how classroom acoustics can improve the quality of learning in schools
Acoustic concerns often surround venues such as cinemas, concert halls, or recording studios. However, when it comes to classroom acoustics, the detrimental effect of excessive noise, both on academic performance and teachers’ health, is often an afterthought.
Raucous students, next door’s music lesson, sounds of nearby traffic or construction work – there are enough distractions as it is at school. Coupled with outdated 19th and 20th century buildings that lack adequate acoustic treatment, managing noise in the classroom becomes especially challenging.
But, with 80% of teachers agreeing that noise places significant strain on their ability to teach, it’s an issue that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. In this article we’re going to discuss what classroom acoustics are, the consequences of noise in the classroom, and how you can take some steps to build more comfortable learning environments. Read on to find out more.
what are classroom acoustics?
Classroom acoustics refers to the way that sound behaves within a classroom. The classroom acoustic design and the materials used to build walls and ceilings play a huge part in how sound behaves within these types of spaces.
the consequences of classroom noise
There are two main considerations to think about when it comes to noise in the classroom – the impact on children’s learning abilities and the impact on teacher’s wellbeing.
impact on children’s learning abilities
Put simply, sound quality matters because pupils must hear their teachers in order to learn. When classrooms are too reverberant, pupils find it hard to concentrate and understand their teachers. This inhibits the learning process from the outset.
Excessive levels of noise are often a consequence of sound reflecting off hard interior surfaces. This particularly impacts younger children who need optimal conditions for hearing and comprehension, as their listening skills are not as developed.
Noisy classrooms hinder kids’ ability to concentrate. For young children in particular, noise can cause increased irritability and disruptive behaviour.
Furthermore, noise has a knock-on effect on cognitive tasks; reading, mental arithmetic and problem-solving all become trickier in loud conditions.
Acoustics expert Trevor Cox found that playing classroom babble to a group of teenagers lowered their cognitive abilities by an average of three years, a far from ideal result in a learning environment.
Studies have also linked noise in schools to a plethora of health conditions – hearing loss, high blood pressure and poor sleep to name a few. Mental health doesn’t fare much better in noise, either. Research has revealed that it can play around with our adrenaline and stress-regulating hormones.
impact on teacher’s wellbeing
It’s not only pupils that are affected by noise in the classroom. Teachers are equally disturbed by unwanted noise levels in schools.
As noise levels increase, so do teachers’ heart rates. This causes stress and can lead to serious health issues, such as hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. According to statistics from the Department for Education (DfE) teachers in England are taking 51,000 sick days a week, costing schools an estimated £75m a year.
In order for teachers to be at their best, providing top quality teaching environments is a must.
tackling noise in the classroom: building bulletin 93
And on top of the above, there are legal requirements to consider. Published by the UK Government in 2003, Building Bulletin 93 (BB93) presents a set of minimum performance standards for acoustics and noise levels in school buildings.
According to section 1.08 of the report, instructional or critical listening activity within groups should be kept at a STI (speech transmission index) of greater than 0.61. To put it simply, it means that the teacher’s speech must always remain at an above average level of clarity – easier said than done in the classroom.
It is also strongly recommended that school client bodies obtain specialist independent advice from a suitably qualified acoustic technical advisor to ensure that the proposed classroom acoustic design achieves compliance with the criteria’.
That’s where Oscar Acoustics come in.
reduce noise in the classroom with quality acoustic treatment
Here’s the good news. Noise pollution in classrooms, corridors, sports halls and lecture theatres is easily fixable. The right acoustic solution can be simple to install, and make a huge difference to children’s education, as well as the overall learning environment in classrooms.
Hard surfaces such as tiles, plain walls, and wooden floors will reflect airborne noise. For a short-term solution, indoors materials such as carpets and wall panels absorb sound, and soft furnishings strategically placed around a room can also become effective noise mufflers.
SonaSpray for classroom acoustics
To soundproof your classroom, you should consider Oscar Acoustics’ SonaSpray. This is an acoustic spray that enables ceilings and walls to absorb sound energy rather than reflect it, reducing overall noise levels.
Compatible with most surfaces and shapes, SonaSpray can acoustically enhance all kinds of educational spaces, including multipurpose areas such as halls or dining rooms. What’s more, SonaSpray’s quick and easy application keeps disruption to a minimum – so classes can continue on as normal.
With SonaSpray, kids can concentrate whilst learning. And when their learning environment improves, so does their health and wellbeing.
contact us
If you’d like to find out more about how SonaSpray can create the perfect academic atmosphere, or how you can soundproof a classroom in other ways, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
