How does bad acoustics in schools affect learning?

Poor school acoustics is a fairly common problem and is related to the design of the classrooms and the materials that were used in the construction. In an effort to create an ideal environment for learning in schools, much research has been done on the effect of acoustics on a child's ability to learn and the negative effects that can arise from poor acoustics in the classroom. How does bad acoustics in schools affect learning?

Children read worse in noise

Children who are exposed to different levels of noise during the school year also achieve different abilities in reading. In a study of a school in New York, Bonzaft & McCarthy proved that children who studied in a classroom closer to the tracks achieved poorer results in reading than children in the opposite classroom, where the noise from the track did not reach.

Similarly, Green & Shore compared two schools, one located near a major airport in New York and the other in a quieter location. The result was similar. So noise really affects children's ability to learn to read.

Problems with language acquisition

Lorraine Maxwell conducted a study in two schools. One was located near the airport and the other in a quieter part of New York. Both schools had students from abroad who were learning English. An airport school was exposed to 90 decibels of noise from planes landing every 6.6 minutes. Students at this school struggled with speech perception in the midst of noise. They understood roughly one in four words, which caused a lower ability to acquire a new language.

Children tend to stop focusing on speech in noise. Soundproofing of language classrooms is very important, even if your school is not directly exposed to airport noise.

Impaired memory

Noise- induced stress can reduce the availability of dopamine and disrupt the flow of information in the brain. Scientific America reports that background noise-induced stress can reduce the higher functioning of the brain, leading to memory impairment. In addition, background noise is distracting and children concentrate much more on listening, which ultimately further increases the decline in the ability to remember the material presented.

How to solve bad acoustics in schools?

Even schools without high levels of external noise, for example from traffic, can benefit from simple acoustic solutions to reduce noise in classrooms. In schools, noise moves horizontally and vertically between classrooms, and at the same time noise from computer systems is added to it. Acoustic tiles work by absorbing these sounds and reducing the resulting noise and echo in classrooms.Soundproofing of classrooms it will improve children's ability to learn and teachers will find it significantly easier to teach.

The World Health Organization recommends choosing acoustic tiles as an acoustic solution in the school environment soundproof doors to create an environment for more effective teaching.