The Adolescent

Abstract

The chapter considers adolescent development holistically, with voice change as one aspect of adolescence. Scrutiny, both self-imposed and societal, surrounds adolescents. Physical growth affects coordination and confidence, as students experience rapid and sporadic growth of all their body parts. Hormones play an essential part in adolescent development into adulthood, but they can create complications for students that are unknown to others. The adolescent brain rewires itself significantly in preparation for adulthood; all experiences are internalized in the brain and affect rewiring. Hearing development is not related only to mechanisms in the ear but is largely connected to the brain. Adolescence is also a time of experiencing new, complex emotions, and interpretation and embodiment of these emotions can be an intricate process.