Implementation and evaluation of a teacher intervention program on classroom communication

• Background: Media frequently report on overall work-place challenges in Swedish schools, including teachers’ working conditions, their well-being, and students’ declining results. Language is the key to success in every school subject. Therefore, optimal language learning environments are important. Poor sound environments affect teachers’ vocal health, their general well-being, and students’ performance. To provide better conditions for teachers and students, it is necessary to combine optimized room acoustics with other preventive measures such as vocal training and evidence-based tools to improve classroom communication. Teachers play a key role in the classroom and need knowledge and skills in communicative strategies to ensure first-class communication. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of an intervention program for primary-school teachers comprising strategies for enhanced language learning and interactions in the classroom, with focus on teachers’ verbal and body communication (voice, gaze, and gesture).Methods: Teachers (n = 25) from seven schools teaching in school year 3–6 participated. Assessments were made pre/post intervention and at 5-weeks and 3-months follow-up. The assessments included teachers’ self-assessments (questionnaires) of vocal health, self-efficacy, stress, burnout, and psychosocial work-environment.Results: The main results were significant decrease in voice problems at the 3-months follow-up and significant decrease of both stress and degree of burnout at 5-weeks follow-up. Self-efficacy score had increased significantly at 5-week follow-up.Conclusion: It can be concluded that the intervention program improves teachers’ self-reported vocal health, decreases their perception of stress, and degree of burnout whilst increasing their sense of self-efficacy in classroom management. 

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Oto-rhino-laryngologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Otorhinolaryngology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Health and Environmental Health (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

body communication

Classroom communication

intervention

language interaction

teachers

vocal health

well-being

acoustics

article

burnout

clinical article

controlled study

follow up

gaze

gesture

human

language development

primary school

questionnaire

self evaluation

skill

sound

student

teacher

teaching

voice

wellbeing

work environment

adult

child

etiology

eye fixation

female

in service training

interpersonal communication

learning

male

middle aged

occupational disease

occupational health

pathophysiology

prevention and control

psychology

school teacher

self concept

time factor

treatment outcome

verbal behavior

voice disorder

voice training

workplace

Burnout

Professional

Communication

Fixation

Ocular

Gestures

Humans

Inservice Training

Occupational Diseases

School Teachers

Self Efficacy

Time Factors

Voice Disorders

Voice Quality

Classroom communication

intervention

language interaction

body communication

vocal health

well-being

teachers

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)