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Noise
It is widely accepted that classrooms are noisy environments. With as many as 34 children in any one classroom, it is not surprising that noise levels may be high (typically 60dB) and at levels similar to street traffic.
This routine classroom noise can be one of the key reasons why communication breaks down in the educational setting.
Did you know that noise in the classroom has an adverse affect on:
- Academic performance, reading & spelling
- Concentration
- Attention
- Behaviour
Noise also affects concentration and attention in children with lower IQ’s or who have high anxiety levels. Children with sensory impairment face additional learning difficulties in the presence of classroom noise.
Many children for example, if faced with the task of understanding the teacher’s speech in a noisy classroom simply give up. The effect of noise on a child’s psychoeducational / psychosocial development can be significant.
Noise Effects on Teacher Performance:
In one study involving 1,200 teachers concerning the effects of noise in the classroom, results indicated that classroom noise levels:
- Increased teacher fatigue
- Increased tension and discomfort
- Affected teaching style and speech recognition
Further studies have revealed that Teacher’s have a significantly higher incidence of vocal stress than the general population. Vocal Stress in the teaching profession can be directly related to the raising of normal speech above the classroom noise.