Practical arrangements and methods in the field examination and speaking style analysis of professional voice users

Abstract

The present article is a preliminary report in a project launched to improve the objective study and description of vocal habits in teachers and in other professional voice users in their natural working environment with special reference to the systematic mapping of changes observable in teachers' voices in the course of a work-day. First, the practical arrangements employed in the field study and the methods of acoustic analysis are described. In an example of the uses of the new approach and method, the speech samples for a female teacher are analysed in detail: other samples exemplifying differences in teaching and speaking styles in a lesson are provided by two additional female teachers. Finally, the practical issues and methodological problems of the approach are discussed.