! You can start a new post on any of the paltforms anytime you have a question or wish to share something relevant for the group. Comments are always welcome on all posts.  With any blog, research article, or question, you can also always add the #tleap hashtag to your tweets to get everyone in our community to notice and engage.

We would love to welcome new members to the #tleap community, so please join in and share #tleap with your colleagues!

We look forward to hearing from you!

MaWSIG Meetup – Questions from Editors

On Saturday 14th January, I hosted a Meetup for the Materials Writing Special Interest Group of IATEFL. The idea was to enable some informal networking for anyone in the area who is involved in writing ELT materials.

One of the activities we did involved editors/publishers and teachers/writers posing questions for each other on posters, and then adding their individual answers to the “other side’s” poster.

To share some of the insights beyond our cosy meetup in Germany, I’ve decided to type up the questions and answers here on my blog. So let’s start with the questions posed by editors and publishers:

• How regularly would you like to have contact with the editor(s) of a project you’re working on? And what’s the best way to keep in touch?

– by email, or phone calls at pre-arranged times.

– by email, not via CMS!

• What makes a schedule achieveable?

– advanced planning

– involve writer in negotiating deadlines

– time of year – respect teachers’ other commitments during term time

• What characterizes the optimal brief?

– sample of how material should be submitted, or a template

– realistic and clear

– not too many stakeholders

– best to talk through together, not just send document

• How can we help you find out more about the target audience?

– provide contact o teachers/schools/advisors

– set up focus groups

– provide info on curriculum, or previously published materials

• How can we encourage teachers to use our materials?

– poss. make videos of example lessons showing how the materials can be employed or adapted

– specific materials in terms of students’ content learning (rather than general textbooks), e.g. for us on literature/linuistics/culture studies

– make mix & match units available

– attractive design for learners – put less on a page instead of cramming in as much as possible

– make them adaptable

– provide pdfs

• What can a publisher or an editor do to make you want to keep working for them (besides pay you lots of money)?

– regular work

– reasonable workload & deadlines

– no projects at busy times of year

– pay in advance for work, rather than on the basis of books sold

– make communication as efficient as possible

– show appreciation & respect for writers’ time and work

Are you involved in ELT materials writing? Do you have more questions from the editors’/publishers’ perspective? Or answers to these questions from a teacher’s/writer’s perspective? Add your thoughts in the comments below!

It’s the simple things in life…

Many teachers have just started a new teaching term, maybe a new job in a new school, or teaching new students. And we all know the statistics on just how many teachers suffer from stress and burnout. I know this first hand! 😦

And so I thought it might be a nice idea to share simple little things that you, teachers or anyone, can do to look after your well-being and avoid burnout, depression, etc.  Before you turn to the drink in the photo above!! These are ‘tried and tested’ tips of mine, which are also based on some research findings on easing stress and depression. 

So, my CHALLENGE for you, (if you’re the kind of person who likes challenges, otherwise, they’re just ideas!), is to try out some of these simple things and let me know how it goes and how helpful it is for you!

 – Try out cooking something from a new recipe.

 – Paint / draw / colour a picture. 

 – Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and listen to music. 

 – Open the window, stick your head out, and take deep breaths for a few minutes. 

 – Get photos printed and make an album or scrapbook. Or frame one for your desk!

 – Plant up a pot of colourful flowers.

 – Find an inspirational quote and design a postcard with the quote on. 

– Take a bath, or go to the sauna/whirlpool/spa, and don’t take a book etc with you!

 – Go for a walk and take photos of everything beautiful you see.

 – Send a friend or colleague a surprise card/present.

 – Tidy up your desk. 

  – Share you ‘simple things in life’ tip as a comment below or on Twitter: @Clare2ELT

Action Research – What and how?

Many schemes of professional development for teachers, as well as advanced teaching certificates, include an element of ‘Action Research’ (AR). In my work as a team leader of EFL tutors, I’ve come to see just how important AR is for teachers to continue to develop and professionalise their teaching practices. And I’m so enthusiastic about teachers doing research that I want to share some introductory thoughts with a wider audience – with you, my dear blog readers! I hope I can inspire you to start your own AR projects, and would love to hear what you get up to!

So what is ‘Action Research’ for teachers? Basically,  AR is any small scale research conducted by a practising teacher which looks at any aspect of how a class is run, and is particularly aimed at answering a question or addressing a difficult or controversial issue. The results of the research can then be used by the teacher (and colleagues if the results are shared) to inform future practice and to suggest solutions to any problems or puzzles caused by the controversial issues/questions.

With this definition, ‘action research’ can be broken down into the following concrete phases: 

1. formulation of research question, 
2. background reading (optional), 
3. developing (and maybe piloting, or evaluating with colleagues) a method of data collection, 
4. data collection,
5. collating & analysing data, 
6. reflection & drawing conclusions. 

Once conclusions have been drawn, these can lead to the formulation of a consequent action plan or changes in teaching practice, and/or the dissemination of the research findings.

These phases may make AR sound like a very time-consuming and serious experimental endeavour, but it really isn’t!! An AR project can be as large and time-consuming, or as quick and small, as the teacher wants it to be. Most of the time, you can ‘research’ whilst teaching. You start with something you’d like to find out, change something minor in your teaching, and reflect on the outcome. The research question could focus on a local issue connected to one specific class or school, such as getting shy learners to speak more, dealing with unruly behaviour, encouraging more engagement with homework tasks, or trialling things like project-based learning, peer-review etc. You could trial a new technique to investigate possible & necessary adaptations for particular teaching contexts. You might also want to try combining ideas from published sources and developing a new technique which could then be shared with others. Often, I’ve found informal staffroom chats highlight potential AR topics, so just keep your ears open!

The ‘how’ question can seem a big deal, especially if calling it ‘data collection’ reminds you of big scientific investigations! But in AR, you can choose any way to gather information that is relevant to your research question. It could be as straightforward as keeping a journal of your lessons and your reflections on them, or maybe asking to sit in on a colleague’s lesson to see how they approach a certain issue, or even asking your students to give you their opinions on certain aspects of the classroom/lesson setup. The key thing is reflecting on what you find out and how you can apply it to your teaching!

If you are approaching AR for the first time, you might like to talk through your ideas with a colleague who’s done some AR before, or collaborate with another colleague to emphasise the reflective nature of AR. I would also love to hear about your AR projects and can mentor you through the process, if you wish – just comment below or send me a message on Twitter, I’m @Clare2ELT.

What I really love about AR is that it can open up dialogue among teachers! That’s why I’d love for you to get in touch, and would also encourage any teacher who has conduced AR to share their findings publicly, e.g. on a blog or in a teaching magazine or newsletter.

Here are some other links and blog posts that are worth a look, if you’re interesting in finding out more about AR:

British Council: Exploring our own classroom practice.

Nellie Mueller: Action Research Projects