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General Information: Improving Classroom Acoustics

High noise levels and excessive reverberation of sound in the classroom create educational barriers for children by diminishing their ability to hear and subsequently learn. The following considerations and suggestions specifically target solutions to these problems.

Physical Characteristics of Classroom Design:

  • classroom placement within the building should be away from high noise areas such as the gym, cafeteria, and music rooms.
  • windows that open should be away from busy streets and playground areas
  • heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems should not exceed a noise level of 35dB
  • walls should be permanent - no movable partitions
  • disproportionately long or circular rooms should be avoided
  • signal to noise ration for teacher's voice should be at least +10dB; for classrooms with children who are deaf/hard of hearing, a +15dB signal to noise ration should be maintained
  • reverberation in the range of .4 - .6 sec; for classrooms with children who are deaf/hard of hearing reverberation should not exceed .4 sec.

Adaptations to Improve Acoustics for Classrooms

  • carpet or cork flooring
  • rubber tips on chair legs or desk if carpet is not available
  • drapes for windows and walls
  • cork board for bulletin boards
  • bookshelves as room dividers to create a quiet classroom area
  • cushions in place of chairs
  • mobile bulletin boards position at an angle (not parallel) to walls to reduce reverberation
  • landscaping with trees and burms to reduce outside noise
  • louvered shutters for outside window covers
  • door to hallways closed to reduce noise
  • suspended acoustical tile
  • visual features of classrooms should insure adequate lighting and reduction of reflective surfaces

Classroom Communication Strategies to Enhance Hearing and Listening

Many classroom teachers' management styles naturally incorporate the strategies identified below. The most critical aspect of these strategies is to promote student hearing and access to information.

STRATEGY

BENEFIT
Special seating near teacher or speaker with full face to face view
  • provides louder, less reverberant signal
  • provides advantage of visual instruction aids
  • provides access to visual spoken language
  • helps maintain attention and interest to task
Obtain student's attention through touch or verbal use of name
  • prepares child for hearing
Train student to "look and listen"
  • student will usually comprehend better if watching person who is speaking
Check student's comprehension of verbal information
  • determines student's level of understanding information
  • identifies information that needs to be restated
  • verifies when student is ready to move into new material
Quiet study ares that are free from visual distractions may be helpful
  • helps to minimize problems with auditory and visual distractions, improving concentration and productivity
Monitor student for fatigue and length of attending time, providing breaks when necessary
  • permits student to have "downtime" and then redirection of attention
Use of personal FM systems, a classroom amplification system or other assistive listening device
  • improved signal to noise level of teacher's voice to provide louder, less reverberant signal
  • helps maintain student attention and interest to task
  • distributed teacher's voice evenly throughout room (classroom amplification)
  • decreases teacher voice fatigue (classroom amplification)
S = state the topic to be discussed
P = pace your conversation at a moderate speed with occasional pauses to permit comprehension
E = enunciate clearly, without exaggerated lip movements
E = enthusiastically communicate, using body language and natural gestures
CH = check comprehension before changing topics
  •  mnemonic device highlighted basic strategies for dealing with attending, memory, and receptive language deficits

Adapted from Central Auditory Processing Disorders: A Team Approach to Screening, Assessment and Intervention Practices,
The Colorado Department of Education, 1997, pp33-34.

  

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