Classroom noise

and its effects on

classroom
learning
School Noise Action Group
(SNAG)

SNAG Members

Murray Hodgson, Professor of Acoustics and Noise Control,

UBC
Janet Jamieson, Professor, Faculty of Education, UBC
Tom Tylka, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing,
Vancouver School District
Maureen Clarke, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing,
North Van School District
Bev McKenna, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing,
Burnaby School District
Les King, Director of Facilities, Vancouver School Board
Mark Keelan, Health and Safety Officer, BCTF
Karin Bernauer, Teacher, Vancouver School District
Linda Rammage, Director, Provincial Voice Care Resource
Program
Glynnis Tidball, Audiologist, St. Pauls Hospital
Greg Johnson, Architect, Marceau Evans Johnson Architects
Kathy Pickford, Principal, University Hill Elementary

Goals of SNAG

Examine research that outlines the effects

of noise in learning environments
Increase awareness of acoustic issues in
educational settings
Inform school personnel, government
officials, and the public of the benefits of
quality classroom acoustics
Develop local research projects to
demonstrate the benefits of improved
classroom acoustics
Lobby the provincial government to adopt
classroom acoustic standards

Current Issues:

What is classroom noise?

Why classroom noise is a concern?
What can be done to improve
classroom acoustics?

Noise

Noise defined as unwanted sound

Extremely high levels of noise can
cause hearing damage (Occupational
Health and Safety)
Moderate levels of noise interfere
with effectiveness and ease of
communication

How noise is measured

Sound levels measured in decibels (dB)

3 dB increase represents a doubling of
intensity

E.g., 35 dBA + 35 dBA = 38 dBA

Does not correlate to what we perceive

3 dB increase is just barely noticeable
10 dB increase will sound 2 x as loud
20 dB increase will sound 4 x as loud

Cannot estimate sound intensity by what

we hear!

Decibel level of common

sounds
Sound sources

SPL (dBA)

Faintest audible sound

Whisper

20

Quiet residence

30

Soft stereo in residence

40

Speech range

50-70

Cafeteria

80

Band class

88

P.E. class

89

Accelerating motorcycle

100

Rock concert

120

Jet engine (75 feet away)

140

Sources of noise in the

classroom

Outside noise sources

Vehicles
Voices

Inside sources:
Student activity
Equipment: computers, projectors
Reverberation (echo) of sound within the
room
Neighbouring classrooms
Ventilation and heating systems

Signal-to-noise ratio
(SNR)

Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR):

difference in dB between the speech

(signal) and the noise

Example:
Teachers voice (signal) = 60 dBA
Background noise = 45 dBA
SNR = 60-45 = +15 dB

What might good SNR

sound like?
1. Microphone placed on body of
listener,
12 feet from the sound source
2. Microphone placed on lapel of
talker
- Linda Thibodeau, http://ahrc.utdallas.edu/online/

I am a dynamic figure, often

seen scaling walls and
crushing ice.
- Essay by Hugh Gallagher

What SNRs do children

need?

Depends on age of child

SNR (dB) required to achieve 95% speech
intelligibility

Grade 1: +15.5
Grade 3: +12.5
Grade 6: +8.5
Young adults (lab): +1

SNR of +10 dB

1 in 10 words not understood by Grade 1s on

average
- Bradley, 2005

Speech understanding in
younger children

Auditory system still developing

Knowledge base of language not fully

developed

Childrens auditory system not fully developed

until late teens (+ 15 yrs)
Children do not process sound as well as older
children/adults

Dont have language skills/knowledge to fill in the

missing pieces
Children rely more on bottom-up processing

Younger children require better signal

quality to understand speech well

Double Jeopardy

Noise has more detrimental effect on

Children learning in non-native language

ESL, immersion

Children with learning disabilities

Children with behavioural, attentional
difficulties
Hard-of-hearing children (temporary,
permanent)

Cumulative effects?

