American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD

Issue: May/June 2011

Caution: Yelling Can Be Hazardous to Students' Health
Douglas McColl & Josh Trout

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to provide physical education teachers with information on the prevention, and identification in students, of vocal pathologies associated with yelling during class. It is estimated that 6 to 9% of school-age children have a voice disorder, but only about 1% receive treatment for it. Vocal nodules—benign tumors that grow on the vocal folds as a result of excessive yelling—cause a hoarse, weak, and breathy sounding voice. If not identified early, nodules frequently require surgical removal. Physical education teachers and coaches must be able to recognize the symptoms and refer students for treatment when necessary. They can also implement simple pedagogical strategies that can reduce the need for yelling in class, including hand signals, voice-amplification devices, and appropriate voice projection methods, among other things.

Article category: Safety Issues