ABSTRACTUNDERSTANDING VOCAL FATIGUE AND GRADE LEVEL DEMANDAS QUANTIFIED BY THE VOCAL FATIGUE INDEX (VFI)BYRussell Edealo BanksPrevious research has concluded that teachers are at higher than normal risk for voice issues that can cause occupational limitations, but specific grade levels affected most by voice issues have not yet been identified. This research aims to identify by grade level, the teachers most at risk for vocal fatigue. A self-reported survey was distributed using the Qualtrics online survey software. Vocal fatigue was measured using the Vocal Fatigue Index and used to quantify the amount of potential risk involved in each teaching grade. Teachers’ responses from several different school districts throughout the United States were separated into grade levels and analyzed.The data collected in this study showed no effect of a teachers’ specific teaching grade level on the amount of vocal fatigue that they experienced. However, several other factors seemed to have an effect: size and capacity of the classrooms in which the teachers taught; frequency of colds, sinus infections, and laryngitis; frequency of caffeine, smoking, and alcohol consumption; and as well as the presence of reflux and allergies. These research discoveries will have a great effect on the precautions taken by educators and school administrators to avoid vocal fatigue, and, thus, occupational risk from short- and long-term voice issues. There are many additional factors which may affect perceived vocal fatigue that must be explored.
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