Ideal listening
environment

Teachers voice is clearly audible

Little background noise
Good room acoustics
Good attenuation of sound from outside
noise sources
Reverberation (echo) in the classroom

Not too little, not too much

Acoustic characteristics of
the ideal listening
environment
Recommended noise level of
unoccupied classroom:

Teachers voice (relaxed)

ANSI S12.60: 35 dBA

60 dBA

Reverberation time (RT) between 0.4

and 0.6 sec
SNR +15 dB

Are the acoustic conditions

of our classrooms
adequate?

In general, no!

Noise, reverberation time & estimated

speech intelligibility (RaSTI) in most
occupied classrooms are unacceptable
(ASHA, 1990; Pekkarinen & Viljanen, 1990)

Average levels from 43 classrooms

(Bradley, 2005)
Teachers voice (signal): 59.5 dBA (+ 5.5 )*
Noise: 49 dBA (+ 7.3)*
Mean SNR: +11 dB

SNR in Canadian
classrooms (Bradley, 2005)

For Grade 1, 9.1% had ideal SNR

For Grade 3, 39.9%
For Grade 6, 51.5%

Effects of poor SNR

Students

Poor understanding
Decreased attention
Decreased performance

Teacher

Reading deficiencies
Reduced motivation
Delayed language acquisition

Contributes to increased vocal strain by teachers

Other

Fewer verbal interactions between teachers, students

More time spent repeating instructions/information and
less material covered

Impact of poor acoustic

environment on teachers
voices

Teachers must adjust voices to be

audible above background noise > 40 dB
Vocal adjustments contribute to
increased vocal fatigue/strain
Teachers with occupational voice
problems

Teachers voice quality and therefore the

speech signal are compromised, resulting in
a poorer student performance

Occupational hazard?

Teachers make up 3.8% of the population in BC

Approximately 17% of patients seen for voice

disorders at the Pacific Voice Clinic (VGH) are
teachers
A disproportionate number of teachers
experience voice problems

Voice problems may lead to

Teachers requiring time off work
Occupational injury claims

Summary of effects of
classroom acoustics

Poor classroom acoustics

are a significant barrier to learning
have the greatest impact on younger
children and those with special learning
requirements
contribute to the high incidence of
voice disorders among teachers

What can be done?

Reduce noise levels in the classroom

Identify and address noise sources where
possible
Acoustic treatment of rooms

Increase signal quality

Sound field amplification (not necessarily
helpful if reverberation is excessive)
Vocal/speech strategies for teachers

Mandate acoustic standards in the BC

school building code

New and renovated

schools

Increase awareness of classroom acoustics and

noise issues among architects, school officials and
administrators
Locate new schools away from noise sources (traffic)
Apply ANSI standards in the BC school building
code
Design with appropriate room size, ceiling height,
sound separation between rooms
Ventilation fans outside of the classroom
Appropriate use of absorptive vs. reflective
materials to keep reverberation times between 0.4
and 0.6 sec.

Existing schools

Reduce interior noise sources

Classroom management
Tennis balls on the feet of chairs and desks

Improve reverberation and sound

absorption:
Acoustic tiles, carpeting
Improve sound separation between
classrooms, hallways
Windows

Conclusion

Excessive noise and reverberation are significant

barriers to effective learning, particularly for
younger children and those with special learning
needs
An adult may not fully appreciate students level of
difficulty in a classroom situation because adults
hear better in noise than children do
SNR of +15 dB is critical for an optimal learning
environment
Excessive noise in the classroom contributes to
vocal strain in teachers
Classroom noise and acoustics needs to be properly
addressed during the design, building and
retrofitting of schools

What needs to be done?

Incorporate classroom ANSI

acoustic standards into provincial
school building standards
Ensure that contributions of noise to
teacher voice problems are
recognized by 3rd party insurers

Additional information

ASA: ANSI S12.60 (2002) Classroom acoustics standard

http://www.asa.aip.org
Lay paper on classroom acoustics:
www.cllrnet.ca/Docs/RESOURCES/Lay_paper_02_internat
ional-modified.pdf
CAA-ACA: Canadian Acoustical Association:
http://www.caa-aca.ca/

Canadian acoustical consultants et al.

http://www.caa-aca.ca/MainFrame.htm

IRC/NRC:Acoustical design of rooms for speech

http://www.infosource.nrccnrc.gc.ca/reports/ctus/ctu51e.pdf