How to stop losing your voice when teaching

How do you stop losing your voice when you teach? Cut the shouting, drink more water and give your voice quiet gaps. Small habits matter more than any lozenge.

What helps

• Drink water through the day. Keep a bottle on the desk where you can see it.
• Use a signal for quiet. A raised hand, a chime or a countdown on the board works without any shouting.
• Move closer. Walk to the back of the room instead of raising your voice.
• Rest in the gaps. Say nothing at break if you can. Silence is a break for your voice.
• Avoid whispering. Some voice guidance says it can strain the voice too.

The US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has general advice on taking care of your voice. It is a fair place to start.

One more thing to ask

Some schools supply a voice amplifier for teachers. Ask before you buy one, because the school may have a system or a rule on what plugs into its equipment.

When it is not a habit problem

Hoarseness that lasts more than a few weeks, a voice that cuts out, pain when you speak or a lump in the throat needs a doctor. Do not push through it. Lozenges can hide the signal.

The exception

A cold or a bad night will put any voice out. Rest it and drink water. If a student is struggling to hear you, write more on the board instead of pushing the volume.

The same rule applies to the bottle: the best one is the one you will carry, which is why stop buying classroom decor puts it near the top of the list.

End of shift

• First to go: the lid seal on your bottle.
• Friday check: count how many times you refilled it. If it was once, drink more.
• Rest: a quiet evening before a hard week.